Local device data got deleted after syncing between devices

May I receive a phone call from technical support for this problem, I am unable to retrieve my lost data

Hi @Joe Mama ,

Thanks for reaching out.

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your local profile data in Microsoft Edge. Losing history, bookmarks, and passwords can be frustrating. Based on the information provided and general knowledge about Microsoft Edge's sync feature, here are steps you can take to attempt recovery and prevent future issues:

Steps to Recover Lost Data

1. Check Microsoft Edge Sync Status:
   • Open Microsoft Edge and go to Settings > Profiles > Sync.
   • Verify that you’re signed in with the correct Microsoft account used for syncing.
   • Check if sync is enabled for history, bookmarks, and passwords. If sync is still active, there’s a chance the data is stored in the cloud.
   • If the data isn’t visible, it’s possible the sync process overwrote or failed to retrieve your local data.
2. Check for Local Profile Data:
   • Edge stores local profile data in a specific folder on your device. You can check if the data is still present:
     • Windows: Navigate to C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default.
     • Mac: Navigate to ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft Edge/Default.
     • Look for files like Bookmarks, History, or Login Data. These contain your bookmarks, browsing history, and passwords, respectively.
     • If these files exist but appear empty or corrupted, they may have been overwritten during the sync.
3. Restore from Backups:
   • Bookmarks: If you previously exported your bookmarks, check for a .html file you may have saved. You can import it via Settings > Profiles > Import browser data > Import from HTML file.
   • Passwords: If you exported passwords as a .csv file (via Settings > Passwords > Export passwords), you can re-import them.
   • Local Backups: If you have a system backup (e.g., Windows File History, Time Machine on Mac), restore the User Data folder from before the sync occurred.
4. Check OneDrive or Other Cloud Backups:
   • If your Edge profile data was backed up to OneDrive or another cloud service, check the OneDrive web interface (onedrive.live.com) or other backup locations. Look in the Recycle Bin on OneDrive in case the data was inadvertently deleted.
5. Recover from Another Synced Device:
   • If you were syncing with another device (e.g., another computer or mobile device) before the data loss, check if that device still has the data.
   • Open Edge on the other device, go to Settings > Profiles > Sync, and see if bookmarks, history, or passwords are intact. If so, you can try re-syncing or manually exporting the data.

Why This Might Have Happened

• Sync Overwrite: When syncing, Edge may overwrite local data with cloud data (or vice versa) if there’s a conflict or misconfiguration. For example, if sync was enabled on a new device with no data, it might have overwritten the cloud data with an empty profile.
• Account Issue: Signing in with a different Microsoft account or a temporary profile could cause data to appear missing.
• Corrupted Profile: A corrupted local profile or sync error could lead to data loss during the sync process.

Prevent Future Data Loss

• Regular Backups: Periodically export bookmarks (Settings > Favorites > Manage favorites > Export favorites) and passwords (Settings > Passwords > Export passwords) to a secure location.
• Disable Sync Temporarily: If setting up a new device, disable sync (Settings > Profiles > Sync > Turn off sync) until you confirm local data is intact.
• Monitor Sync Settings: Regularly check which data types are synced to avoid unintended overwrites.
• Use Local Backups: Enable system backups like Windows File History or Time Machine to preserve Edge’s User Data folder.

Hope this helps! If you agree with my suggestion, feel free to interact with the system accordingly!