A CRDOWNLOAD file is a partially downloaded file created by the Google Chrome web browser. It stores the contents of a file as it is being received by the browser and uses the .crdownload extension to mark the download as incomplete until it is finished, at which point the .crdownload extension is removed. CRDOWNLOAD files are similar to .DOWNLOAD files, which are typically created by Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari web browsers.

Google Chrome appends the .crdownload extension to files as they are downloaded. For example, the file myMovie.avi would have the name myMovie.avi.crdownload. Once the download is complete, Chrome removes the .crdownload extension and the file is ready to be used. You will most likely only see CRDOWNLOAD files in your "Downloads" folder or in the download status bar at the bottom of your Chrome web browser window during a download. If your Chrome download was interrupted before it was finished, it may be possible to recover a portion of the file. Simply delete the .crdownload extension then attempt to open it with the appropriate program. For example, some audio and video file types can still be played by a media player even though they are not yet fully downloaded. If you try this method and still cannot open the file you should delete the file and download it again. NOTE: CRDOWNLOAD files may also be created by Chromium, an open source web browser project similar to Chrome.