How to Reset Microsoft Edge Settings: A Comprehensive Guide
LAST UPDATED: 8/21/2025
If you’re experiencing sluggish performance or instability in Microsoft Edge, or if your browser settings have been altered by extensions or apps, resetting the browser can be an effective solution. Windows 10 and 11 provide two distinct methods for resetting Edge: a soft reset that conserves your data, and a full reset that reverts everything back to factory settings.
Understanding Browser Reset Options
The soft reset option is designed to restore essential settings to their default configurations without affecting your personal data. This includes critical components such as the startup page, new tab page, search engine preferences, and pinned tabs. Furthermore, all extensions will be disabled, and browsing data will be cleared.
In contrast, if your goal is a complete reset of all settings, you will need to delete the “Edge” folder from your system profile. Keep in mind that this method is irreversible, meaning all settings and data will be lost, and you will start anew with the browser.
Quick Links
Reset Common Settings to Defaults on Microsoft Edge
To perform a soft reset of Microsoft Edge on Windows 10 or 11, follow these steps:
- Launch Microsoft Edge.
- Click the Settings and more (three horizontal dots) icon located in the top-right corner.
- Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
- Click on Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm by clicking the Reset button.
After completing these steps, your browser will revert the following settings to their defaults: the startup page, new tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs. Note that while extensions will be deactivated and browsing data cleared, your bookmarks, history, and saved passwords will remain intact. To remove extraneous data, you’ll need to navigate to the Profiles page and delete your current profile. Additionally, settings pertaining to appearance, downloads, and other categories will not be reset.
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Completely Reset All Settings on Microsoft Edge
If you’re looking to perform a complete reset of Microsoft Edge on your Windows device, follow these detailed steps:
- Close the Microsoft Edge browser.
- Open the Start menu.
- Type Task Manager in the search bar and select the top result.
- Navigate to the Processes tab.
- Locate Microsoft Edge from the list using the search function.
- Select the group of Microsoft Edge processes.
- Click the End task button to terminate all running instances of the browser.
- Open File Explorer.
- Enter the following path in the address bar and hit Enter:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft - Right-click on the Edge folder and select Delete.
- Follow any on-screen prompts as needed.
Upon completing these steps, restart Microsoft Edge to configure the browser as though it were newly installed. If you are signed in with a Microsoft account, the browser will automatically create a new profile, re-syncing your favorites and extensions. To re-enable your extensions, visit edge://extensions.
Update August 21, 2025: This guide has been enhanced to include a video tutorial for a clearer walkthrough of the process.
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