Where Microsoft Edge Favorites Are Stored on Windows (And How to Back Them Up)

When you stumble upon a useful website, leaving it open in a browser tab isn’t always the best long-term strategy. Open tabs pile up, browsers slow down, crashes happen—and suddenly that valuable page is gone. That’s why bookmarks (or Favorites, as Microsoft Edge calls them) exist.

Over time, you may build an impressive collection of saved websites: research sources, tools, tutorials, and daily reads. But what happens if your browser data resets, Windows gets reinstalled, or you move to a new PC? Losing your bookmarks can be surprisingly frustrating.

The good news is that Microsoft Edge stores your favorites locally on your PC, and once you know where they are, backing them up or transferring them is quick and easy.

Where Microsoft Edge Stores Favorites on Windows

Microsoft Edge saves bookmarks in a dedicated profile folder inside your user directory.

Default Edge Favorites Location

1. Open File Explorer
   • Use the shortcut Windows key + E for quick access
2. Navigate to the following path:

C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default

Replace <Username> with your actual Windows account name.

How to Find Your Username

If you’re unsure about your username:

• Open This PC
• Go to the C:\Users folder
• Your username will be listed there

You can also paste the full path directly into File Explorer’s address bar after replacing <Username>.

The Files That Contain Your Edge Bookmarks

Once inside the Default folder, scroll down until you find these files:

• Bookmarks – contains all your saved favorites
• Favicons – stores the icons associated with your bookmarks

The Bookmarks file is a structured text file (JSON format). While it can be opened in a text editor to view its contents, you should not edit it manually, as even a small change can corrupt your bookmarks.

How to Back Up Microsoft Edge Favorites

Creating a backup is as simple as copying a file.

Steps to Back Up Favorites

1. Make sure Microsoft Edge is closed
2. Go to the Edge profile folder:

C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default

3. Copy the Bookmarks file (and optionally Favicons)
4. Paste them into a safe location:
   • External drive
   • Cloud storage
   • Backup folder on another disk

That’s it—your Edge favorites are now safely backed up.

How to Transfer Edge Favorites to Another PC

If you’re moving to a new computer or reinstalling Windows, you can restore your favorites manually.

Steps to Restore Favorites on a New PC

1. On the new PC, install Microsoft Edge and open it once, then close it
2. Navigate to the same Edge profile folder:

C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default

3. Make sure Edge is fully closed
4. Paste your backed-up Bookmarks and Favicons files into this folder
5. If prompted, replace existing files
6. Launch Microsoft Edge

Your favorites should now appear exactly as they did on your previous system.

Why Knowing This Location Matters

While Edge offers account-based sync, it doesn’t protect you from every scenario:

• Corrupted profiles
• Failed Windows updates
• Local account usage
• Sync issues or disabled sync

Having direct access to your bookmarks gives you full control over your data and ensures you’re never locked out of your saved resources.

Conclusion

Bookmarks represent hours—or even years—of curated browsing, and losing them can be a real setback. Knowing where Microsoft Edge stores its favorites empowers you to protect that data, whether you’re backing it up for safety or moving to a new PC.

With just a quick copy of a couple of files, you can preserve your entire browsing history of saved sites and avoid starting from scratch ever again.