Pdf failed to download in Google Chrome

[JokerG23]

Hello! Has anyone else experienced this issue when trying to download a pdf file using the Chrome app? The default browser on the Note 5 fails also but I downloaded Opera and it let's me. That's fine and good but I prefer Google Chrome. Can anyone help me with this please? I've reset app preferences and did the download manager thing that I read about while searching about this issue but obviously, still no luck. Thanks in advance for your time and help!

 

[bmetelsky]

Does it fail to download, or just fail to open automatically after downloading?
I download pdf files with Chrome, but generally have to open them via my pdf app.

 

[JokerG23]

It fails to download.

 

[Trees]

Is the problem only with a specific PDF file, or more than one from different locations/sites?

Like bmetelsky, I've been able to download PDFs no problem in Chrome. They go to the Download folder, but you can copy/move them to wherever you'd like after the download completes. I also have Google Drive and Dropbox installed, and in the Notification bar I get the option to open the PDF with either app. Or in Download folder, click on the PDF, then a new window will appear listing all of the apps you have installed that are capable of opening/reading PDFs.

 

[JokerG23]

As soon as I tap the pdf to download it's say "downloading" and then immediately say "download failed".

 

[Trees]

Does the "download failed" happen with all PDFs from more than one website, or just a specific file and site?

 

[JokerG23]

I've only tried it on one site where I needed it to work at. It could very well be site related; didn't think about that lol.

 

[Trees]

I see, let's hope it works for you with a different file/site.

 

[sanelson]

I was having the same issue on my Nexus 6P with Marshmallow, and I believe I just finally fixed it after spending a bunch of time and scouring the internets with no luck!

I'm trying to download PDFs which are behind a pay wall. I believe the issue is that there is some sort of redirect to verify that you have access to the file, so the link is not actually a PDF. On my old phone, a Galaxy S5, Chrome would ask me if I wanted to download the file (which works) or open it with my default PDF viewer (which never worked). On Marshmallow, Chrome always chooses to open the file with Drive PDF viewer, which is not even my default PDF viewer! Maybe I had set it as the default at some point. I can't remember. Regardless, there were no defaults to clear in the app settings for Drive, and clearing the defaults for Chrome didn't help, so I was at a loss trying to figure out how to fix it, but it looks like I just did.

Here are the steps.

• Go to Settings > Apps > Drive.
• Disable Drive. It may ask you if you want to replace it with the stock version. Say yes.
• Open up Chrome and try to download the offending PDF again. It should ask you if you want to open it with Chrome or if you want to open it with another PDF viewer that you may have installed, such as Acrobat.
• Select Chrome, and tell it to Always open it with Chrome. It should now download the file, and will always download PDF files in the future instead of trying to automatically open them.
• Go back to Settings > Apps > Drive and re-enable Drive.

You should now be able to tap the downloaded PDF in your notification bar and open it with Drive or Acrobat or whatever your favorite PDF viewer is. It should be safe to set it as the default PDF viewer here, as this is a different default than the one used for downloading PDFs from Chrome.

EDIT:
You didn't say whether or not Chrome was trying to open the file in Drive or some other app, so I just assumed Drive, since that's what it was doing with mine. Drive would pop up briefly, and then go back to Chrome, and say there was an error. If it is trying to open some other app, try uninstalling, then reinstalling that app, replacing it with Drive in the steps above.

 

[Flyin4Fun]

Your solution helped me find an easier method. The first few steps are the same however, instead of disabling Drive... go to:
-settings,
-apps,
-Drive,
then scroll down and click "Opens by default". Click the very top option - "Open supported links" and change it to "ask every time". Now it will do just that, each time there's an opportunity for a PDF link or file.

 

[KillaD]

Hello! Has anyone else experienced this issue when trying to download a pdf file using the Chrome app? The default browser on the Note 5 fails also but I downloaded Opera and it let's me. That's fine and good but I prefer Google Chrome. Can anyone help me with this please? I've reset app preferences and did the download manager thing that I read about while searching about this issue but obviously, still no luck. Thanks in advance for your time and help!

Actually, the answer is far more simple than you think. Go to Settings > Privacy > Clear browsing history. You want to select Clear cache and hit ok. Job done.