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
Without BB running, please delete the ‘Caches’ folder, and delete the ‘Cookies’ file.
Caches (folder):
%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Cache\
Cookies (file):
%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Cookies
Change the path within the Brave Browser shortcut on your computer’s Desktop.
For the following Changed Path, the switches are intended to:
- Start up Brave Browser, showing a New Private Window [
--incognito]
- Disable all experiments at
brave://flags [--no-experiments]
- Disable extensions [
--disable-extensions]
- Disable hardware (GPU) ie Graphic Acceleration [
--disable-gpu]
- Enable leak detection and if that failure occurs, then crash the browser [
--enable-leak-detection --crash-on-failure are a combo]
- Produce error/log output to a file named ‘brave_console_out.txt’ on the Window OS Desktop
Changed Path:
64 architecture (change the path to):
"C:\Program Files\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\Application\brave.exe" --incognito --no-experiments --disable-extensions --disable-gpu --enable-leak-detection --crash-on-failure 2> %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\brave_console_out.txt
Notice that the existing path, BEFORE the additions, is enclosed by double-quote marks. And, everything added to the existing path, is located after the existing path.
IF / WHEN BB is running, go to brave://settings/clearBrowserData Advanced tab
Time range: All time
ENABLE:
Browsing historyDownload historyCookies and other site dataCached images and files
Click Clear data
In Brave Browser Settings, DISABLE ALL extensions added by the user. “ALL” means all of them, added by the user ← who sometimes will cling to some extensions, and thus fail to properly test the issue.
ENABLE the following, so Brave receives info:
Exit / Quit BB. Test a normal start.
How do I manually submit crash reports?
https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/articles/22281484910221-How-do-I-manually-submit-crash-reports
After you click the “Send Now” button, return to brave://crashes and gather up the Crash ID numbers. Post the numbers, here, in a new reply.
