All Brave Profiles Gone After Corruption Message – Urgent Help Needed

thepanchalshadow · April 7, 2025, 8:34am

Hello Brave Community,

Here is the solution guys you can read the post later. Also another user has posted the whole process to keep your data safe by yourself (you know what this smile is).

I’m honestly devastated right now. Today when I turned on my PC (Windows 11), I tried to open Brave as usual. Instead of loading normally, it showed a message saying something was corrupted. After that, Brave launched with a completely fresh state—no profiles, no bookmarks, no passwords, no extensions, no tabs. Everything is just GONE.

I had 7 separate profiles, each set up carefully for different types of work and personal tasks. Now every single one of them has disappeared. This isn’t just inconvenient—it’s a complete disaster for me. I had really important information saved across those profiles, and losing it all without warning is incredibly frustrating.

I’ve searched through the community and read through multiple similar posts, but none of them have given a working solution. I’m at my wit’s end.

I did check the system folders, and all the profile-related data still seems to be there:
C:\Users\Win 11\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data

For example, I found this:
C:\Users\Win 11\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 2\IndexedDB
—so I’m hoping there’s still a way to recover my old tabs or even just the profiles themselves.

Please, I’m begging for help. I’ve put so much time into setting up each profile exactly the way I needed it, and now it feels like everything has just vanished in a second.

Any guidance or recovery steps would be massively appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
ThePanchalShadow

Description of the issue:
How can this issue be reproduced?

I do not know how it happend It was working totally fine yesterday and Today everything was just gone.

Expected result: Open brave and have options of choosing among my profile which one to open

Brave Version( check About Brave):
Version 1.77.95 Chromium: 135.0.7049.52 (Official Build) (64-bit)

Additional Information:

289wk · April 7, 2025, 12:03pm

@thepanchalshadow

Please determine which Brave Browser (Windows OS) installation that you have, system level or user level:

The following section of info is about, Where the Brave Browser installation usually is - the system level install:

Brave Browser installation location on Windows OS

Application “brave.exe”

64 architecture

C:\Program Files\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\Application\brave.exe

The initial Brave Browser Profile is, by default, named “Profile 1” (unless you change that name → brave://settings/getStarted).

The folder that contains the initial Brave Browser Profile, is the Default folder (a name that you must not change):

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\

That path may also be written:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\

If you create 1 additional Profile (aka “Profile 2”), it will be stored in folder Profile 1:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 1\

If you create a 2nd additional Profile (aka “Profile 3”), it will be stored in folder Profile 2:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 2\

IMPORTANT - Replacing Profile folders

When replacing Brave Browser Profile folders:

Folder named Default (including its contents) can only replace its likeness: the folder named Default.

Folder named Profile 1 (including its contents) can only replace its likeness: the folder named Profile 1.

Folder named Profile 2 (including its contents) can only replace its likeness: the folder named Profile 2.

IMPORTANT - Brave Browser Preferences

Some Brave Browser Preferences are stored in the Preferences file:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Preferences

The contents of that Preferences file, are not exactly the contents of, brave://prefs-internals/.

Some Brave Browser Preferences are stored in the Local State file:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Local State

Bookmarks and Bookmarks.bak files:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Bookmarks
%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Bookmarks.bak

Cache (folder):

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Cache\

Cookies (file):

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Cookies

History (file - usually lots of data):

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\History

Crash Reports:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\CrashReports\

But . . . be aware of a custom installation - the user level install:

June 2023, anon57438784 wrote:

“Custom installation folder - #4 by anon57438784”

Brave uses the OMAHA updater . . .

Brave uses the OMAHA updater, which is open source alternative to what Chrome uses, and probably what Edge uses as well.

OMAHA update can only update in two locations, Program files when you install with admin rights and %localuserdata% when you install without admin rights, but the User Data never changes, it always goes to where it goes.

Brave by not having a custom installer, they have the way to use Policies and all that which is good for enterprise, unlike other Browsers.

So, in that case, what you have to move is the User Data.

Brave in their Github page already offers a zipped version of the Browser which doesn’t have the updater, which means you can place it anywhere you want, and then you can create a BAT file [batch file?] or Shortcut and use whatever directory you want for the User Data.

You can use --user-data-dir="User Data" and the folder will be placed wherever the Brave.exe you are starting is.

