How to Reset Google Chrome to Default

You may occasionally want to reset Chrome to the factory default settings for performance, or in the aftermath of malware attack and removal. This post tells you how to reset your Google Chrome settings and data.

Reset Google Chrome via Settings

Start Google Chrome and click the More icon (with three lines or dots), and click Settings.

Scroll down until you see the option named Reset settings. Click the Reset Settings button, and then click Reset.

Alternatively, paste the following URL into the Address bar to access the Reset Settings dialog.

chrome://settings/resetProfileSettings

The following settings will change back to the default:

• Default search engine (set to Google)
• Homepage and tabs
• New tab page
• Pinned Tabs
• Content settings
• Cookies and site data
• Extensions
• Themes

Src: Reset Chrome settings to default – Chrome Help

Only the settings for the Chrome profile you’re signed in to will be reset. And the new settings will be synced across all devices where you’re signed in to your active profile.

Reset Google Chrome Completely

This method resets all Chrome settings to default and deletes your browser profiles, themes, extensions, bookmarks, history, cache, passwords, cookies, and web form auto-fill information.

If you decide to perform this procedure, make sure you have appropriate backups of your bookmarks, passwords, and other data. You may save them locally as well as sync them online to your Google account.

Reset all Chrome Profiles

• Close all instances of Google Chrome.
• Open File Explorer, type or paste the following folder path, and press Enter:

  %LocalAppData%\Google\

• Rename the folder “Chrome” to “Chrome-old“
• Start Google Chrome.

Reset a particular Chrome Profile

To reset a particular profile, rename the profile folder only — e.g. Profile 5.

• Close all instances of Google Chrome.
• Find your profile folder path by visiting chrome://version from that particular Chrome profile.
• Note down the profile path.
• Open the profile path in Explorer.

  %LocalAppData%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Profile 5

• Rename Profile 5 to Profile 5.old.
  If an existing instance of Chrome.exe is running, you’ll see the “Folder in Use” error when renaming the folder. Open Task Manager to see if chrome.exe instances are running. If so, terminate them and then rename the folder.

  

• Start Google Chrome.

After resetting Chrome. the “first-run” or the “Welcome” screen appears on the next launch.

Using the Chrome Cleanup Tool

Google also made available the Chrome Cleanup Tool which can scan for some “bad” programs and remove them from your computer. It then suggests resetting Chrome by launching the built-in “resetProfileSettings” page (as seen above).

The “bad” programs are the ones that cause problems with Chrome, such as crashes, unusual startup pages or toolbars, and unexpected ads you can’t get rid of. This tool can come in handy if your browser settings or search pages get hijacked by one of the listed adware, or perhaps its variants.

For more information about this tool, check out page Scan a Windows computer with the Chrome Cleanup Tool.

See also Reset Firefox Completely and Start Over from Scratch