How To Pause A Download In Android And Resume Downloads Again

You must have heard of it. Google Chrome’s latest release for Android is making the headlines of tech websites. Perhaps you’d like a more detailed perspective of what’s new about this version 50? But before we explain some of these new features, the most important thing that many want to know about this update is how to pause a download in Android using Google Chrome and then get downloads to resume.

To begin with, this version is currently available in beta and those who run on Marshmallow are already using it. Also, it comes pre-installed on Android N devices. Wherever you’re using it, however, the biggest attraction is the new download manager.

What’s so special about it, you wonder? In a nutshell, it’s the possibility to pause downloads in Android and later resume downloads.

If you’re not familiar with how the previous version used to work, you might not fully understand why users appreciate this new feature so much.

Let us briefly revise the old download mechanisms of Google Chrome:

Users had two download options:

Tapping on a link, getting a popup, accepting the download, waiting for the Android’s built-in Downloads app to handle everything;
Tapping and holding on a link, choosing the Save option, and waiting for the browser to handle the download.

Obviously, the limitations regarded the second option. Once the transfer starts, the user has no other control instrument than to stop the downloading process by closing the browser. That, and clearing it from the recent apps.

The beta version of the browser is giving users, however, considerably more control like pausing downloads and resuming downloads. Say you’re downloading a large file but you need to leave at some point. You probably don’t want to handle the download on your Android when away from a wireless connection. So you’ll have to stop it, but this doesn’t mean that when you come back you need to start all over again.

On the contrary, like mentioned, you can resume downloads from wherever you left, anytime later. As good as it sounds, the feature isn’t currently flawless – but that’s what beta versions are for, right?

Chrome 50 seems to be crashing or displaying errors quite often, at least according to the Android Police’s reports. These errors occur mostly when resuming a download, which is why you should think twice before deciding to do the upgrade. But it’s great for those that want to pause a download in Android.

Nevertheless, everyone is confident that these bugs will soon be solved. Until then, there is a better alternative than the risky beta version of Chrome 50. In fact, you have plenty of Android download managers from third-party developers for those that want to know how to resume downloads after paused. No need to settle for less until the update will go public.