If you want to keep the ‘updater’ but move the files, then you should use Junctions or Symbolic Links, which is exactly what Windows users all over Windows, so using them will not cause issues.

The best way to use it is by installing Brave without admin rights, so everything Application, Updater and User Data will be placed in the same folder, in %localappdata%\BraveSoftware

Then you use move it somewhere else and create the junction or symbolic link to it in the same place so Updater and everything works as expected.

It is the way Chromium works, this has to be something Chromium offers easier without using the --user-data-dir=.

Please backup your Brave Browser data.

In the following Windows OS path (Brave Browser system level installation):

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\

. . . are the senior containers for contained files and folders (Brave Browser data). Backup of the more senior containers tends to help preserve what is contained.

I backup the BraveSoftware folder. Other Brave Browser (Windows OS) users, recommend/suggest backup of either the Brave-Browser folder or the User Data folder.

Pick any of those three senior containers for backup.

Maintain routine, daily (at a minimum) data backups of the folder you chose. Be sure to run that routine daily backup of data, BEFORE running Brave Browser.

Also be sure, every day, BEFORE running Brave Browser, to create a Windows OS System Restore Point:

https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/create-system-restore-point-script-windows-10-8-7-vista-xp/

https://www.elevenforum.com/t/create-system-restore-point-in-windows-11.3602/

(Please bookmark those sites.)

Be Prepared

Back up bookmarks (and tabs, as bookmarks)
Back up passwords

Some of the reason why I prefer to backup a senior container, has to do with trying to maintain file and folder access permissions; and in general, the integrity of what is contained.

Be sure to study that last link:

maintain file and folder access permissions

Therein, are the following steps for ensuring the file and folder permissions for the Brave Browser (Windows OS) installation.

Backup the Brave Browser data that you have.

Backup that data to a safe location that is NOT within the Brave Browser installation path(s).

Go thru the file and folder permissions - settings - routines.

Exit / Quit everything and restart the computer.

When you run Brave Browser, document everything that you discover - all of your Brave Browser findings:

take screenshots of ALL settings
create and ALWAYS maintain in written form (a text file will do), ALL settings

Maintain all of that information in a folder that you also, routinely backup.

Be prepared.

thepanchalshadow · April 7, 2025, 1:02pm

Brother do you not understand my frustration I want a solution… I want my profiles back man. You are talking about backing things up… That is not what I asked for I want a solution and as you can see I have those folders right infront of my eyes. How do I make brave see those and show me my profiles.

And brave exe is inside
‘C:\Program Files\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\Application\brave.exe’

Now can you please tell me how do I recover my profiles? I’m asking a totally different questions and you are giving a totally different answer

289wk · April 8, 2025, 8:22pm

@thepanchalshadow

IF, going through the file and folder permissions settings, demonstrated within the Brave Browser installation location on Windows section in my previous reply; AND . . .

IF by some miracle, exiting / quitting Brave Browser, followed by restarting the computer, did not somehow fix the issue . . .

Given your issue, there are a lot of steps.

Essential for you to know, that within the Brave Browser installation location on Windows section in my previous reply, is information about the Brave Browser users’ Profiles folders. Study that information.

After the initial, system level installation of Brave Browser (Windows OS), the 64 architecture brave.exe application is located at:

C:\Program Files\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\Application\brave.exe

The initial Brave Browser user’s Profile is, by default, named “Profile 1” (unless you change that name → brave://settings/getStarted).

The folder that contains the initial Brave Browser user’s “Profile 1”, is the “Default” folder (a name that you must not change), at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\

The success rate for swapping out the current user Profile folder, for the backup user Profile folder, depends upon:

how careful the user is
self-discipline of maintaining data backup routines
how cluttered and / or complex are the user’s Internet browser habits
health of the “Local State” and “Preferences” data
when the last backup was made: the time differential between the current and the backup

Given one of your screenshots, above, you have user Profile folders and corresponding user Profile names:

folder named “Profile 1” < - > for user Profile name “Profile 2” (probably)
folder named “Profile 2” < - > for user Profile name “Profile 3” (probably)
folder named “Profile 3” < - > for user Profile name “Profile 4” (probably)
NO folder named “Profile 4” . . .
folder named “Profile 5” < - > for user Profile name “Profile 5” or “Profile 6” (possibly)
folder named “Profile 6” < - > for user Profile name “Profile 6” or “Profile 7” (possibly)
folder named “Profile 7” < - > for user Profile name “Profile 7” or “Profile 8” (possibly)

The initial installation’s Brave Browser default user Profile folder, named “Default” is not shown. Reminder, that by default, that initial user’s Profile name is “Profile 1”.

