'Edge' favorites folder location on Windows 10

Question

Evidently Microsoft moved away from a Favorites folder used in Internet Explorer that was set to the %UserProfile% with Edge.

I have found some information on this on the web i.e. it should be located at -%localappdata%\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\MicrosoftEdge\User\Default\Favorites.

For some reason, for me, mine are not located there. I have searched all over (folders, registry, online via searches, Reddit, etc. and I have not found anything to help me.

Is there a way to overcome this issue?

Solution 1

Internet Explorer

• Internet Explorer has pretty much always used the C:\Users\%Username%\Favorites to store favorites
• These favorites were stored as files
• Edge has never used this location and does not share favorites with Internet Explorer at all

Original Edge

• The early version of Edge in original "RTM" release of Windows 10 kept favorites as files buried 11 folders deep at:

C:\Users\%UserName%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\MicrosoftEdge\User\Default\Favorites

• You could use the File Explorer at this location to Edit, Add, Delete favorites, but it took a registry tweak for a lot of the changes to appear in Edge

Current Edge

• The current version of Edge (from the Windows 10 "November update") now uses a database at:

  C:\Users\%UserName%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\MicrosoftEdge\User\Default\DataStore\Data\nouser1\120712-0049\DBStore\spartan.edb

• You can no longer use File Explorer to manage favorites

• There may be favorites left over at the "old" location, but they are no longer being used. (That's why when people see these files, they notice that they are not up to date).

Solution 2

I just made a favorite in Edge. It was stored in:

%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\MicrosoftEdge\User\Default\Favorites

If you save to the favorites bar, they are put in the Links folder:

%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\MicrosoftEdge\User\Default\Favorites\Links

You will have to show hidden folders to see the AppData folder if you plan on clicking through the folders via Windows Explorer.

To do this:

• Click on View Tab in Windows Explorer
• Tick the box 'Hidden items'

Solution 3

I have the same issue here. It used to be in the Edge favorites listed previously, but now they are gone. We did some digging and found them in:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\RoamingState

But they are now .json files as text and a mess.

A user said he found the icon files for this URL:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AC\MicrosoftEdge\User\Default\DataStore\Data\nouser1\120712-0049\Favorites

Then I called Microsoft technical support, but they couldn't find them either! We made a new user account and put in one URL as a favorite and could never find it in any of the locations, even though it shows in Edge in the Favorites list. So even the tech guys can't find where it's going. They are working on it at higher level and are supposed to call back.

Here are couple of places on Microsoft Answers where this is being talked about:

• Edge fav folder is empty, but I still have favs in browser, what folder are they in to do that

• Edge favorites not in their normal Favorite folder - moved to RoamingState folder as .json files

Comments

[clhy]

I would say install Search Everything from voidtools.com & then create a random named favorite. Try search using search everything and see if you can find that random named favorite and others

[Ducatiduke]

I will try this tonight. I did try search that was in the os. I also installed a different registry editor and searched for a favorite name that I saved, but no go... ty.

[Michael Freidgeim]

Possible duplicate of Add Bookmarks to Microsoft Edge manually

[Ducatiduke]

I think I did this, but I will check this tonight... ty

[ausadmin]

Great information! I was able to copy the favourites from Edge on one computer to another by copying the DBStore folder. This was what I was trying to achieve in setting up a new Windows 10 computer.

[Scooter]

Microsoft goes backwards - removing an easy way to organize favorites.