What Is a .PARTIAL File?

Your browser left a .partial file where the real download should be. It is an unfinished download. Here is how to finish, resume or safely remove it.

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What a .partial file is

A .partial file is an incomplete download written by Microsoft Edge and older Firefox versions — the browser's equivalent of Chrome's .crdownload. It holds the bytes received so far, named after the real file with .partial appended, e.g. download.zip.partial.

Why it is still there

The download stalled — the connection dropped, the browser closed, or the transfer was cancelled mid-way. Until the rest arrives, the file is unusable.

How to finish it

Open your browser's downloads list (Ctrl+J) and click Resume. If the entry is gone, download the file again from the source.

Is it safe to delete?

Yes, once the download is dead — you only lose the partial data. Do not delete one that is still actively downloading.

How to finish a .partial file by OS

Windows (Edge / IE): .partial is an incomplete Edge download. Open Edge, press Ctrl+J, and resume the download; Edge renames it to the real file when done.

macOS / Linux: same idea in Edge; on other browsers just re-download.

Common problems

Edge sometimes leaves a .partial after a crash. If the Downloads list has no resume option, the safest fix is to delete it and download again.

If Resume is missing: recover a stalled download

Re-open the source link and start the download again — most servers let you fetch the whole file fresh. This is the reliable fix when the Downloads list lost the entry.
Keep the browser open while downloading large files; closing it mid-transfer is the most common reason a .partial is orphaned.
Check disk space and antivirus. A full disk or a security tool quarantining the file can silently kill the transfer and leave a .partial behind.

.partial vs .part vs .crdownload

All three mean the same thing — an unfinished download — they just come from different browsers: .partial is Microsoft Edge, .part is Firefox and many download managers, and .crdownload is Google Chrome. None of them is a real file format; each is renamed to the true filename the moment the download completes.

FAQ

Can I open a .partial file?

No, it is incomplete and has no usable content until the download finishes.

Is it safe to delete a .partial file?

Yes, if the download failed or you no longer need it. Never delete one that is still downloading.

Which browsers create .partial files?

Microsoft Edge and older Firefox versions. Chrome uses .crdownload for the same purpose.

How do I open a .partial file?

You can't open it directly — resume the download in Edge so it becomes the complete file.

How do I resume a .partial download?

Reopen the download in the same browser or download manager that started it and choose Resume — it appends to the existing .partial file. A .partial moved to a different program usually cannot be resumed.

What is the difference between .partial, .part, and .crdownload?

They are the same concept from different tools: .partial (Firefox/Edge), .part (wget, aria2, JDownloader) and .crdownload (Chrome). Each is an incomplete download that gets renamed to the real filename once the transfer reaches 100%.

Why can't I delete a .partial file?

It is still locked by an active or paused download. Cancel or finish the download first, close the browser if the lock persists, then delete the leftover .partial file.

Can I rename a .partial file to open it?

Only if the download actually finished and the browser failed to rename it — rare. If the .partial is smaller than the expected file it is incomplete and renaming it gives you a corrupt, unusable file. The reliable fix is to resume or re-download rather than rename.