.partial File Won't Finish Downloading
A .partial file was left behind and the real download never completed. Legacy Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer use .partial for in-progress downloads; here is how to resume, restart, or clear a stuck one.
What a stuck .partial file means
Legacy Microsoft Edge (EdgeHTML) and Internet Explorer save an in-progress download to a file ending in .partial, then rename it to the real file when finished. (The current Chromium-based Edge instead uses .crdownload.) A leftover .partial means the download stalled — the connection dropped, the browser closed mid-transfer, the server timed out, or the disk was full.
Fix it in order
- Resume from the downloads list. Open the browser's downloads view (Ctrl+J) and click Resume / Retry on the paused item.
- Restart from the source. If Resume is unavailable or the item failed, the link expired — reopen the original page and download again. On modern Windows, using Chromium-based Edge or another current browser is more reliable.
- Remove blockers. Check the connection, free disk space larger than the file, and antivirus/proxy tools that can cut a transfer.
- Delete a locked leftover. If the old
.partialwon't delete, close the browser fully (end background processes), then remove it from your Downloads folder.
Can the data be recovered?
No for most files — a .partial is incomplete, so renaming it to the real extension produces a corrupt file. Re-download to get a working copy; only progressive media may partly play.
FAQ
Which browser makes .partial files?
Legacy Microsoft Edge (EdgeHTML) and Internet Explorer use .partial for in-progress downloads. The current Chromium-based Edge uses .crdownload instead.
Why won't my .partial file finish downloading?
The transfer was interrupted before the browser could rename it — a dropped connection, a closed browser, a server timeout, or a full disk. Resume from the downloads list, or restart from the source page.
Can I open a .partial file by renaming it?
No. It is only partially written, so removing the suffix leaves a corrupt file. Re-download the file to get a usable copy.
Is it safe to delete a stuck .partial file?
Yes, once the download is abandoned — you only lose incomplete data. Do not delete one that is still downloading; close the browser first if it won't delete.