- To reset Chrome settings to their defaults, open settings, click “Reset settings,” click “Restore settings to their original defaults,” and click “Reset.”
- To reset the browser completely, from
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google, delete the “Chrome” folder.
UPDATED 8/26/2025: On Windows 11 (or 10), if you use Google Chrome, you can reset its settings to factory defaults, and in this guide, I will outline the steps to complete this task.
Although it may not happen often, sometimes Chrome can become sluggish, or you may also experience crashing and freezing issues due to extensions, installation problems, profile issues, or configuration issues.
Whatever the case might be, the browser has a master button to quickly restore the default settings to resolve the most common issues. The feature will reset the Google Chrome settings and shortcuts, disable extensions, and delete cookies and other temporary files.
If you want to reset everything on the browser, you have to delete the “Chrome” folder in your system profile folder. Using this method, nothing will be saved, and you will have to start with the browser from scratch by configuring a new profile and choosing your settings from scratch.
In this guide, I will teach you how to revert the Google Chrome settings to their factory defaults on Windows 11 as well as on Windows 10. However, these instructions should also work on other supported platforms like macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS.
Reset common settings to defaults on Chrome
To reset the settings of Chrome to its defaults on Windows 11 (or 10), use these steps:
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Open Google Chrome.
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Click the Customize and control Google Chrome (ellipsis) button on the top-right corner.
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Select the Settings option.
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Click on Reset settings.
Quick tip: You can also access this page using thechrome:\\settings\resetlink in the address bar. -
Click the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option.
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Confirm the reset details before proceeding.
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Click the Reset settings button.
Once you complete the steps, Google Chrome will restore the default settings, disable extensions, and clear cached data like cookies, but your bookmarks, history, and passwords will be kept.
Reset every setting to defaults on Chrome
To reset the Chrome browser completely on Windows, use these steps:
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Close the Google Chrome browser.
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Open File Explorer.
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Type the following path in the address bar and press Enter:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google
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Right-click the Chrome folder and choose the Delete option.
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Continue with the on-screen directions (if applicable).
After you complete the steps, relaunch the Chrome app to continue with the browser’s initial setup. If you want to re-enable your extensions, you can complete this task from chrome://extensions.
Update August 26, 2025: This guide has been updated to include a video tutorial to follow these instructions.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert and founder of Pureinfotech in 2010. With over 22 years as a technology writer and IT Specialist, Mauro specializes in Windows, software, and cross-platform systems such as Linux, Android, and macOS.
Certifications: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), VMware Certified Professional (VCP), and CompTIA A+ and Network+.
Mauro is a recognized Microsoft MVP and has also been a long-time contributor to Windows Central.
You can follow him on YouTube, Threads, BlueSky, X (Twitter), LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].