Share via

Recovering Favorites/Bookmarks that have been Deleted W/O 'Restore deleted' option

Rebecca 0 Reputation points
2026-01-29T14:22:31.35+00:00

I have somehow accidently deleted an entire favorites/bookmark folder. I don't have a trashcan icon on my favorites. Don't know where else to look. Any suggestion?

Microsoft Edge | Favorites, history, and downloads | Windows 11
0 comments

2 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest

  1. AI answer

    2026-01-29T14:22:38.52+00:00

    If you have accidentally deleted an entire favorites/bookmark folder in Microsoft Edge and do not see a 'Restore deleted' option, unfortunately, there is no built-in method to recover deleted favorites directly from the browser. However, you can try the following steps:

    1. Check for a Backup: If you have previously backed up your favorites, you can restore them from that backup.
    2. Use Sync: If you had sync enabled for your Microsoft account, check if your favorites are available on another device where you are logged in with the same account.
    3. Check for a Previous Version: If you have File History or another backup solution enabled on your Windows 11 system, you may be able to restore a previous version of the favorites file. This file is typically located in the following path: C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Bookmarks.
    4. Third-Party Recovery Tools: As a last resort, you could consider using third-party file recovery tools, but success is not guaranteed.

    Unfortunately, without a restore option or backup, recovering deleted favorites can be quite challenging.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
  2. Stefano Sirri 3,170 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-01-29T15:16:48.22+00:00

    Hi , Thank you for reaching out!

    My name is Stefano and it’s my pleasure to assist you today.

    Do you utilize Microsoft Edge as browser ?

    This usually depends entirely on which browser you’re using, because each one stores bookmarks differently and may offer different recovery options.

    Below are practical recovery methods that actually work, even when there’s no “Restore deleted” or trash icon.

    First, do NOT add, edit, or sync bookmarks right now

    Some recovery options rely on old backup files that can be overwritten.

    Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome

    Chrome and Edge do not have a visible recycle bin for bookmarks.

    Recovery is possible only via automatic backup files.

    Both browsers keep a file called Bookmarks.bak.

    1. Close the browser completely
    2. Go to:

    C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\AppData\Local\

    • Edge:

    Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\

    • Chrome:

    Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\

    1. You will see:
    • Bookmarks
    • Bookmarks.bak
    1. Do this:
    • Rename Bookmarks > Bookmarks.old
    • Rename Bookmarks.bak > Bookmarks
    1. Reopen the browser

    This restores bookmarks from the last automatic backup

    Note: Any bookmarks added after that backup are lost

    Keep me posted.

    Regards,

    Stefano

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.