You need to have made a backup of the “User Data” folder, and placed that backup in a safe location.

If you do not have such a backup, now:

Exit / Quit Brave Browser. Next, MOVE the “User Data” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\

. . . to the computer’s Desktop.

THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THE FOLLOWING WILL WORK

But the following has a chance at recovering some of the user Profiles.

Start up Brave Browser. That will generate a new “User Data” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\

If some process tries to install an extension, BLOCK/DENY that effort.

You will be creating new user Profiles, plural. As you create each, focus only on their successful creation.

PLEASE DO NOT attempt to customize the new, user Profiles, in the following steps.

PLEASE DO NOT IMAGINE that you remember some of the Profile names, and are therefore tempted to edit ← just plain DO NOT MESS AROUND, here . . . thank you.

A new, fresh “Default” folder will also be created (with contents) at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default

. . . for user Profile named “Profile 1”.

Using the Brave Browser settings, create 1 additional user Profile; that user will have name “Profile 2”; and the corresponding new Profile folder will be named “Profile 1” at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 1

Using the Brave Browser settings, create another additional user Profile; that user will have name “Profile 3”; and the corresponding new Profile folder will be named “Profile 2” at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 2

Using the Brave Browser settings, create another additional user Profile; that user will have name “Profile 4”; and the corresponding new Profile folder will be named “Profile 3” at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 3

Using the Brave Browser settings, create another additional user Profile; that user will have name “Profile 5”; and the corresponding new Profile folder will be named “Profile 4” at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 4

Using the Brave Browser settings, create another additional user Profile; that user will have name “Profile 6”; and the corresponding new Profile folder will be named “Profile 5” at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 5

Using the Brave Browser settings, create another additional user Profile; that user will have name “Profile 7”; and the corresponding new Profile folder will be named “Profile 6” at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 6

Using the Brave Browser settings, create another additional user Profile; that user will have name “Profile 8”; and the corresponding new Profile folder will be named “Profile 7” at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 7

Exit / Quit Brave Browser.

Note, here, that Brave Browser is NOT RUNNING.

DRAG-COPY the new “User Data” folder, to some safe location on your computer, that is NOT the computer’s Desktop.

Thus, you are saving the work of creating those new user Profiles ← their creation, for now, to a safe location.

And, the new “User Data” folder is also intact at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\

Note, here, that Brave Browser is NOT RUNNING.

PROCEED SLOWLY, CAREFULLY.

IF your initial “Default” folder exists within the “User Data” folder that you moved to the computer’s Desktop:

C:\Users[UserName]\Desktop\User Data\Default

THEN, MOVE the new “Default” folder from:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default

to the Trash. And next, COPY the “Default” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\Desktop\User Data\Default

into the “User Data” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\

Next, MOVE the new “Profile 1” folder from:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 1

to the Trash. And next, COPY the “Profile 1” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\Desktop\User Data\Profile 1

into the “User Data” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\

Next, MOVE the new “Profile 2” folder from:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 2

to the Trash. And next, COPY the “Profile 2” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\Desktop\User Data\Profile 2

into the “User Data” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\

Next, MOVE the new “Profile 3” folder from:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 3

to the Trash. And next, COPY the “Profile 3” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\Desktop\User Data\Profile 3

into the “User Data” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\

HERE, DO NOTHING about the existing “Profile 4” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 4

Consider that a placeholder.

Next, MOVE the new “Profile 5” folder from:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 5

to the Trash. And next, COPY the “Profile 5” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\Desktop\User Data\Profile 5

into the “User Data” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\

Next, MOVE the new “Profile 6” folder from:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 6

to the Trash. And next, COPY the “Profile 6” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\Desktop\User Data\Profile 6

into the “User Data” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\

Next, MOVE the new “Profile 7” folder from:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 7

to the Trash. And next, COPY the “Profile 7” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\Desktop\User Data\Profile 7

into the “User Data” folder at:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\

Start up the Brave Browser.

