If a Microsoft Edge download stays at 0%, first check that its destination drive has free space and that Edge can write to the download folder. Then retry with extensions temporarily turned off to see whether one is interfering. These steps apply to the current Microsoft Edge on Windows 11 and Windows 10; the Edge settings are the same on both, although Windows storage cleanup screens differ.

Windows 11 shows an Edge download paused at 0% beside File Explorer’s Downloads folder. Before you start​

Choose a small, harmless test file from a website you trust. Use the same file for each retry so you can compare results. You can also try a different trusted site later to determine whether the problem is limited to the original server.

Keep these points in mind:

  • A download at 0% does not by itself prove that storage or an extension is at fault. Check for an error message before making changes.
  • If Edge is saving to an external drive, network share or redirected folder, the space and permissions on that destination matter—not just the space on C:.
  • On a work or school PC, your organization may control the download location, extensions or download restrictions. Do not attempt to bypass those controls; contact your administrator if a setting is locked.
  • Microsoft ended standard Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. Windows 10 PCs still work, but standard support no longer includes free security fixes.

You do not need to restart Windows for the storage and extension checks below. Retry the download after each meaningful change rather than making every change at once.

Check the download and its save location​

  1. In Edge, press Ctrl+J to open the downloads view. Find the stuck download and look for a message such as Disk full, Insufficient permissions, Network error or Blocked. Record the exact wording if one appears.
  2. Open Edge’s download settings. Select Settings and more (…) > Settings > Downloads, or type edge://settings/downloads in the address bar and press Enter.
  3. Under Location, note the complete folder path. A typical local path looks like C:\Users\YourName\Downloads, but yours may be different. Write down the original location before changing it so you can restore it later.
  4. Open File Explorer and navigate to that folder. Confirm that it opens. If the location is on an external drive, check that the drive is connected. If it is on a network share, check that the share is available while you are connected to the required network.
  5. Test whether your Windows account can write to the folder. In File Explorer, right-click an empty area in the folder and choose New > Text Document. Give the test file a recognizable name, then delete it after confirming that it was created.

If the folder does not open or Windows refuses to create the test file, try a different local folder in the next section. A successful test file is useful evidence that you can write there, although it does not prove that every download will succeed.

Check free space and change the folder if needed​

  1. In File Explorer, select This PC. Under Devices and drives, find the drive containing the Edge download location and check its available space. Also check C: if the destination is on another drive.
  2. Compare the available space with the size of the file you are trying to download, if the website lists it. The destination needs enough room for the file; leave additional working space rather than filling the drive completely. If you are unsure, a small test file is a useful first check.
  3. If the destination drive is full, free space or choose a different destination. The cleanup interface differs by Windows version:
  • Windows 11: Open Start > Settings > System > Storage > Cleanup recommendations. Review the proposed items and use Clean up for the section you choose.
  • Windows 10: Open Start > Settings > System > Storage to inspect storage use. You can also search Start for Disk Cleanup, choose the drive and review the file categories before deleting them.

Warning: Cleanup removes the items you select. Review personal files, the Recycle Bin and previous Windows installation files carefully. Removing a previous Windows installation can prevent you from returning to that version of Windows.

  1. To test a different save location, return to edge://settings/downloads. Under Location, select Change, choose a local folder that you can open and write to, and confirm the selection in the folder dialog. Your account’s Downloads folder is a reasonable choice if it is available and has space.
  2. Start a new download of the test file. Check Ctrl+J to see whether it moves beyond 0% and completes. A newly selected location is for subsequent downloads; do not assume an already-stuck attempt has moved to the new folder.

Microsoft documents both the Edge location control and Windows’ drive-space checks. If the new local folder works but the original does not, the original destination, its drive or its permissions are a useful place to investigate.

Restore the original location​

If you want to undo the location change, open edge://settings/downloads, select Change and choose the original folder you recorded. Do this only after confirming that the folder is accessible and has enough space. Changing the setting does not move files already downloaded to the test folder.

