Google Chrome: Create a new browser user profile

 

If your browser user profile is corrupted, you can create a new user profile to replace the broken one:

Windows instructions

1. Exit Google Chrome completely.
2. Enter the keyboard shortcut Windows key  +E to open Windows Explorer.
3. In the Windows Explorer window that appears enter the following in the address bar.
• Windows XP: %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\
• Windows Vista/ Windows 7/ Windows 8: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\
4. Locate the folder called "Default" in the directory window that opens and rename it as "Backup default."
5. Try opening Google Chrome again. A new "Default" folder is automatically created as you start using the browser.

If you wish, you can transfer information from your old user profile to your new one. However, this action is not recommended, since a part of your old profile was corrupt. With that in mind, to transfer your old bookmarks, copy the "Bookmarks.bak" file from the "Backup default" folder to your new "Default" folder. Once moved, rename the file from "Bookmarks.bak" to "Bookmarks" to complete the migration.

Mac instructions

1. Quit Google Chrome completely.
2. Go to the Go menu > Go to Folder.
3. Enter the following directories in the text field, then press Go.

~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/

4. Locate the folder called "Default" in the directory window that opens and rename it as "Backup default."
5. Try opening Google Chrome again. A new "Default" folder is automatically created as you start using the browser.

If you wish, you can transfer information from your old user profile to your new one. However, this action is not recommended, since a part of your old profile was corrupt. With that in mind, to transfer your old bookmarks, copy the "Bookmarks.bak" file from the "Backup default" folder to your new "Default" folder. Once moved, rename the file from "Bookmarks.bak" to "Bookmarks" to complete the migration.

Linux instructions

1. Exit Google Chrome completely.
2. Go to Computer.
3. Select Go > Location.
4. Enter the following directory in the text field:

~/.config/google-chrome/

5. Locate the folder called "Default" in the directory window that opens and rename it as "Backup default."
6. Try opening Google Chrome again. A new "Default" folder is automatically created as you start using the browser.

If you wish, you can transfer information from your old user profile to your new one. However, this action is not recommended, since a part of your old profile was corrupt. With that in mind, to transfer your old bookmarks, copy the "Bookmarks.bak" file from the "Backup default" folder to your new "Default" folder. Once moved, rename the file from "Bookmarks.bak" to "Bookmarks" to complete the migration.