Firefox Community Forum

Trying to download 3.3 GB file. Around 500-600 MB download then fails and displays either, "pause" (permanent) or "failed - cachefly.net". Have tried several times over several days w/o success.

So I recently reinstalled windows and noticed that if I select the option that asks me each time where a file should be saved before downloading it, the browser appears to begin downloading the file (I can see the .part file in the default folder) but the window that actually allows me to browse for a location in windows explorer never shows up and thus, I am not able to actually download the file. However, if I select the "pick a folder and everything will download to that folder" option, it downloads just fine. I'm wondering if there was a way to reinstall firefox but keep all if not most of my settings and tabs etc.

When trying to "Save" after pro-cococut finishes downloading a file that is larger than 1 Gig and I can't find out what to do in order to have it save large files.

Hello,

Firefox will not download files. It fails every time me I try. I refreshed Firefox, but that did not fix the problem. Downloads work every time with MS Edge. Please help. Thank you.

I upgraded to Firefox 135.0 the other day and tried it out on a site I have used several times a week for at least 10 years. A .csv file that I regularly download failed to do so. The system simply failed to respond, and nothing appeared in the download window. The site offers the option of downloading the same data in a .xls file, and that worked. (My previous, obsolete, Firefox gave me the option of where to download to, and remembered the choice between vists. Such is progress!)

Friday February 6, 2026

Been using Firefox since 2014 and as my primary browser for personal research, etc. and Google's Chrome about half the time for company-related work. It's been my favorite browser. I'm using the current updated Firefox 147.0.3 (aarch64) and and Apple's O/S macOS Sequoia Version 15.7.3.

However, for at least 8 months or more now, Firefox has become completely unreliable for downloading files to save on my virtual drive in my MacBook Pro M3 Max because it often if not always freezes up in the process. I have to curse again (!) then Force Quit, reboot, and everything instantly comes back up on the monitor as if nothing happened, only of course I did not accomplish the task of downloading and saving the file I needed to handle.

I have discovered by talking to folks and by researching Firefox's support information library that I'm "not alone".  Not by far.  This problem IS a Firefox issue.  I've tried to follow Firefox's several different solutions to overcome whatever the root cause of the problem is, but without success.  The TIME required to really go through this problem-solving process is a killer.  And, yea, since I'm physically practically in OPEN AI's backyard, I have consulted CHAT GPT and it also confirmed this issue between Firefox and Apple's O'S macOS Sequoia Version 15.7.3 and practically gave me a Masters thesis about.  Who has time for this?  Why can't Firefox solve this problem to make this easy for us?

S0 now, before I update my O/S to macOS Tahoe 26.3, does anyone know if between Apple and Firefox this problem has been solved? For 10 years it was never a problem. What the heck happened? Firefox is no longer my primary browser, for I never know for sure whether or not I'll need to download and save to my Mac's virtual drive a file.

Thanks for any constructive comments anyone may make! And Happy Friday. ~ GPB

The first time i'm installing Firefox it quickly made me fall in love with this browser and wanted to fully migrate from Chrome to Firefox, it's more lightweight, has more customization, fully private & secure. But there is only one thing that made me just almost migrate to Firefox, or just 99% complete transitioning to Firefox, and that is me unable downloading. Yes, thats it and it's pretty annoying. I just able downloading pictures, but not when i'm downloading an apps or software like Discord for example. PLEASE HELP ME, MY LAPTOP (X240) IS VERY OLD AND I NEED EVERY PERFORMANCE ON MY LAPTOP FOR WORKSTATION PLUS WITH THIS RAM PRICES (ykwim). Tomorrow i'm planning to switch to Linux (Mint MATE) and i have to do dual-boot just incase there is some software i'm unable to use at Linux. So please, help me. Give each step with no technical explanation, and use beginner languange so i'm easier to understand.

Recently, I can't download content; esp. PDF's. I click on a PDF file link, and nothing happens. No error message, no acknowledgement all. I have cleared all data, set security to Standard without relief. I've set the PDF Action to "Always Ask" yet get no dialog box on clicking on a PDF link. Other browsers work just fine. Is it time to switch browsers?

Hi! I want to download the "Photoshow" add on. I can't because it says "Download the new Firefox and get the extension". When I check for updates it for Firefox it says I'm all updated. When I click the "download new firefox" I get the message "Your download was interrupted. But all is not lost." I really want this add-on. Is there another way to get it or to solve my problem? Thanks!

obviously you think everyone is a programmer by the was your system does not work doing updates !!

I am hoping your not expecting an 80 year old lady to fix your lack of diligence? or should i just eliminate your program?

Hello, I am having problems downloading a torrents. When I hit magnet nothing happens, looks like its being blocked for some reason. I disabled Defender but that didn't help..

 Any help would be greatly appreciated .

Thanks example https://www.1377x.to/search/Lip%20Service.s01/1/

I am at my wit's end with this. checked every single post on every website but nothing works. anything larger than 30 megabytes always fails in the middle and I have to keep resuming it. It also keeps giving me the same error message "Downloads\example.part could not be saved, because the source file could not be read. Try again later, or contact the server administrator." I have tried safe mode. I tried changing the download location, it still tells me that the .part file in the Downloads folder can't be read. This .part problem started recently after a firefox update for me. But the downloads getting cancelled for no apparent reason has been a forever problem. Is switching back to Chrome the only real solution? (I've been told this)