Test whether an extension is interfering​

If a download still sticks at 0% in a writable folder with adequate space, test your Edge extensions. Disabling an extension is reversible and is preferable to removing it immediately.

Warning: Some extensions provide security or other protections. Turning one off temporarily stops its features. On a managed device, do not disable an organization-required extension; ask your administrator instead.

  1. In Edge, select Extensions to the right of the address bar, then Manage extensions. If you do not see the Extensions button, open Settings and more (…) > Extensions. You can also enter edge://extensions in the address bar.
  2. Note which extensions are currently enabled so you can restore their original states. Pay particular attention to extensions that interact with downloads or websites.
  3. Turn off one enabled extension using its toggle.
  4. Return to the trusted test file and start a new download. If it still stops at 0%, turn that extension back on, turn off the next enabled extension and retry.
  5. If the download completes after a particular extension is turned off, repeat the test: turn that extension back on and retry, then turn it off and retry again. A repeatable difference is stronger evidence than a single successful attempt.
  6. Leave the suspected extension off while you check its settings or contact its publisher. If it is not needed, you can remove it from the extensions page. Re-enable the other extensions you turned off.

If testing one at a time does not reveal a culprit, more than one extension could be contributing—or extensions may not be the cause. Where appropriate, you can briefly turn off the extensions you are permitted to disable, retry once, and then restore their prior states. If the download works only with several disabled, re-enable them one at a time and retry to narrow down the combination. Microsoft’s download troubleshooting guidance specifically recommends testing extensions when a different browser profile or InPrivate session works.

Optional cross-check: use InPrivate​

Press Ctrl+Shift+N in Edge to open an InPrivate window, then try the same download. You may need to sign in to the website again.

A successful InPrivate download is a clue, not proof that an extension caused the original failure: the session can differ in other ways, and an extension can be allowed to run in InPrivate. Use the normal-window toggle test to identify an extension before removing it.

Verify that the fix worked​

After the download completes:

  1. Open Ctrl+J and confirm that the test download shows as completed rather than remaining at 0% or reporting an error.
  2. Open its containing folder from the downloads view, or browse to the selected Location in File Explorer. Confirm that the expected file is present.
  3. If it is a document or other file you trust, check that it opens as expected. Do not run an unfamiliar installer merely to test a download.
  4. Restore any extension settings you changed, except for an extension you have identified as the likely cause. Keep a working download folder selected.
  5. Retry the original download, provided you trust its source and Edge or Windows has not warned that it is unsafe.

One completed small file confirms that at least that download worked. It does not guarantee that a much larger file will fit or that a different website or file type will be permitted.

If downloads still stop at 0%​

Use the symptom to decide what to check next:

  • Only one site or file fails: Try a different trusted site and, if practical, a different file type from the original site. The original server, your sign-in or a restriction on that file may be responsible.
  • Another browser also fails: Check the network connection and, where permitted, try a different network. A failure in multiple browsers points away from an Edge-only extension problem, although it does not identify the exact cause.
  • Edge reports “Blocked” or “Virus detected”: Treat that as a security warning, not a storage problem. Check Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Protection history for a related event. Verify the file with its publisher or your administrator; do not turn off antivirus or SmartScreen just to force the download.
  • The location cannot be changed, or downloads are blocked on a managed PC: Open edge://policy and look for policies named DownloadDirectory or DownloadRestrictions. Record what you find and contact IT. An administrator can determine whether the restriction or path is intentional.
  • The local folder works but the network or external folder does not: Reconnect the device or network and confirm that the original folder opens and permits a test file. If it is a managed share, provide its path and the error to IT rather than changing its permissions yourself.

You can also check for an Edge update under Settings and more (…) > Settings > About Microsoft Edge. If an update is available, apply it as prompted and restart Edge when requested.

If the problem persists, collect the exact download error, Edge version from edge://settings/help, Windows version from Settings > System > About, the destination path, and the results of the local-folder and extension tests. Give those details to your IT administrator or Microsoft Support, then retry the download after following their guidance.

 

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