If you use Chrome, you may have run into some annoying issues when you browse the Internet.
Browser slowdowns, annoying pop-up ads, and redirects to unknown and unsafe websites can indicate that malicious software has taken control of your browser.
One of the best ways to resolve this issue is to know how to reset the Chrome browser.
We’ll discuss when and how to reset Chrome, what happens when you do so, and whether it’s a secure option in this article.
Should You Reset Google Chrome?
You may need to know how to reset Chrome to default if facing certain disturbances when:
- You are getting redirected to an unknown and insecure page when you try to visit a website.
- Your browser often hangs or slows down.
- Bothersome pop-up ads keep appearing.
These problems could mean that some malicious program or extension, adware, or malware have hijacked your browser.
This can change your default homepage, search engine, and startup page. It might not be sufficient to use the manual settings to revert these changes.
This is because most hijacker extensions, adware entities, and other types of malware can change the settings once again immediately after you relaunch Chrome.
They use small components in your browser (browser helper objects) to achieve the alterations.
Therefore, you’ll have to reset Google Chrome back to the factory defaults to get rid of the issue you are facing.
What Happens When You Reset Google Chrome?
You might ask, “Is it safe to reset Google Chrome?” If you are worried about the consequences of resetting your browser, we’ll point them out for you below.
Note that in Chrome, you can create multiple user profiles. So, each user will have their own settings, bookmarks, history, and extensions.
When you reset Chrome, only the profile you are currently logged into will be affected.
Therefore, if you have two profiles, say User 1 and User 2, and are logged into User 2, the changes due to resetting your browser will only affect User 2.
Let’s take a look:
1. Home button and home page
Resetting Chrome to the factory state will disable the home button. The home button is displayed on the left side of your address bar (URL bar).
When you click on it, a new tab page opens. You can also customize it to open any web address of your choice.
When the button is removed after you’ve reset Chrome, you can go to Settings, click on Appearance, and select Show Home Button to enable it again.
If you have previously set a web address for the home button, it will still be there after resetting Chrome.
You only have to select the URL instead of the New Tab page in the Chrome settings.
2. Sync service
When Google Chrome is reset, you are logged out from your user profile’s Google account, and the sync service gets turned off.
You may be presented with a notification that says, Sync is paused. You’ll have to sign in again to enable it.
3. Search engine
Google is the default search engine for Chrome. If you have switched to a different search engine, your default option will be set back to Google again after you reset your browser.
To choose the search engine you prefer after the reset, go to Settings, and click on Search Engine, and click the drop-down menu beside Search engine used in the address bar.
Also Read: How to Stop Pop-Ups in Google Chrome?
If you want to clear your cache and cookies manually, go to Chrome Settings. Click the Advanced drop-down to Privacy and Security. At the bottom of the section, you’ll find Clear browsing data.
Click on it and select the items you want to clear by marking the corresponding checkboxes. If you want to see more items, switch from the Basic tab to the Advanced tab.
Once you are done, click the Clear Data button.
4. Startup pages
When you power on your computer and launch Chrome, you are presented with the startup page(s) – you get the New Tab page, continue where you left off when you last opened your browser, or open a specific page or set of pages.
You can set Chrome to do any of the above on startup. However, the default option is to open the New Tab page.
So, if you are using any of the other options when you reset Chrome, the startup option will be reverted to the New Tab page.
To choose what happens on startup, go to your Settings. Scroll down to the bottom to find the On startup section, and then select the option you prefer.
5. Pinned tabs
When you reset your Chrome browser to the factory settings, your frequently visited websites will no longer be pinned.
6. Site permissions and content settings
When you visit certain websites, you may have to grant access to your PC’s camera, microphone, and location and give other permissions, such as saving cookies and site data, showing pop-ups, and more.
These are referred to as site settings. When you reset Chrome, your site settings will be restored to their default values.
To change these settings, go to Settings and click Site settings under Privacy and security.
7. Themes and extensions
Chrome allows you to install third-party extensions to get access to additional functions that are not built into the browser.
If you have any extensions installed on your browser, resetting Chrome will disable them. However, they will not be removed from your browser, nor will any customizations you’ve made be altered.
After resetting Chrome, you will have to enable your extensions again. To do so, go to the Chrome menu, click Settings, and select Extensions.
There, you’ll find all the extensions installed on your browser. Click the toggle on each one to enable it.
Likewise, if you have changed the Chrome default theme, it will be restored after you reset the browser. To change it back, go to Settings and click on Themes under the Appearance section.
A Reset Won’t Change Your Browsing History
Now, it’s important to mention that a reset will not remove your browsing history, bookmarks, or saved passwords. Also, your downloaded files will not be deleted.
As for the appearance settings, your font size and page zoom settings will remain the same. Also, if you have opted to show or hide the bookmarks bar, the setting will be unchanged.
We’ve already stated that your site settings and browsing data will be affected when you reset your browser.
However, other settings, such as accessibility, printer, and download location settings, will remain the same.
We’ll discuss how to reset Chrome browser settings in the following sections.
Related: Microsoft Edge Browser Extensions: All You Need to Know
How to the Reset Chrome Browser
Learning how to reset Chrome browser takes just a few seconds.
We’ll go through the various methods that you can use to reset Google Chrome to its default settings and get rid of annoying issues:
Method 1: Use the “reset settings” option on the Chrome settings page
Here’s how to reset Chrome using “Reset Settings”:
- Launch your Google Chrome browser.
- Click the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top-right corner of your screen.
- Click on Settings.
- Click Reset Settings and select Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Click the Reset settings button.
- Restart your browser.
