Microsoft Edge keeps losing ALL Favorites


  1. Posts : 2,450
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #1

    Microsoft Edge keeps losing ALL Favorites


    It’s getting very frustrating, as Microsoft Edge, in a frequency that is increasing day-by-day loses all Favorites.
    I have been backing up my Favorites quite frequently using a robocopy script, which follows OPTION 2 of this excellent tutorial.

    Since version 1803 Microsoft changed (again) its Edge Favorites backup policy and instead of creating, on a daily basis, an .html export, it creates a compact database backup in the hidden folder:
    %UserProfile%\MicrosoftEdgeBackups\backups
    which no one knows how to use to restore Favorites.

    Has anybody found any way to prevent this increasingly frequent Favorites loss, or should we wait for the dearest Microsoft Edge team to “decide” to take a deeper look and resolve the issue?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,657
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #2

    Hello Dimitri,

    If you haven't already, you might see if turning on sync Microsoft Edge settings may be able to keep your favorites from getting wiped out.

    Enable or Disable Sync Microsoft Edge Settings in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 2,450
    Windows 10 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Brink said:
    Hello Dimitri,

    If you haven't already, you might see if turning on sync Microsoft Edge settings may be able to keep your favorites from getting wiped out.

    Enable or Disable Sync Microsoft Edge Settings in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

    Hi Shawn and thanks a lot for the suggestion, but I'm afraid that in order to be able to turn on sync, I must log in with my Microsoft account. I'm not using a Microsoft account, but a local one.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 36
    Window 10
       #4

    ddelo said:
    %UserProfile%\MicrosoftEdgeBackups\backups
    which no one knows how to use to restore Favorites.
    Well, not quite no one....

    The EdgeManage application can read from this type of backup file and will allow you to create an HTML export file. Then you can use the exported file as in import into Edge.

    Take a look at this article to see if this is something that you'd be interested in: http://www.edgemanage.emmet-gray.com/index.html
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 2,450
    Windows 10 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #5

    egray said:
    Well, not quite no one....

    The EdgeManage application can read from this type of backup file and will allow you to create an HTML export file. Then you can use the exported file as in import into Edge.

    Take a look at this article to see if this is something that you'd be interested in: http://www.edgemanage.emmet-gray.com/index.html

    Thanks a lot for your suggestion. I had tried the application (version 2.0) in the past and it worked flawlessly, but I prefer to create a backup using this option and restore it when Edge loses the favorites.
    The question is how to avoid losing them....as it does it in random times and with for no apparent reason (none I can justify, at least).
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 36
    Window 10
       #6

    ddelo said:
    ... but I prefer to create a backup using this option and restore it when Edge loses the favorites.
    That actually won't work all that well if you also have the Edge synchronization system enabled. In addition to the database files, you also need to copy the edge sync files (the JSON files) at %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\RoamingState. Otherwise, the sync system would immediately start deleting/changing/adding favorites (from copies on the cloud that might be compromised).

    The worst case scenario is if you just copied the database and then the sync system deletes everything (because there are no corresponding JSON files)

    There is a command-line tool that you can use to periodically backup your favorites... you can put a shortcut in the startup folder to run every time you login, or perhaps create scheduled task to run it everyday, etc. The EdgeExport tool give you complete control over when, how, where the backups are stored.... to include making backups without human intervention
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 2,450
    Windows 10 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #7

    egray said:
    That actually won't work all that well if you also have the Edge synchronization system enabled. In addition to the database files, you also need to copy the edge sync files (the JSON files) at %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\RoamingState. Otherwise, the sync system would immediately start deleting/changing/adding favorites (from copies on the cloud that might be compromised).

    The worst case scenario is if you just copied the database and then the sync system deletes everything (because there are no corresponding JSON files)

    There is a command-line tool that you can use to periodically backup your favorites... you can put a shortcut in the startup folder to run every time you login, or perhaps create scheduled task to run it everyday, etc. The EdgeExport tool give you complete control over when, how, where the backups are stored.... to include making backups without human intervention
    I don't have sync on, as it needs login with a Microsoft account and I use a local one.
    But that is very good information, from someone who does know the issue! Thanks

    If you could give me a good reason why Edge loses the favorites, you would be the best
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 36
    Window 10
       #8

    ddelo said:
    I don't have sync on, as it needs login with a Microsoft account and I use a local one.

    OK, you're right... in that scenario only the database files are required


    ddelo said:
    If you could give me a good reason why Edge loses the favorites, you would be the best
    Ha! No, I don't have an explanation. This has been happening ever since Edge was released back in 2015. I suspect that it has something to do with the Windows Update service.

    Perhaps Microsoft doesn't know either.... since instead of fixing the problem, they instead opted to making daily backups
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 2,450
    Windows 10 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #9

    egray said:

    Perhaps Microsoft doesn't know either.... since instead of fixing the problem, they instead opted to making daily backups

    Good point... and I tend to believe that it's a fact!
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 2,450
    Windows 10 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #10

    It"s been almost two months, since the last occurrence of that. Either a CU in 1803 fixed it, or I stopped doing whatever I was stupidly doing to lose the favorites.
    Either way, I'm marking it as "solved", at least until it happens again
      My Computer


 

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