Convert .crdownload to MP4 (and Play Partial Videos)
A <code>.crdownload</code> is Chrome's <em>partial</em> download. Renaming it to <code>.mp4</code> only works if the download actually completed and Chrome just didn't rename it — otherwise the file is incomplete and renaming won't 'convert' anything. The reliable fix is to resume the download. If you can't, VLC can often play whatever data is already there. Here's how to tell which case you're in.
First: is the download actually finished?
- Open Chrome Downloads (
Ctrl+J/Cmd+J). If the item shows Resume or a stalled bar, it is not done — renaming won't help. Resume it first. - If Chrome shows it as complete but the
.crdownloadis still on disk, compare the file size to the expected size. A full-size file is just mislabeled — rename it.
Rename it to .mp4 (only if complete)
Show file extensions (Windows: View → File name extensions), then rename video.mp4.crdownload → video.mp4 by deleting the .crdownload suffix. On Mac/Linux: mv video.mp4.crdownload video.mp4. If it plays, you're done.
Play a partial video that will never finish
If the source is gone and you can't resume, you can still watch what downloaded: VLC is the most forgiving player and will play a truncated MP4, skipping the missing tail. Copy the file to name.mp4 first, then open in VLC. For badly truncated files, VLC's Convert/Save can re-encode the playable portion into a clean MP4. Tools like untrunc can repair a broken MP4 if you have a complete reference file from the same source.
Why 'converting' usually isn't the real fix
A .crdownload isn't a different format — it's an MP4 (or whatever you were downloading) that stopped early. There's nothing to convert; there are only missing bytes. Resuming the download is always better than renaming an incomplete file.
FAQ
Can I convert a .crdownload file to MP4?
Only if the download actually finished — then renaming video.mp4.crdownload to video.mp4 works, because it was always an MP4. If the download is incomplete, there's nothing to convert; renaming gives you a broken file. Resume the download in Chrome instead.
How do I play an incomplete .crdownload video?
Copy it to a .mp4 name and open it in VLC, which plays truncated videos and skips the missing part. For badly cut files, use VLC's Convert/Save to re-encode the playable portion, or untrunc with a complete reference file to repair it.
Why won't my renamed .crdownload file play?
Because the download never completed — the file is missing its end (and sometimes its index), so most players reject it. Resume the download if you can; otherwise try VLC, which tolerates partial files better than other players.