Detect When Browser Receives File Download Best In Jquery May 2026

If you need true progress tracking or a precise "finished" event for smaller files, you can bypass the standard download behavior by using the Fetch API or XMLHttpRequest . javascript - Detect when a browser receives a file download

For a pre-built solution, many developers use the jQuery File Download Plugin , which automates this cookie-polling logic. 2. The Fetch API & Blob Method (Modern) detect when browser receives file download in jquery

However, you can successfully track downloads by using one of the following proven workarounds. 1. The Cookie Polling Method (Most Popular) If you need true progress tracking or a

Detecting when a browser receives a file download using jQuery is challenging because standard web browsers do not provide a native "onDownloadComplete" event for standard HTTP requests. When a browser handles a download via Content-Disposition: attachment , it often hands the task over to the operating system's download manager, effectively removing the process from the webpage's control. The Fetch API & Blob Method (Modern) However,

This approach relies on the server setting a specific cookie once it starts streaming the file. Since the browser receives cookie headers at the exact moment the download response starts, jQuery can monitor for that cookie to determine when to hide a "Loading" spinner.