3 Methods to Stop Google Chrome from Blocking Downloads

Google Chrome has a built-in feature that automatically blocks malicious downloads and displays a warning message if the downloaded file is harmful. Google Chrome, like many other modern browsers, uses various security measures to protect users from downloading harmful files that can damage the device and cause security risks.

However, sometimes Google Chrome may block files that you know are safe or that you intentionally want to download. In this case, you can manually stop Google Chrome from blocking downloads. In this guide, you will learn several techniques that you can use to stop Google from blocking downloads. These include manual overrides, adjusting Google Chrome’s security settings, allowlisting, using third-party extensions, and more.

How to Stop Google Chrome From Blocking Downloads

Manual Overrides: When File is Safe

You can manually override if you think the file is safe or if you download the file you want. Again, before you manually override Chrome’s downloading security protocols, make sure you trust the source of the download.

How to manually override Chrome’s downloading security protocols

• Google Chrome displays a warning before downloading unsafe files. You usually have the choice to discard the download or keep the file. You can click “Keep” to continue downloading the file.
• Sometimes, Google automatically discards the downloaded file. If that happens, search for the files in the Google Chrome browser. You can click the Downloads icon in the upper corner of the screen and view the downloaded files in the lower left corner if you are using an old file, or go to the Downloads tab and click Keep to unblock and start downloading the file.
  
• Click the side arrow, click the three-dot menu, and click Keep or Continue Download. The file will now be downloaded.

Adjusting Chrome’s Security Settings

Disabling Safe Browsing

Google Safe Browsing offers three levels of protection by default: Enhanced, Standard, and No Protection. The Enhanced Protection actively warns you about potential threats before they occur. This is the safest option and automatically blocks most of the harmful downloads. The ‘Standard Protection’ alerts you only when a website, download, or extension is considered dangerous. The ‘No Protection’ option turns off the security features, which is risky and not recommended. We recommend using standard protection. It blocks only downloads that are known to be dangerous. In our test, we didn’t see any blocking errors.

• Open the Chrome browser on your device.
• Click on the three dots (More) in the top right corner, and then click Settings.
  
• Click on Privacy and Security and then on Security
  
• On the security tab under Safe Browsing, choose Standard or No Protection.
  
  

You can also manually override downloads on smartphones.

• Open Google Chrome and tap on the three dots in the top right corner.
• Now, select Settings Privacy and Security Safe browsing.
• Select Enhanced Safe Browsing.
• For iPhone/iPad: Open Chrome and tap your profile picture. Then go to Privacy & Security Safe Browsing and choose the Standard option.

Managing site permissions

In Google Chrome, you can allow or block certain websites from downloading files without restrictions.

• Open Google Chrome and click the three-dot icon in the top right corner of the screen. Tap on Settings.
  
• Click on the Privacy and Security tab, Find, and click Site Settings.
  
• If you want to add a website manually, search for “Automatic Downloads” in the Website Settings menu and select it. You can find it under “Additional Permissions”.
  
• There, you’ll see a section where you can add websites to the “Allow” list.
• Click the Add button next to the Allow heading. Enter the website URL you want to allow for unrestricted downloads and click Add.
• Alternatively, under recent activity, select the site you want to allow permissions. Click on the View permissions and data stored across sites and search the site. Tap on the site. Here, you can see the list of permissions for the site. Find the Automatic downloads, click the right arrow, and select the Allow option.
  

Using Google Chrome Extensions

You can use Google Chrome extensions to prevent Google from blocking downloads when enhanced protection is enabled. After testing umpteen Google Chrome Downloader extensions, we decided to use Download Manager Pro and Chrono Download Manager to download files. Download Manager Plus offers a clean and modern experience. And Google Chrono Download Manager offers rich features and a sniffer mode that lets you search for downloadable web links.

Here is how to use extensions to download files

• Install the Google Chrome extension in your browser. You can install Downloader Manager Pro for a simple interface and Chrono Downloader Manager for checking downloaded files.
  
• Now, paste the URL of the downloaded files. You can rename, reference, and add remarks to the downloaded file in Chrono Downloader Manager. Download Manager doesn’t offer such customization. Go to the file URL you want to download to get a download link. Right-click the link and click on the copy link. If you are mobile, Tap and hold your finger on the file’s download link until a menu appears, and click the copy link.
  
• Paste the link, click on Download and Start to download the file
  
• If you are using the Chrono downloader manager extension, you can directly download the files from the site without copying and pasting the link. You will see a popup from the browser asking you to keep or discard the download. You can click on the keep to continue downloading. This eliminates the need to override or use copy and pasting methods manually.

Best Practices for Safe Downloads

Downloading files from the Internet is a common practice, but it can also pose a risk to your security. To protect you, the Google Chrome browser includes built-in security measures that prevent you from downloading harmful files. However, there may be times when you need to download a file intentionally; in these cases, it is possible to bypass the security measures. We strongly recommend that you use safe practices when downloading files, and we recommend the following methods to ensure your safety.

• Check the Source: Always download from reputable websites or websites you trust.
• Use Antivirus Software: Make sure you have antivirus software installed and updated.
• Scan Before Opening: Use your antivirus to scan the downloaded file before you open it.
• Check File Extensions: Be cautious with files that end in. Exe, Msi, or. Bat, as they can make changes to your computer.
• Check File Size: Check the download size before downloading.
• Update Your Browser: Keep your web browser updated to benefit from the latest security features.

FAQs on How to stop Chrome from blocking downloads

1. Why does Chrome automatically block my downloads?

Google Chrome’s built-in security measures automatically block downloads for malicious files. These include files that contain viruses to prevent your computer from being infected, private information such as passwords from being shared, your browser or computer settings from being changed, unwanted extensions or toolbars that clog up your browser, files that try to access your email without permission, malicious, unwanted, unusual files that are known to be harmful, and more. When such files are downloaded, it can cause security issues, compromise your device, and expose sensitive information. To prevent this, Google blocks these files automatically.

2. Can I permanently turn off download blocking?

You can disable enhanced protection in Google Chrome’s settings. We have shown detailed step-by-step instructions above. You can set the default protection to standard or not protected.

3. How do I know if a download is genuinely harmful?

When downloading files, there are some parameters you need to keep in mind to ensure your safety. These include making sure that you download files only from reputable websites, that the file format matches the file you are downloading, that the file name does not look random or suspicious, and much more.

Also, it is recommended that you upload the downloaded file to a virus checker website before opening it to check it for possible viruses. If you follow these steps, you can protect your device and personal data from possible harm.

4. Are there any risks associated with using third-party download managers?

It is important to know that the third-party downloaders mentioned in this post are completely safe. These downloaders are Chrome extensions that you can download from the Chrome Web Store. You can simply paste the download links to download the file. Besides, some downloader managers also offer security features to check malicious files.

5. How often does Google update its Safe Browsing database?

Google updates its Safe Browsing list about every 30 minutes to keep an eye on dangerous websites. According to the Google Security blog post, the list was last updated in August 2022. When you use your browser, it checks this list to warn you when a website is unsafe. Sometimes your browser also checks for updates more frequently, especially when you launch it or when a particular website is a cause for concern. You can visit the security blog post to learn more about how Google Search works and how Google updates it.