9 Ways to Fix Slow Download Speeds on Chrome

Slow download speeds are one of the biggest nightmares online. Here's how to fix the problem on Google Chrome.

Chrome is one of the fastest and most widely used browsers on the market. However, there may be times when hidden bugs and issues slow it down. After going through this article, you can determine if it's the internet or your browser that's slowing down your downloads.

The nine fixes that we cover in this article can help you speed up downloads if they are slower than usual.

Check Your Internet Connection First

You must first confirm that a slow internet connection is not the cause of your slow download speed. Downloading the same files on another browser or another system connected to the same internet connection will confirm this.

If the download speed is normal on other laptops or other browsers on the same laptop, the issue may be with your Chrome browser. If that's so, follow the steps below to fix the slow Chrome download speed issue.

Related: How to Test Your Home Network Speed (And Decipher the Results)

1. Close Unused Tabs While Downloading File

Each tab open in your browser consumes some resources. Chrome has very few resources to utilize when so many tabs are open, and you're downloading files. Therefore, a lack of RAM resources can slow down the download process.

In addition to using RAM, each open tab puts some strain on the internet. As more tabs are open, the internet becomes slower, causing files to take longer to download. Try closing the unused tabs one by one to see if it makes any difference to the download speed.

2. Turn Off Any VPN You're Using

Surfing over the internet is more secure with a VPN. If, however, the VPN server is too far from you, the data packet will take longer to travel between your and the server's location. This will slow down Chrome browsing as well as download speeds.

Check whether removing the VPN connection improves download speeds. However, this will expose your IP address, so make sure it won't compromise your security.

3. Update Your Version of Chrome

Chrome updates can eliminate hidden issues and enhance its performance. The download speed may slow down if Chrome is not updated to its latest version.

To see if Chrome is updated, follow these steps.

1. In the top-right corner, click on the three dots.
2. Go to Help > About Google Chrome.

If Chrome is already updated, you'll see the message "Google Chrome is up-to-date". If not, update it and download the file again. Enable auto-updates to avoid facing the same problem in the future.

Related: How to Update Google Chrome

4. Disconnect Other Devices From Same Internet Connection

Having too many connections to the same internet connection can slow down Chrome's download and browsing capabilities. If you're using a shared internet connection in Chrome to download files, ask other users to disconnect their devices until the download completes.

If you have connected your devices to the same internet connection, disconnect them to see if it speeds up the download. You can also move the laptop close to the router to improve signal strength.

5. Enable Parallel Downloading

Parallel downloading divides a file into smaller pieces and downloads them simultaneously. Multiple connections to download a file decrease the load on servers, which speeds up the download process. Chrome automatically combines these small packets into the final download file once they have been downloaded.

To enable parallel downloading in Chrome, follow these steps:

1. Open a new tab.
2. Go to the Chrome flags area.

3. Search for parallel downloading.

   
4. Enable the option from the dropdown.
5. Relaunch the browser once.

Turn off this feature if it adversely affects download speed.

6. Clearing Browsing Data

Temporary files can cause a hiccup in the data download process if they accumulate in the browser. Therefore, clearing cookies may help speed up the download process.

1. Press CTRL + H.
2. Click on Clear browsing data.
3. Select all options, including the cookies and cached data.
4. Tap on Clear data.

Performing this action will remove any saved usernames, passwords, and other information. If you wish to keep it intact, you can create a new account in the same Chrome browser with no cache data or saved cookies.

7. Disable Extensions

Chrome extensions can also interfere with downloads in some cases. Turn extensions off one by one to see how it affects download speed. Turning off a particular extension may increase download speed. If that's so, permanently remove that extension from Chrome.

8. Turn Off Hardware Acceleration in Chrome

The hardware acceleration process transfers the high graphics computations to hardware such as the GPU, so the CPU doesn't have to deal with as much workload. Most of the time, it improves the performance of browsers and applications.

This may, however, slow down the download speed. If it's already on, turn it off and see any effect on downloading speed. Turn it back on if turning it off further slows the download.

To turn off hardware acceleration in Chrome, follow the steps below.

1. Go to Settings.

2. Scroll down and go to advanced settings.

   
3. In system settings, turn off the "Use hardware acceleration when available".

9. Install a Download Manager

The download manager works in the same way as parallel downloading in Chrome. Each part of the file is downloaded separately, which puts less stress on the server. All downloads are conducted using full bandwidth and multiple connections.

Furthermore, once the connection is interrupted, you must download the file in Chrome from scratch. Download managers retain the downloaded part and resume downloading from where the connection was interrupted.

The most popular download manager for accelerating your download speed is IDM (Internet Download Manager).

Download: Internet Download Manager (Windows | Mac)

Related: Fix the “Download Failed Network Error” on Chrome

Increase Download Speed of Chrome Browser

The above fixes will improve Chrome's download speed. There are often problems on the server that hosts a particular file, slowing down the download. If that is the case, the above fixes won't help much.

To get the maximum speed, download one file at a time, and if the slow speed issue persists, consider switching to another browser that downloads files faster than Chrome.

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