If you don’t know how to reset Chrome browser settings, this method should fix the problem.
Also Read: Ultimate Guide: How to Reset the Google Chrome Browser to Its Default Settings?
Method 2: Use the easy access link to open the “reset settings” box
This method is a faster way to reset your Chrome browser. It enables you to skip most of the steps in Method 1 and get to the Reset Settings box immediately.
All you have to do is as follows:
- Launch your Google Chrome browser.
- Copy and paste the following link into the address bar of your Chrome browser and then press Enter on your keyboard: chrome://settings/resetProfileSettings.
Now, click the Reset settings button to reset your Chrome browser. That’s how to reset Chrome to default using the easy access link.
Also Read: Fix “Google Chrome Is Waiting for Cache” Issue on Windows 10
Method 3: Delete the “default” folder in Chrome’s user data folder
If you want to know how to reset Chrome to default, follow these easy steps:
- Press
Windows logo + Rto open the Run dialog box. - Type
%appdata%into the text field (without quotation marks) and click the OK button or hit Enter on your keyboard.
- Now, click AppData in the File Explorer address bar.
- Double-click the Local folder to open it.
- Locate the Google folder and open it.
- Double-click on Google, then on Chrome, and select User Data.
- Right-click on the Default folder and delete the folder. Doing so will reset your Google Chrome browser. Its default settings will be restored, and the history, bookmarks, cookies, cache, etc., will be cleared.
Related: Windows File Explorer Not Responding? Try These Solutions
Consider creating a backup first before deleting it. To do so, right-click on the folder and select Copy from the context menu.
Then go to another location, for example, an external hard drive or USB drive, and paste it – open the drive, right-click on a blank area, and select Paste from the context menu.
Read More: Windows 10 Backup Guide: External Hard Drive
Method 4: Reset Chrome via the flags panel
Chrome Flags are experimental features and settings in your Chrome browser. It is possible to reset your browser from the Flags control panel.
This method can help revert unfavorable changes to your browser. However, its effectiveness depends on the problem you are facing.
This is because it only involves restoring your browser to the state it was in before you enabled any of Chrome’s experimental features.
Follow these easy steps:
- Launch your Google Chrome browser.
- Go to the address bar and type (or copy and paste) Chrome://flags. Then press Enter.
- You’ll find the Reset all button at the top of the page. Click on it.
- Restart your browser.
That’s how to reset Chrome to default using the flags panel.
Also Read: How to Change Location on Google Chrome?
Method 5: Reinstall your Google Chrome browser
Reinstalling your browser is another way to restore its default settings.
If you are using Windows 10, here are the following steps:
- Close all open tabs and windows on your browser.
- Confirm the action when prompted.
- Go to the Start menu. You can do this by pressing the Windows logo key on your keyboard.
- Press
Windows logo + Ito open Settings. - Once in the Settings window, click on Apps.
- On the right-hand side of the page that opens, click on Installed apps.
- You’ll see a list of all the programs installed on your computer. Locate Google Chrome and click on it.
- Click the Uninstall button.
Go to the official website and download the latest version of Google Chrome. Open the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions presented by the installation wizard to install the browser.
Find out more about Auslogics BoostSpeed here: Speed Up Slow Computer: Auslogics BoostSpeed 13
That’s how to reset Chrome to default using the uninstall method.
Also Read: How to Fix Google Chrome Scaling on Windows 10?
How to Reset Chrome on Mac
Here’s how to reset Chrome browser on Mac:
- Open the Chrome browser.
- Click on the vertical ellipsis and select Settings.
- Click on Reset settings.
- Click on Restore settings to their original defaults, and then Reset settings.
- Restart the browser.
Also Read: Hard Refresh Your Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari
How to Reset Chrome on Android
Here’s how to reset Chrome browser settings on Android:
- Open your phone’s Settings.
- Go to Apps.
- Search for Google Chrome.
- Reset the browser using the Clear cache and Clear all data options to reset.
Every mobile device is different. However, you should find similar steps to reset the browser.
Also, remember that instead of Clear cache, you may find Clear data, Clear all data, etc., depending on the phone you use.
Related: Clear Your Search and Activity History: PC, iPhone, and Android
How to Reset Chrome on iOS
Here’s how to reset Chrome to default on iOS:
- Open Chrome Settings.
- Go to Privacy.
- Click on Clear Browsing Data.
- Choose all from the list.
- Select the Clear Browsing Data button.
- Confirm the action.
Remember that you can’t reset the Chrome browser on iOS devices. However, you can clear the browser cache.
Conclusion
We’ve covered the possible issues and provided a detailed guide on how to reset Chrome browser settings to guarantee a safer and more seamless online experience.
Resetting Chrome can be a useful tool to help you resolve browser issues. So, it won’t affect your bookmarks, browsing history, or passwords that you’ve saved.
This gives you a convenient yet secure solution.
FAQ
Click the three dots in the top-right corner of the browser, choose “Settings,” scroll down to “Advanced,” locate “Restore settings to their original defaults,” and click it to reset Google Chrome. Your saved passwords, history, and bookmarks will not be lost if you reset your Google Chrome. To uninstall Chrome, go to Settings or Control Panel and delete the app. Alternatively, you can use the Uninstall Manager feature in Auslogics BoostSpeed to delete the app. This option will remove your browsing history during uninstallation. After that, download and reinstall the most recent version of Chrome from the official website. Using your Google account to log in and turn on sync in the Chrome settings will allow you to restore Chrome data. This will bring up your account’s history, bookmarks, and extensions. You can manually import bookmarks from backup files if necessary. If your extensions and settings aren’t synchronized, adjust them manually.
