How to reset Microsoft Edge – GEEK MATTER

Microsoft Edge is the default web browser on Windows 10 and Windows 11. It can also be installed on other operating systems, including Windows 7 and 8.1, Android, Mac OS, and Linux distributions.

If something goes wrong using Edge, resetting may be an option to resolve the problem and repair Microsoft Edge. It should be seen as a last resort to troubleshoot a problem as it will erase the user’s data from Edge.

Microsoft Edge has an option to reset the browser from Settings, but the data that is restored to defaults is limited. In this guide, you will learn how to reset Edge in Windows using this built-in option, but also another option that resets all user data to default.

Reset Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge’s built-in restart option

The built-in option is the fastest option, as long as Edge is still starting up and you can load pages using the browser.

Reset settings

This will reset the home page, new tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs. It will also disable all extensions and erase temporary data such as cookies. Your favorites, history, and saved passwords will not be erased.

It is a simple process, as described below:

1. Load edge: // settings / resetProfileSettings in the address bar of the browser.
2. Select the Reset option.

The restart option makes the following changes:

• Reset the home page.
• Reset the new tab page.
• Restart the search engine.
• Reset pinned tabs.
• Turn off all extensions.
• Temporary Internet data is erased (including cookies).

The feature does not delete your browser bookmarks, browsing history, or saved passwords.

Manual reset of Microsoft Edge

The next method is more advanced as it will remove any user data from Edge; you’ll end up with a default profile for Edge, which means the first-run wizard shows up again when you open Edge after doing the task.

Note– This method removes everything, including passwords, bookmarks, installed extensions, or browsing history. You can sign in with a Microsoft account after the reset is complete to recover some data if Sync has been used previously.

1. Close Microsoft Edge if the browser is open.
2. Open File Explorer on the system.
3. Navegue a C: Users [USERNAME] AppData Local Microsoft Edge User Data. Make sure to replace [USERNAME] with the username of the user who logged in (or browse the structure manually.
4. Rename the default folder to something else, for example, default backup. The default folder is the Microsoft Edge web browser profile folder. By renaming it, you are removing Edge access and the browser will create a new default profile folder as a consequence on the next run.

The next time you start Microsoft Edge, you will see the First Run Wizard; this should fix any issues related to the user profile that Edge loads at startup.

Reinstalling Microsoft Edge

Another option users have is to reinstall the web browser. Most sites that provide reset instructions suggest that users run a PowerShell command to do so, but there is an easier option.

The main benefit of this approach is that the installation will replace all Edge files with the originals provided by Microsoft. User data, including cookies, settings and browsing history, will be restored after installation is complete.

1. Visit the official Microsoft Edge download site.
2. Download the Microsoft Edge web browser for your system.
3. Install Microsoft Edge using the downloaded installer.

Closing words

The three options handle the reset in different ways. The Settings approach is the easiest, but it won’t touch the Edge installation itself and will keep user data. Deleting the default profile removes all user data, but also does not touch installed files. Reinstalling Edge finally ensures that all browser files are not corrupted or modified, but it does not touch most of the user data.

The last option is probably the one you want to use when Edge no longer starts up. You can use the second option after the third to start with a blank slate.

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