If your web browser has a serious problem that you cannot fix, you can reset it to factory defaults. Thankfully, most major browsers have a dedicated reset button that makes the process quick and simple.
Read on to learn what you must do to reset popular desktop browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari to their default settings.
Table of Contents
Reset Google Chrome to factory defaults
If Google Chrome hangs, hangs or becomes unresponsiveor if you suspect a browser intruder (for example, your search engine changes automatically or you see warnings that pop up repeatedly), consider resetting your browser to factory defaults. Reset Chrome:
- Revert changes to the start page, home page, new tab page, and search engine.
- Remove all pinned tabs.
- Disable all active extensions and add-ons.
- Clear temporary website data (cookies and cache).
- Revert all site settings and permissions.
Resetting the Google Chrome browser will not delete your bookmarks, browsing history, and saved passwords. However, we recommend that you upload any personal data to your Google Account, so have a backup copy if the process doesn’t go as planned.
1. Open Chrome browser menu (select the three dots at the top right of the browser window) and select Setting.
2. Select Advanced > Reset and clean (PC) or Reset settings (Mac) on the sidebar of Chrome’s Settings page.
3. Select Restore settings to their original defaults > Reset settings to reset Chrome settings to factory defaults.
Reset Mozilla Firefox to Factory Defaults
Just like with Chrome, resetting Mozilla Firefox will clear all browser preferences and caches while keeping personal data like passwords and bookmarks intact. Again, the best is sync personal data with your Firefox Account so that you don’t leave anything to chance.
1. Open Firefox menu (select the three stacked lines in the right corner of the address bar) and select Help.
2. Select More troubleshooting information.
3. Select Firefox Refresh.
Reset Microsoft Edge to factory defaults
Microsoft Edge, the default Chromium-based browser for Windows 10 and 11, can be reset to factory defaults by diving into its Settings page. You can keep your bookmarks and passwords, but it is recommended that you sync your data with Microsoft account in the event of an accident. The same applies to downloadable version of Microsoft Edge for macOS.
1. Open edge menu (select the three dots at the top right of the window) and select Setting.
2. Select Reset settings on the sidebar of Edge’s Settings menu.
3. Select Reset settings to their default values.
Reset Apple Safari to factory defaults
Safari, the default web browser for Mac, doesn’t have a built-in option that you can use to reset the browser to factory defaults. Instead, you must clear your Safari browsing datadisable active extensions and revert any customizations yourself.
Clear cache and cookies
1. Select The hunt > Clear history on the menu bar.
2. Open the drop-down menu next to Strange and choose All history. Then choose Clear history.
Turn off all extensions
1. Select The hunt > Interests on the menu bar.
2. Switch to Extensions and clear the boxes next to all active extensions.
Revert all options to default
1. Exit The hunt application.
2. Open Seeker and choose To go > Go to folder on the menu bar.
3. Access the following folder:
4. Drag the following file to the Trash:
5. Next, go to the following folders and drag all the files and subfolders inside to the Trash:
- ~/Library/Saved Application State/com.apple.Safari.savedState/
- ~/Library/Safari/
Reset Tor Browser to Factory Defaults
Restoring the ultra-private Tor Browser to its factory defaults involves going through the same steps as Firefox (as shown above). That’s because both browsers run on the same codebase.
1. Select Tor menu and select the option labeled Help.
2. Select More troubleshooting information.
3. Select Tor browser refresh.
Reset Opera browser to factory defaults
If you use Opera, you can reset it just like any other Chromium-based browser for PC or Mac.
1. Open Opera menu and choose Setting (PC) or Interests (Mac).
2. Select Advanced on the sidebar.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page. Then choose Reset settings to factory defaults.
Reset browser settings in Brave to factory defaults
Brave Browser is a lightweight Chromium alternative that you can quickly reset to factory settings using these steps.
1. Open Brave menu (select the three stacked lines at the top right of the window) and select Setting.
2. Select More settings > Reset settings on the sidebar.
3. Select Reset settings to factory defaults.
A new beginning
After restoring your browser to its factory defaults, you’ll have to start all over again by logging into websites, activating extensions again, and configuring site preferences and settings again. other settings. That should provide clues to any underlying reasons behind the previous problems.
For example, a rogue extension could cause your default search engine page to change. If re-enabling it leads to the same problem, you must uninstall it from your web browser. Or use anti-malware utility to get rid of it forcibly.
