My Edge Browser Suddenly Changed This Morning

Hi A I,

Thank you for reaching out. Based on the information provided, this behavior can occur when Microsoft Edge is unable to correctly load an existing browser profile. In this situation, Edge may open as if it were newly set up, even though your Microsoft account is still signed in and the profile data remains stored locally on the device.

Your bookmarks, profiles, and settings are usually still available and can be re‑linked using the steps below. Please try these recommended solutions:

Option 1: Re‑add your Edge profile - This often restores access to the existing local profile automatically.

• Open Microsoft Edge
• Go to Settings > Profiles > Add profile
• Sign in with your Microsoft account

Option 2: Restore the existing profile manually - This prompts Edge to load the original profile data again.

• Close Microsoft Edge
• Open: C:\Users\<your username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data
• Locate your original profile folder (for example, Profile 1)
• Rename it to Default
• Reopen Edge

Option 3: Repair Microsoft Edge - This refreshes Edge without removing personal data.

• Open Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps
• Select Microsoft Edge
• Choose Modify > Repair

The steps above resolve this in most cases and help restore normal access quickly.

Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

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The behavior indicates Edge is treating the current session as a new or different profile, while older profiles still exist on disk but are not being used. Use these steps to restore normal behavior and clean up profiles and sync.

1. Check which profile is active and switch if needed
   1. Open Edge.
   2. Select the profile icon in the top-right corner.
   3. In the menu, see if any other profiles are listed.
   4. If another profile appears, select it and see whether the expected bookmarks and signed‑in sites return.
   5. If the correct profile appears but is signed out, select it and sign in again.
2. Review and fix profiles in Edge settings
   1. In Edge, go to edge://settings/profiles.
   2. Review the list of profiles:
      • If a new “Profile 2” or similar was created and is now the default, but does not contain the correct data, keep it only if needed.
      • If an older profile with the correct data exists but is signed out, select it and sign in.
   3. If there is a duplicate or unwanted profile that is causing confusion, remove it:
      • Select the profile.
      • Select Remove.
      • Confirm removal.
      • Caution: Removing a profile deletes local browsing data (favorites, history, passwords that are not synced). Ensure data is synced before removing a profile.
3. Verify sync status and data types
   1. In Edge, select Settings and more > Settings > Profiles > Sync.
   2. Confirm that sync is turned on for the signed‑in profile.
   3. Ensure the relevant toggles are on, especially:
      • Favorites
      • Passwords
      • History
      • Settings
   4. If sync is off, turn it on and wait a few minutes for data (including older bookmarks) to re‑sync.
4. Check for organization policies or sign‑in issues If using a work or school account, policies or sign‑in issues can affect profiles and sync.
   1. If sign‑in fails or sync does not start, follow the sign‑in troubleshooting steps:
      • Confirm the account can sign in to other Microsoft services.
      • Check for repeated sign‑in prompts or errors.
   2. If there are multiple work accounts, conflicting profiles or cached credentials can cause problems:
      • In edge://settings/profiles, sign out of the problematic profile.
      • If necessary, remove that profile and recreate it by signing in again.
5. Clear conflicting stored credentials (Windows) If Edge repeatedly signs into the wrong account or fails to sync correctly:
   1. Open Credential Manager from Control Panel.
   2. Under Windows Credentials and Generic Credentials, look for entries related to MicrosoftAccount or login.microsoftonline.com.
   3. Remove outdated or conflicting entries.
   4. Restart Edge and sign in again to the intended profile.
6. Confirm sync data and, if needed, clear and rebuild If the current sync state has very old or incorrect bookmarks:
   1. Decide which device currently has the “correct” set of bookmarks and settings.
   2. On that device, ensure sync is on and stable.
   3. On the problematic device, if necessary:
      • Sign out of Edge: Settings and more > Settings > Profiles > Sign out.
      • Optionally clear browsing data while signed in and syncing (note: this removes data from all synced devices):
        • Go to Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data and choose what to clear.
      • Sign back in and let sync repopulate data.
7. If profiles still appear only in the file system If profiles are visible in the local user data folder but not in Edge:
   • Edge does not support manually attaching a profile from the file system; the profile must be visible in edge://settings/profiles.
   • Recreate missing profiles by adding them again:
     1. Select the profile icon > Manage profile settings.
     2. Select + Add profile > Add.
     3. Select Sign in to sync data and sign in with the same account previously used.

These steps typically restore the expected profile, bookmarks, and sync behavior when Edge suddenly behaves like a fresh install while the Microsoft account remains signed in and profile folders still exist locally.

References:

• User data and privacy in Microsoft Edge
• Sign in and create multiple profiles in Microsoft Edge
• Sign in to sync Microsoft Edge across devices
• Troubleshoot common sign-in problems
• Why can't Edge handle two accounts, even when they are assigned to two different profiles? - Microsoft Q&A
• Edge not remembering Setting specifically Disallow Java on certain sites. - Microsoft Q&A
• How to remove Microsoft Sign In - Microsoft Q&A
• Problem Viewing thread. - Microsoft Q&A