Chrome’s virus scanner is very useful, but sometimes, it can block downloads just because of false positive signs. When the browser detects a virus file, it stops the downloads and shows a ‘Failed—Virus detected’ error.

So, is it possible to bypass the Failed – Virus Detected message on the Google Chrome browser? We will know about it in this article. You can bypass Chrome’s ‘Failed – Virus Detected’ message while downloading files.

Scan the Download Link with VirusTotal

It’s possible to bypass Chrome’s Failed – Virus Detected message; before that, scanning the download link with VirusTotal is important.

The warnings that Chrome shows you are very important, and if the browser’s built-in security feature is blocking the download, there’s something to worry about.

Even if you’re sure the file is free of viruses, scanning the download link with VirusTotal is crucial for safety.

If the file passes the VirusTotal scan and no malicious code is present, you need to follow the methods shared below to bypass the Failed Virus Detected message on Chrome.

1. Change the Security Settings of Chrome

You can change Chrome’s security settings to bypass the Failed Virus Detected Error message. Here’s what you need to do.

1. Open the Google Chrome browser. On the top right corner, click on the three dots.

2. On the menu that appears, select Settings.

3. On the Settings screen, switch to Privacy and Security.

4. On the right side, click on Security.

5. Next, scroll to the Safe Browsing section. On the Safe Browsing, select No Protection (Not Recommended).

6. On the Turn off Safe Browsing prompt, click Turn off.

7. You can now download the file. Once the download completes, switch back to Enhanced or Standard Protection in the Chrome Security settings.

2. Disable the Windows Security Program

The real-time protection of Windows Security can also block the downloads in the Google Chrome browser. Hence, if you still can’t download the file, you must temporarily disable the Security Program. Here’s what you need to do.

1. Type in Windows Security on the Windows Search.

2. Next, open the Windows Security app from the list of best match results.

3. On Windows Security, switch to Virus & Threat Protection.

4. Click Manage Settings under the Virus & Threat Protection section.

5. On the next screen, disable the toggle for Real-time protection.

After disabling the real time protection, you can download the file. However, turn on the Real-time protection again after the download.

3. Make Changes to the Registry File

If you’ve followed the two methods we shared above, you can download your files without errors.

However, if you still can’t download the file and keep getting the same message, you can try disabling the virus scanning for downloads via Registry Editor. Here’s what you need to do.

1. Type Registry Editor in the Windows 11 Search. Next, open the Registry Editor from the list of best-match results.

2. When the Registry Editor opens, navigate to this path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPolicies

3. Right-click on the Policies key and select New > Key.

4. Name the new key as Attachments. Right-click the ‘Attachments’ key and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

5. Name the DWORD as ScanWithAntivirus. Double-click on the ScanWithAntivirus, type 1 on the Value Data field and click OK.

After making the changes, close the Registry Editor and restart your computer. This will disable virus scanning for downloads. To enable virus scanning, type 0 on the Value data field for ScanWithAntiVirus and click OK.

These are a few simple methods to bypass Chrome’s ‘Faile – Virus Detected’ error message. Let us know if you need more help on this topic in the comments. Also, if you find this guide helpful, don’t forget to share it with your friends.