How to Recover Chrome Automatically Delete Downloaded Files

Are you troubled in Chrome automatically delete downloaded files? Don’t fret, this post covers 6 useful and effective solutions to recover deleted downloads in Chrome. Each method is displayed with detailed steps.

Posted by @Hedy December 17, 2024 Updated By @Hedy August 21, 2024

“Whenever I download an "unsafe" file, I simply press 'Keep Dangerous File'. It works, but 3 seconds later, it gets deleted. I do not know if this is on Windows' end or Google Chrome's end. I need help. Thanks!” – Google Community

Why is Chrome deleting my downloads automatically?

Some people prefer downloading photos, videos, audio, docx/xlsx/pptx files, etc. from Chrome or other browsers. However, they complain that they find Chrome automatically delete downloaded files, which causes a lot of inconvenience to their daily use.

If the Chrome browser deletes the downloaded file, several factors could be responsible:

β—† Security software interference: Some antivirus or security programs scan downloaded files and may delete them automatically if they detect anything suspicious, even if it's a false positive.

β—† Browser settings or extensions: Certain Chrome settings or browser extensions may be set to delete files after download, possibly as a privacy measure.

β—† Download location issues: If the download location is set to a temporary folder, files might be deleted automatically after a certain period.

β—† Google Safe Browsing: Chrome's built-in security feature, Google Safe Browsing, may automatically delete files if it considers them harmful.

β—† Malware or unwanted software: Malicious software on your computer could be deleting files as soon as they are downloaded.

β—† Operating system settings: In some cases, operating system settings (like Disk Cleanup on Windows) might be configured to delete files from the Downloads folder regularly.

But don’t worry, no matter why you lost your downloaded Chrome files, you can find the recovery way on this page to get them back. Just move to the next part to learn more.

The best way to recover Chrome automatically deleted downloaded files [100% Working]

First of all, as soon as you find your files are missing, please do not perform any extra operation on your Chrome like updating the extensions, downloading new files from it, or changing the download path. This is because if the files are not overwritten, you can easily restore them by utilizing professional data recovery software.

A third-party data recovery solution called AOMEI FastRecovery can assist you in recovering accidentally erased data as well as buried, corrupted, and formatted files from storage devices. The nicest thing about this tool is that it can locate and restore your files even if they have been permanently deleted. AOMEI FastRecovery provides the greatest data recovery option, regardless of the browser from which the deleted files were removed—Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. Let's explore the other benefits that AOMEI software offers:

βœ” It can recover over 1000 file formats from SD cards, hard drives, digital cameras, USBs, and recycle bins. βœ” It can restore files that have been mistakenly or permanently deleted, as well as hidden or lost partitions and corrupted files. βœ” It can recover data from formatted partitions and crashed hard drives with just several clicks. βœ” It has quick and deep scanning options and helps you to locate deleted files using sorting criteria easily. βœ” It provides a free glimpse of files before restoring them.

The following content will show you how to recover downloaded files in Chrome with the help of AOMEI FastRecovery.

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Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI FastRecovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data lost and click Scan.

Step 2. Then, the recovery tool start to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".

Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.

Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovering ends.

5 other ways to recover Chrome downloaded files deleted automatically

We showed you the easiest approach to recover deleted files via Chrome downloads. However, if third-party recovery software is not your preferred choice, there are other methods for recovering deleted Chrome downloads. Check them out!

Way 1. Restore Chrome downloads in the Recycle Bin

If you're lucky, your deleted downloaded files will be saved in the Recycle Bin rather than completely deleted. To verify if downloaded files are in it and recover deleted files from Recycle Bin, follow these steps:

Step 1. Click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop to open the Recycle Bin.

Step 2. Check to see if your downloaded file has arrived. To find it faster, right-click the blank location and select View > Details.

Step 3. Right-click on the downloaded file and select "Restore". Then, it will be returned to its original spot. If you can't find your downloaded file here, please see alternative options later.

Way 2. Recover deleted downloaded files in Chrome

When you download a file via Chrome, it will save the download path. So you may go grab it and try re-downloading it, which may be a handy method for recovering deleted downloaded items via Chrome.

Step 1. On your PC, launch Google Chrome and type chrome://downloads into the search bar. Then hit the Enter key.

Step 2. Locate the downloaded file that was removed. Clicking on the gray link will cause it to be downloaded again.

Way 3. Retrieve lost downloaded files from Quarantined Folder

Occasionally, files that you download become erased due to the presence of malware or viruses. Your downloaded files will be stored in the in Quarantine section of Windows when it blocks them. You can only choose files for recovery that you are positive are safe if you are concerned that the recovered data may contain viruses and result in losses. Alternatively, you can safely retrieve your files by using the next approach. You can go ahead and retrieve them by doing the actions listed below:

Step 1. Go to Windows Settings and open Protection History.

Step 2. Click Filters > Quarantined Items. Choose your downloaded file and select a storage location for it.

Way 4. Recover deleted Chrome files from temporary folder

Your computer has a temporary folder where you can store some temporary files. You can recover files from Temp folder in the event that your data is lost or erased. Try the following simple guide:

Step 1. Enter the file name that you downloaded into File Explorer, making sure to include the .tmp extension at the end. Hit the Enter key to proceed.

Step 2. Check if the file you downloaded is there. Instead, navigate to C:\Windows\Want to locate it.

Way 5. Get downloaded files in Chrome back with File History

If you have enabled the File History feature on your computer, it can save Chrome downloads. So even if you’ve accidentally deleted the downloads, you can recover them. Here’s how to recover downloaded files in Chrome with File History:

Chrome downloads can be saved if your computer's File History feature is activated. Therefore, you can restore the downloads even if you unintentionally erased them. Here's how to use File History in Chrome to retrieve downloaded files:

Step 1. Press the Win + E keys to open File Explorer.

Step 2. Find the "Downloads" folder and select it with a right-click. Select "Previous Versions Restored".

Step 3. Before deleting the Chrome downloads, choose the most recent version of the folder.

Step 4. Click "Restore". This will recover all deleted files from the folder and return it to its original position.

How to stop Chrome from automatically deleting downloaded files

Chrome's security feature may flag your files as risky or harmful downloads. To prevent Chrome from destroying downloaded files, navigate to Settings and disable the built-in security feature.

Step 1. Go to Settings > Privacy and security in Chrome. Click on Security on this page.

Step 2. In the Safe Browsing window, select "No protection (not recommended)" and click the Turn Off button. Then Chrome will not automatically remove your downloaded files.

Conclusion

If your Chrome automatically delete downloaded files, you may be able to recover them using the methods described in this page. However, if you dislike tedious operations or are short on time, consider using a third-party application such as AOMEI FastRecovery to restore lost downloads from Chrome. It can recover permanently erased, formatted, corrupted, and hidden files with a few clicks. Furthermore, it provides other advantages, like ease of use, fast scanning, a high recovery rate, and the ability to retrieve files from common storage devices.