We will not know the success rate, until you get there. And, if not much success, then try again, going through the file and folder permissions settings, demonstrated within the Brave Browser installation location on Windows section in my previous reply.

thepanchalshadow · April 10, 2025, 8:34am

Update: I Found the Solution – But I’m Deeply Disappointed in the Support Response

After spending 5–6 hours digging through folders, posts, and forums, I finally managed to recover all my profiles. I couldn’t post the solution immediately as I had work commitments, but I’m sharing it now in the hope that it helps others avoid the stress I went through.

Solution (Windows Only):

First, back up your User Data folder just to be safe.
Location:
C:\Users\Win 11\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data
Open Command Prompt and run the following command to launch Brave directly with a specific profile:

arduino

CopyEdit

"C:\Program Files\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\Application\brave.exe" --profile-directory="Profile 1"

Replace "Profile 1" with the correct folder name (e.g., "Profile 2", "Profile 3", etc.) based on the folders you see in User Data.

This brought back my profiles—tabs, bookmarks, passwords—everything. Absolute lifesaver.
And you know who I have to thank for it?

Huge thanks to @jessepf

He posted the exact solution here back in 2021. And unbelievably, no one even replied to him. He figured it out himself, posted it quietly, and that post is what saved me.
So from the bottom of my heart—thank you, Jesse. You’re a legend.

My Frustration with the Support Team

To be very honest, I’m still quite upset. This issue has been raised so many times, even on Reddit. Some users have even quit using Brave altogether because of this.

Yet there’s been no clear fix, no warning message, and no effort to improve profile recovery. When I posted asking for help, the first reply was just “you should’ve backed up”. That’s not helpful.

So… when Brave itself corrupts the profiles, it’s my fault for not backing up? That’s unfair. Even if this is Chromium-related, Brave can still:

Add a pop-up warning before updates to suggest backing up
Provide a “Create Profile Backup” button in settings to safely export the data

Just something—anything—to help us protect our work before disaster strikes.

I’m still sticking with Brave for now, but this has definitely made me more cautious. I really hope the team takes this seriously.

—
Jigar Panchal (ThePanchalShadow)

289wk · April 10, 2025, 9:52am

MacOS Terminal.app window commands

The initial Brave Browser Profile is, by default, named “Profile 1” (unless you changed that name → brave://settings/getStarted). In the Name your Brave profile field at:

brave://settings/manageProfile

after installing Brave Browser, you will see: “Profile 1”.

The folder that contains that initial Brave Browser Profile data, is named Default (a name that you must not change) at:

/Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default

The Terminal.app command for launching Brave Browser, using that Profile named “Profile 1”, would be:

open -a "Brave Browser.app" -n --args --profile-directory="Default"

For the first, additional Brave Browser user Profile created (in the Name your Brave profile field: “Profile 2”) — the corresponding, physical folder is named “Profile 1” at:

/Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Profile 1

The Terminal.app command for launching Brave Browser - using the Profile named “Profile 2” - would be:

open -a "Brave Browser.app" -n --args --profile-directory="Profile 1"

For the next, additional Brave Browser user Profile created (in the Name your Brave profile field: “Profile 3”) — the corresponding, physical folder is named “Profile 2” at:

/Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Profile 2

The Terminal.app command for launching Brave Browser - using the Profile named “Profile 3” - would be:

open -a "Brave Browser.app" -n --args --profile-directory="Profile 2"

Again:

IF you have not changed the Profile names, THEN:

Profile named “Profile 1” data is in folder named “Default”

Profile named “Profile 2” data is in folder named “Profile 1”

Profile named “Profile 3” data is in folder named “Profile 2”

etc.

That pattern applies to all Brave Browser Linux OS, MacOS, and Windows OS users.

TIP: Want to know, which Profile Path applies to the frontmost Brave Browser window?

In a Brave Browser New Window, go to: brave://version and scroll down to Profile Path.

Reference material

How Do I Use Command Line Flags in Brave?

https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/articles/360044860011-How-Do-I-Use-Command-Line-Flags-in-Brave

Be sure to also scroll down, there, to explore the “full list of command line flags.”

Also worth a bookmark:

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All Brave Profiles Gone After Corruption Message – Urgent Help Needed

Solution (Windows Only):

Huge thanks to @jessepf

My Frustration with the Support Team

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