The topic Chrome’s fastest download feature is buried in a place most people never look is currently the subject of lively discussion — readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.
This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies’ decisions and competitors’ reactions can quickly change the picture.
I have had a love-hate relationship with Google Chrome over the past decade, but I must say it is one of the most reliable web browsers. Its multi-platform availability and integration with Google services make it a go-to option for most people. However, most would agree that the browser offers lower download speeds than dedicated download apps do.
Whereas other Chromium-based browsers have added more download features in recent years, Google Chrome has kept this section quite minimal. This situation results in long wait times when downloading large files (say, over 1GB) from the internet. You can always use third-party download managers to improve download speeds, and many offer browser extensions as well.
Even so, wouldn’t it be nicer to make Google Chrome download files faster? Turns out, there is a secret Google Chrome setting that lets you get it done.
Stop blaming your PC. These Chrome flags might be the real fix.
As you may know, third-party download managers use a powerful feature to download files faster: parallel downloading. This feature works by establishing multiple connections to a server to download file chunks simultaneously. These chunks are combined later, giving you the actual file. Because each of these connections can use your internet connection’s maximum throughput, downloads become substantially faster.
Parallel downloading isn’t magic. Though Google Chrome or your third-party downloader may attempt multiple connections, a web server can always deny the option. Some servers also limit the number of connections. The real-life speed you get depends on other factors as well.
Normally, you need an app like Internet Download Manager on your computer to bring this feature. However, the latest version of Google Chrome includes parallel downloading, which should allow you to download files several times faster — without the hassle of copying and pasting URLs.
Unfortunately, you cannot enable this option in the browser’s settings panel. Instead, Google Chrome has kept the toggle for this feature in a place you don’t normally look at: Chrome flags. Chrome Flags is an advanced page that lets you access experimental features and customize your browser. You can access this section by entering chrome://flags in Chrome’s URL bar.
Enabling parallel downloading in Google Chrome is easier than you think. It doesn’t require installing third-party extensions or system-level changes. Instead, you can follow these easy steps:
When you restart the browser, parallel downloading will be activated. From this point, Chrome will attempt parallel downloading on every file you try to download. However, results will vary depending on whether the web server supports simultaneous connections and the number of allowed connections. This feature is available on Windows, macOS, Android, ChromeOS, and Linux.
I tried to download the Ubuntu Linux installation file (3.9GB) from the official website before and after enabling parallel downloading. Without parallel downloading, the process took around eight minutes, whereas parallel downloading brought the time down to two minutes. Both were done over a 300 Mbps Wi-Fi connection. During the parallel download, the download speeds reached the maximum my Wi-Fi connection supported.
You may have a love-hate relationship with Google Chrome, as I do, and you may not want to switch to Chrome solely for parallel downloading. Well, you’re in luck: parallel downloading is available in most Chromium-based web browsers. It means you can enable the feature on browsers like Microsoft Edge, Arc, Brave, and a few more. I’m sure this situation gives you more options to explore.
Keep in mind that you need slightly different URLs to access the Flags section in each browser, including:
I have tried this option on Chromium-based browsers for Android as well, and I noticed a substantial boost in download speed.
While parallel downloading on Chrome is great, this feature alone cannot replace third-party downloaders. As you may already know, these download managers offer advanced features for download management, scheduling, etc. On the other hand, the parallel downloading flag only provides a speed improvement in the browser.
Having said that, I have seen many people looking for download managers primarily to improve download speeds. For them, enabling this feature on Google Chrome or any other Chromium-based browser is a no-brainer. In this case, you get to enjoy better speeds without the hassle of extensions or copy-pasting.
Chrome on Android still can’t run extensions, but Firefox can.