What Is a .CRSWAP File?

A .crswap file turned up while an app was saving. It is a temporary scratch file. Here is what makes it and when it is safe to remove.

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What a .crswap file is

A .crswap file is a temporary scratch file used by Chrome and ChromeOS's file system while an app saves data. Web apps that use the File System Access API write changes into a .crswap first, then atomically swap it into place so a crash can't leave a half-written file.

Why it is still there

If you see a leftover .crswap, the save was interrupted before the swap completed. The real file usually still holds its last good version.

Is it safe to delete?

Yes, if no app is currently saving. A stray .crswap is an abandoned temporary file and holds only partial, unswapped data.

Can you open it?

Not usefully — it is mid-write scratch data, not a finished file. Open the real file instead.

How to finish a .crswap file by OS

All systems (Chrome / Chromium): .crswap is a temporary swap file the Chrome File System Access API writes while saving. It's not a download you resume — the web app renames it to the real file when the save completes. If the app crashed mid-save, re-run the save from the web app.

Common problems

A leftover .crswap means a web app's save was interrupted. There's usually no usable data inside; redo the export/save from the app.

FAQ

Can I delete a .crswap file?

Yes, if no app is actively saving. It is an abandoned temporary scratch file.

What creates .crswap files?

Chrome and ChromeOS web apps using the File System Access API, which write to a .crswap before swapping it into the real file.

Can I open a .crswap file?

Not usefully — it holds partial, mid-write data. Open the actual saved file instead.

Can I recover data from a .crswap file?

Rarely. It's an intermediate buffer; the reliable fix is to redo the save in the web app that created it.