When downloading a file, especially an executable file (.exe), you may encounter a “Download Failed Blocked” error message in the download window of your browser. This error can occur in various browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Internet Explorer, each with a slightly different error message.
This error occurs when your browser’s security settings block the download for security reasons. Here’s how to resolve the issue and download the file successfully.
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“Download Failed Blocked” on Chrome
If you’re running Windows 11, Windows 10 or an older version of Windows, you may have elevated your security settings for browsing through Internet Explorer. The solution is to reduce the security level again. Although the setting is in Internet Explorer, it affects browsing in other browsers as well.
Follow these steps to reduce your security level:
- Go to the Start menu or Cortana.
- Search for “Internet Explorer” and open it.
- In Internet Explorer, click on the settings icon and select “Internet Options.”
- Select the “Internet” zone.
- If the security for this zone is set to “High,” we recommend reducing it to “Medium-High.”
- Click “Apply” and close all your browsers. Restart your computer and try the download again.
- If the download still fails, repeat steps 1-4 until you get to the Security level setting again.
- Click on the “Custom level” button.
- Scroll down until you see “Downloads” and click “Enabled” for File download.
- Scroll down further and under “Miscellaneous,” look for “Launching applications and unsafe files.”
- Select “Prompt” for this setting.
- Reboot your computer and try the download again.
Please note that setting the security zone for Internet to Medium-High is just a recommendation. Please choose your desired security level or reduce it at your own risk. You can also keep the security level at High and set the Downloads and Launching applications and unsafe files option to enabled and prompt respectively.
If this solution doesn’t work, check your firewall or antivirus program to see if they are blocking your downloads of exe files or any other file type.
If the error message reads “exe is malicious and Chrome has blocked it,” clicking on it to download anyway is not recommended. This error message can be true, and the download may be dangerous.
“Download Failed Blocked: May contain a virus or spyware” on Firefox
In Mozilla Firefox, the error may appear as “Download Blocked May contain a virus or spyware.” You can try the solution above to fix the issue. However, this isn’t always the case for this error in Firefox.
This error can also mean that the website or the download is dangerous, and Firefox is trying to block the download for you. Firefox has its own security settings, and you can turn this option off if you trust the download. However, it’s not recommended to turn it off as it may endanger your PC if the download is, in fact, a virus or malware. To unblock only one single download, you can right-click the download and select “Unblock” to allow the download to run.
To disable the “Block dangerous downloads” option in Firefox, follow these steps:
- Click on the triple bar setting icon in Firefox and select “Options.”
- From the left pane, select “Privacy & Security.”
- Scroll down until you see the Security heading.
- Uncheck the option for “Block dangerous downloads.”
- Restart Firefox and try the download again.
We highly recommend turning the security option back on as soon as you’ve finished your download.
“Download Failed Blocked: This unsafe download was blocked by Smartscreen Filter” on Edge or IE
If you encounter a “Download Failed Blocked: This unsafe download was blocked by Smartscreen filter” error in Microsoft Edge, it means that Windows Defender’s Smartscreen filter has blocked your download due to possible malware in the file.
If you trust the download, you can right-click on the download and select “Download unsafe file” to ignore the warning and proceed with the download.
If you see a “Your current security settings do not allow this file to be downloaded” warning message in Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge, follow the steps mentioned earlier to fix the issue.
In conclusion, encountering a “Download Failed Blocked” error message is a common issue when downloading files in browsers. The solutions mentioned above should help you resolve the issue and successfully download the file. However, it’s essential to exercise caution and only download files from trusted sources to avoid potential malware infections.
