How to Resume an Interrupted Video Download

Check whether the download is paused or failed

Look at the browser or downloader's status, error message, and whether the source tab is still active. A paused task may have a resume control; a failed task may need a retry. Keep any partial data until you know whether the app can reuse it. Note the file name and approximate progress so duplicate attempts are easy to distinguish.

Restore the source context

Some sites issue temporary addresses or require the same signed-in browser session. Return to the original page, confirm that you still have access, and start playback again if the media request has expired. A copied URL from an earlier session may no longer work. Do not share account cookies or credentials to make a download continue.

Retry safely when resuming is unavailable

If the download manager reports that continuation is unavailable, use its retry action or begin a new permitted download. For segmented streams, a retry may fetch missing segments rather than append bytes to one file. Avoid launching several copies at once, which can waste bandwidth and make it unclear which output is complete.

Verify completeness before deleting partial data

Open the completed file and check its duration, beginning, ending, sound, and seeking. A file that opens can still be truncated. Compare its size or duration with what the page indicated when possible. Only then remove obsolete partial copies. Resume capability varies by site, format, and browser; DRM-protected media is not supported and must not be bypassed.

References

• MDN: HTTP range requests