Chrome is blocking downloads? Here is why!

[Karlston]

Chrome is blocking downloads? Here is why!

 

If you have upgraded the Google Chrome browser to version 86, released on October 6, 2020, you may have noticed that some file downloads don't work anymore in the browser. You click on the download link and nothing happens. Chrome does not display a notification and there is virtually no information that explains what is happening, or not happening in this case. A check of the downloads page of the browser does not even list the file.

 

The fact that nothing happens can be confusing to users, as the expectation is that the download should begin after clicking on the link.

 

Google announced in early 2020 that it will block content that is served via the insecure HTTP if the originating page uses HTTPS. The company decided to roll out the feature gradually by adding more and more file types to the blocklist. Executable files, e.g. .exe or .bat, are the first file types to be blocked, and the release of Chrome 86 put that block in place. Future versions of Chrome will block non-executable file types such as PDF, ZIP, or JPG files.

 

There is only one option to find out if a download is blocked in Chrome, or if it is an unrelated problem, e.g. a server issue.

1. Select Menu > More Tools > Developer Tools.
2. Switch to Console in the Developer Tools interface.
3. Chrome displays a red "Mixed Content" warning for downloads that it blocks. It displays "The site at HTTPS* was loaded over a secure connection, but the file at HTTP* was redirected through an insecure connection. This file should be served over HTTPS. This download has been blocked.

Below is a screenshot of such a message.

 

 

Now that it is clear what happened, it is essential to understand what your options are to download the file.

 

Right now, the easiest option available is to right-click on the download link and select "save link as". The download is executed when you do that.

 

Note that some download links, e.g. those powered by JavaScript, won't work with the right-click bypass.

 

There are other options, and it is possible that Google is blocking downloads via right-clicks as well in the future:

1. Use a different browser for downloads. Most browsers will follow Google's implementation however and block insecure downloads. For now, a browser like Firefox, Internet Explorer, Brave, Vivaldi, the new Edge, or Opera all allow the download.
2. Use a download manager. A program like Internet Download Manager, uGet, or Xtreme Download Manager will continue to download files from HTTP sources. Whether the plugins or extensions will pick up the download is another question though, as a blocked download may not be picked up anymore, but right-clicking, saving the URL and pasting it manually in the download manager should work regardless of the browser's blocking settings.

Closing Words

The blocked file types implementation lacks clarity and information. Users who don't know about the Developer Tools won't know why  a file cannot be downloaded in Chrome. The right-click bypass may work for now, but it is not clear that it does and many users may not identify it as the sole option in Chrome to download blocked files. A clear warning, with the option to override, should be displayed instead, as users should be in control of the browser and not the other way around.

 

 

Chrome is blocking downloads? Here is why!

 

[steven36]

More Google Wide Web FU ,  they doing the same thing  to http  that they done to YouTube  extensions in Chrome and  Chromium  years ago ban it from there apps ,  So you need a  download manger app  to download  from it . It wouldn't be shocking  if  we don't need  another browser soon to access the http  part of the web.

 

[mp68terr]

In other browsers 'HTTPS Everywhere' can also be responsible, but there is at least a warning page.

[steven36]

1 hour ago, mp68terr said:

In other browsers 'HTTPS Everywhere' can also be responsible, but there is at least a warning page.

I use a vpn that  encrypts my  internet traffic system wide   so i dont need redundant addons like this  all you have to do is change the link to https and see do it work. or do i need  DOH  , DOH  is more Google Wide Web FU they want to use this were you can't block ads . I only have HTTPS Everywhere in TOR Browser I dont  use no addons  or remove  in it  I just have  the  ones that come in  it because it  makes you unique and stand out if you change them.

 

The way Firefox does DOH  is OK you can put in a DNS that don't log  and /or that blocks ADS . But Google would like to force Google  DNS on you and make it were you can't block ads .Only thing stopping  them is  countries  that have censorship it mess with there blocks .So in Chrome it  only turns on if you use a one of the  DNS they allow system wide the ones they have all log. DNS  is a 2 edge sword it can be used for  good or bad, DOH is another battle for your data even M$  is getting on board. Slurp  , Slurp.

 

As far as Google  blocking old sites or file servers  that only http  the point  is moot  they can serve  you malware  just as easy  over Https.

 

 

Its like HTML5  is Google Wide Web FU they said is was  better  because flash  ads  had malware  now HTML5 has a malware problem  but it's worse because its no way to trun it off without blocking the script.

 

Another  example of Google Wide Web FU was  the way Google's captcha system  infected the internet  .Cloudflare  stop using  them and switch to H but it's still widely used  by  lots of sites . Both  things get on my nerves  Google's captcha system  and Cloudflare if it's used on sites prone to website attacks. If Cloudflare snitchs  them out that not my problem  i dont use there services  system wide  like websites do.

 

Changing  the way the web works  is no different  than  when Microsoft  was a monopoly  in  the 90s early 2000s with ActiveX and forcing  you to use IE  for  sites that used it..