My collections have disappeared, how do I recover them? Where is the "Get Started" button for Collections?

Anonymous
2023-02-12T17:25:24+00:00

I turned my computer on today, accessed Edge, went to Collections, and discovered that none of my saved items under Collections headings are available, they have disappeared. Previous Help articles say to click on the "Get Started" button -- I do not see the button. Where is the "Get Started" button on the Collections sidebar. Please help, I have important items in Collections which I need to access today. Thank you.

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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2023-04-04T19:47:10+00:00

Here's what I did:

-I browsed to: edge://sync-internals/

-Located "collections" at the bottom and saw my number of collections at 128.

-I clicked the three dots and created a new profile in edge browser and it generated as "profile2" (yours may different, like profile3)

-Went to C:\users\*****\AppData\Local\microsoft\edge\userdata\default\ in File Explorer

-Closed the browser

-Copied the "Collections" folder within that default folder

-Pasted the "Collections" folder into "profile2" of "userdata" (C:\users\*****\AppData\Local\microsoft\edge\userdata)

-Opened the Edge browser

-I clicked the three dots again and opened my original profile and clicked the settings wheel and selected "sign out" on the next page that came up.

-I checked "clear favorites, history, passwords..... from this device". Finished the prompt and signed out.

-This is the most important step: I went back to the home page of the browser in my newly created profile "profile2", clicked the three dots again and signed in with my original profile's credentials (email and password) while in "profile2".
-The browser did a full sync (took a minute) and kept the pasted collections from "profile2" which then all magically became my new original profile.

My collections are now synced across all of my devices, I've confirmed.

I've also saved the original "Collections" folder in safe place in case this happens ever again.

Daniel Stewart

Was this answer helpful?

8 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

74 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2023-06-12T19:43:38+00:00

    I have the same, since last update. I still have them on another machine. This is horrific, if it could mean that one loses all the collected sides, thinking MS has found a better alternative to bookmarks.

    Used Edge with great satisfaction, but this made me return to Chrome.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2023-06-12T16:39:15+00:00

    edge://sync-internals/

    I tried that, but it says there is nothing there in collections, 0 ????? Where did they all go???

    %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Favicons

    I tried that also, in file explorer, but it asked me how I wanted to open it? That doesn't even make sense.

    I was trying to save some more pics from the web, and then I went into "My Saves" I noticed that everything as gone????? So even the ones that I JUST saved, are still showing "0" in collections at edge://sync-internals

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2023-06-09T22:28:57+00:00

    Daniel - THANK YOU!!!! After losing my entire Collection and searching and searching how to recover, I found your very detailed steps, I followed them and now have my Collection back!! You are the only one who gave such a detailed explanation, Not even Microsoft staff explained it a 1/4 well as you did.

    Olivia MS MOD with her one phrase answers was as cryptic as it gets = HORRIBLE. Thanks for nothing MS.

    MS should pay Daniel Stewart1 for supporting their customers. BRAVO Daniel!!

    Here's what I did:

    -I browsed to: edge://sync-internals/

    -Located "collections" at the bottom and saw my number of collections at 128.

    -I clicked the three dots and created a new profile in edge browser and it generated as "profile2" (yours may different, like profile3)

    -Went to C:\users\*****\AppData\Local\microsoft\edge\userdata\default\ in File Explorer

    -Closed the browser

    -Copied the "Collections" folder within that default folder

    -Pasted the "Collections" folder into "profile2" of "userdata" (C:\users\*****\AppData\Local\microsoft\edge\userdata)

    -Opened the Edge browser

    -I clicked the three dots again and opened my original profile and clicked the settings wheel and selected "sign out" on the next page that came up.

    -I checked "clear favorites, history, passwords..... from this device". Finished the prompt and signed out.

    -This is the most important step: I went back to the home page of the browser in my newly created profile "profile2", clicked the three dots again and signed in with my original profile's credentials (email and password) while in "profile2".
    -The browser did a full sync (took a minute) and kept the pasted collections from "profile2" which then all magically became my new original profile.

    My collections are now synced across all of my devices, I've confirmed.

    I've also saved the original "Collections" folder in safe place in case this happens ever again.

    Daniel Stewart

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2023-06-07T02:10:59+00:00

    AAAAAND... what if collections is NOT there?

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments