.part vs .crdownload: What's the Difference?
Both files are downloads that never finished — the difference is which browser made them. A .part comes from Firefox; a .crdownload comes from Chrome, Edge and other Chromium browsers.
Short answer: they are the same idea from two different browsers. .part is the placeholder Firefox writes while a download is in progress; .crdownload is the placeholder Chrome, Edge, Brave and other Chromium browsers write. When the download finishes, the browser renames the file to its real extension and the .part/.crdownload disappears. If it stays behind, the download was interrupted.
Side by side
- .part — Firefox (and some download managers). Lives in your Downloads folder next to a matching entry in the Firefox Downloads panel.
- .crdownload — Chromium browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera uses
.opdownload). Tracked in the browser's Downloads page.
Can you open either one?
Not reliably. Both hold a partially written file, so renaming to the real extension usually gives a corrupt file. The correct fix is the same for both: open the browser's downloads list and choose Resume, or re-download from the source page. Progressive media may partly play, but documents, archives and installers need the full transfer.
FAQ
Is .part the same as .crdownload?
Functionally yes — both are in-progress downloads. .part is written by Firefox, .crdownload by Chromium browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave). Each becomes the real file once the download completes.
Why do I have a .crdownload but my friend has a .part?
You are on a Chromium browser (Chrome/Edge/Brave) and they are on Firefox. The two browsers just use different names for the temporary download file.
Can I convert a .crdownload or .part to the real file?
No. Renaming the extension does not add the missing data. Resume the download from the browser's Downloads list, or start it again from the original page.