Lost Microsoft Edge passwords after recent update

This issue likely happens because a recent update can inadvertently change critical settings or cause a conflict during the synchronization process. Specifically, the update may alter your privacy rules to automatically clear passwords upon closing the browser, or a sync error might occur where an empty profile overwrites your saved data across devices. In some cases, the update process itself can corrupt the local profile files where your passwords are stored.

If you lost your Microsoft Edge passwords after the recent update, follow the solutions mentioned below.

1. Reset Sync
2. Recover password from other devices
3. Recreate your profile

Let’s discuss them in detail.

1] Reset Sync

Perhaps a corrupted version of your local data (possibly empty or outdated) is being synced to the cloud, overwriting your accurate password data on all devices. Resetting sync acts as a corrective measure, instructing Microsoft Edge to wipe the slate clean in the cloud and forcibly re-download the most recent data set from one of your devices. If a device has the correct passwords, this process can retrieve them from that device and then transfer them to the cloud, and subsequently to your other devices.

1. In Microsoft Edge, click on the three dots and select Settings.
2. You will be in the Profile tab, and click on Sync.
3. Ensure that Password is enabled.
4. Now, scroll down and click on Re-sync from the Re-sync data to this device.
5. Click on Re-sync again when you see the prompt.

On your other computers and devices signed into the same Microsoft Edge profile, you may need to turn Sync off and back on again to force them to download the freshly reset cloud data.

Read: Microsoft Edge keeps deleting saved passwords

2] Recover password from other devices

This is an optional workaround that may not be applicable if you don’t have any other device synced and using Microsoft Edge. If you are somebody who uses Edge on multiple devices, you can recover a lost password using the steps mentioned below.

1. First, we need to isolate your device, so please do not connect it to the internet. If it is a laptop, turn off Wi-Fi and disconnect any Ethernet cable before powering it on.
2. Now, in Edge, go to Settings > Passwords and autofill.
3. Click on Microsoft Password Manager.
4. Now, click on the three dots and click on Export passwords > Export passwords
5. Finally, save the CSV file.
6. Now, on the destination computer, the computer you updated recently and lost your password on, in the Microsoft Password Manager, click on Import password, select the CSV file (you need to transfer the CSV from the other device to this).
7. Then, select the CSV file and restore your passwords.

This way, you can restore the password.

3] Recreate your profile

By creating a new user profile, you can bypass any corruption that occurred in your original profile during the update. A new profile begins with a fresh set of configuration files and cache, which eliminates any glitches that may have affected password management in the old profile. When you sign in with your Microsoft account, it will resync your data from the cloud, potentially retrieving a clean, uncorrupted version of your passwords. To recreate your profile, use the steps mentioned below.