How to Recover Deleted Favorites in Microsoft Edge on Windows 11

Accidentally deleted your favorites (bookmarks) in Microsoft Edge? You’re not alone. Whether you clicked the wrong button, experienced a browser sync issue, or Edge reset unexpectedly after an update, losing your saved links can be frustrating.

Fortunately, there are several reliable ways to recover deleted favorites in Microsoft Edge on Windows 11 — even if you didn’t back them up manually. In this guide, we’ll walk you through every effective method to restore your lost bookmarks, from simple sync recovery to manual file restoration.

1. Check Microsoft Edge Sync

If you’ve signed into Edge using your Microsoft account, your favorites are automatically synced to the cloud. So, even if they disappear on one device, you can often restore them by re-syncing.

Steps to Check and Restore via Sync:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the three dots (⋯) in the upper-right corner and select Settings.
3. In the left sidebar, click Profiles → Sync.
4. Ensure that Favorites is turned On.
5. If it’s already on, toggle it Off, wait a few seconds, and turn it back On.

Edge will resync your favorites from the cloud. Wait a few minutes, then open the favorites panel (Ctrl + Shift + O) to check if your bookmarks reappear.

2. Restore Favorites from an Edge Backup Folder

Microsoft Edge stores your favorites and browsing data locally on your computer. Even if the bookmarks are deleted, you might still be able to recover them from a backup file stored in your user profile.

1. Close Microsoft Edge completely.
2. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
3. Paste this path and press Enter: %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default
4. Find the following files:
   • Bookmarks
   • Bookmarks.bak
5. The .bak file is your backup copy. To restore it:
   • Rename the Bookmarks file to Bookmarks.old.
   • Rename Bookmarks.bak to Bookmarks.
6. Restart Edge and check if your favorites are back.

This method works best if your favorites were recently deleted or lost after an update.

3. Recover Deleted Bookmarks from File History or Backup

If you have File History, OneDrive backup, or another backup solution enabled, you can restore an older version of the bookmarks file.

1. Open File Explorer and go to: %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default
2. Right-click on the Bookmarks file.
3. Select Properties → Previous Versions.
4. If available, choose an earlier version and click Restore.

Reopen Microsoft Edge, and your deleted favorites should reappear.

Tip: If you’re using OneDrive, check the OneDrive Recycle Bin online — it sometimes retains older versions of files, including Edge data.

4. Use the Microsoft Account Sync History (for Cloud Recovery)

If you had sync turned on, your deleted favorites might still be recoverable from Microsoft’s cloud servers.

1. Visit https://account.microsoft.com/devices and sign in with your Microsoft account.
2. Check if your device appears under your profile.
3. If the device is listed, Edge sync data might still be stored online.
4. Log into Edge using the same account on a different PC or virtual machine — your favorites may resync automatically.

If you see your bookmarks on another device, export them from there and re-import them into your main PC.

5. Restore Deleted Favorites Using System Restore

If your favorites were deleted recently and none of the above methods work, System Restore can roll your system (including app data) back to an earlier date.

1. Press Windows + S and search for Create a restore point.
2. Click System Restore under the System Protection tab.
3. Choose a restore point from a date before your favorites were deleted.
4. Click Next → Finish.

Your PC will restart and revert to that state. Once done, open Edge and check if your bookmarks are restored.

6. Recover Favorites Using Data Recovery Software

If you accidentally deleted the Edge user data folder, you can use recovery software to retrieve it.

Recommended Tools:

• Recuva (by Piriform)
• EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
• Disk Drill

How to Use:

1. Install the tool on a different drive (to avoid overwriting deleted files).
2. Scan your main drive (C:).
3. Locate the path: C:\Users\<YourUserName>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default
4. Restore the Bookmarks or Bookmarks.bak files.

Replace the recovered files in the same directory and restart Edge.

7. Export Favorites Regularly (Prevent Future Loss)

Once your favorites are recovered, it’s a good idea to export them to a file for backup.

1. Open Edge → Settings → Profiles → Import browser data.
2. Under Export your favorites and reading list, click Export to file.
3. Save the .html file in a safe location or cloud drive.

You can import this file later into Edge, Chrome, or any browser by choosing Import from file.

8. Sync Favorites Across Devices

To ensure your bookmarks are never lost again, enable cross-device sync.

1. Go to Settings → Profiles → Sync in Edge.
2. Turn on Favorites, History, and Open Tabs.
3. Sign into Edge with your Microsoft account on all devices.

Your bookmarks will now be backed up automatically and restored instantly if you reinstall or reset Windows.

Wrapping Up

If your Microsoft Edge favorites disappeared or were accidentally deleted, there’s no need to panic.

Start by checking Edge Sync and the Bookmarks.bak backup file in the Edge user data folder. If that doesn’t work, use File History, System Restore, or recovery software to restore the deleted data.

Once your bookmarks are recovered, make it a habit to export and sync them regularly to avoid losing them again.

With these steps, you can easily recover deleted favorites in Microsoft Edge on Windows 11 and keep your important links safe for the future.