After reinstalling Windows 11, I lost all my saved bookmarks and folders in the Edge browser. Is there a way to recover them, or do I need to set them up again from scratch?
Sorry to hear that you lost your bookmarks and folders after reinstalling Windows 11.
When you reinstall Windows, your personal files and settings do not automatically transfer over. This includes Microsoft Edge bookmarks. However, there are a few methods you can try to recover your bookmarks:
-
Check Your Microsoft Account Sync:
If you use the same Microsoft account on your new Windows installation, you might be able to sync your Edge bookmarks.- Open Microsoft Edge.
- Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings.
- Click on Profiles.
- Make sure you are signed in with the same Microsoft account you used before reinstalling Windows.
- Click on Sync and check if your bookmarks are shown.
-
Check Your Old Windows Files:
If you still have access to your old Windows files, you can try to recover the bookmarks from there:- Go to the folder where your old Windows files are located.
- Navigate to the path
<YourOldWindowsUserFolder>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default. - Look for the
BookmarksandBookmarks.bakfiles. - Copy these files and move them to the same path in your new Windows installation.
- Open Microsoft Edge and check if your bookmarks are there now.
-
Use Browser Extensions or Third-Party Tools:
There are browser extensions like EverSync or third-party tools that can help you recover your bookmarks:- Search for ‘Edge bookmark recovery’ or ‘browser bookmark synchronizers’.
- Follow the instructions for the tool you choose to try and recover your bookmarks.
If none of these methods work, you might need to set up your bookmarks again from scratch. Hopefully, you will be able to recover them using one of these approaches.