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Before removing a profile that is still syncing, check whether you need any of its favorites, passwords, or other data. The safest method is Edge’s built-in Remove profile command—not deleting a folder manually.
Remove an Edge profile on Windows or macOS
- Open Microsoft Edge.
- Select the Profile icon in the upper-right corner.
- Select Profile settings.
- Under More profiles, locate the profile you want to delete.
- Select the Delete button next to that profile.
- Select Remove profile, then confirm the removal.
You can open the same management page directly by entering edge://settings/profiles in Edge’s address bar.
If you are currently using the profile you want to remove, Edge may switch to another available profile after deletion. Removing the profile affects the local Edge installation on that device.
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What happens when you remove a profile?
Edge profiles are separate browser environments. A profile can have its own:
- Favorites
- Extensions
- Themes
- Browser settings
- History and other browsing information
- Saved sign-in and synchronization settings
Using Remove profile removes that profile and its local browser data from the device. It does not delete the Microsoft account, Microsoft 365 account, or work or school account used to sign in.
Removing a local profile also does not delete the account’s cloud-stored Edge data. Cloud synchronization and cloud-data deletion are separate operations.
Stop syncing before removing a profile
If the profile is signed in and syncing, decide first whether its data should remain available on other devices. Microsoft warns that deleting synced information while signed in can affect other devices connected to the same account. Do not use Clear browsing data casually while sync is enabled.
To stop synchronization first:
- Select Settings and more (…) in Edge.
- Select Settings.
- Open Profiles > Sync.
- Turn off the relevant synchronization options, or return to Profiles and select Sign out.
For a local-only cleanup, turn off sync before clearing browsing data on the current device. This reduces the risk of deleting synced favorites, history, passwords, or other information from another device.
Remove an Edge account or profile on Android and iPhone
The desktop Remove profile workflow is not the mobile procedure documented by Microsoft. In Edge for Android or iOS, Microsoft documents a sign-out and sync option instead:
- Open the Edge app.
- Select More options (…), then Settings.
- Select the profile image.
- Select Sign out and turn off sync.
To clear local mobile browsing data, open More options > Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. If the account is still syncing, review the sync setting first.
What to do if Edge will not remove the profile
A work or school profile is managed
An organization can configure Edge so that a work or school profile cannot be signed out of or removed. The NonRemovableProfileEnabled policy applies on Windows devices joined to Active Directory or Microsoft Entra ID and certain managed Windows editions.
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To see policies currently applied to Edge, enter edge://policy in the address bar. Microsoft’s profile troubleshooting guidance also identifies BrowserSignin, RestrictSigninToPattern, BrowserAddProfileEnabled, and EdgeAllowedAccountOnly as policies that can restrict profile operations. On a managed computer, contact the administrator rather than trying to remove policy-controlled data manually.
The profile comes back after you delete it
A profile or account shown in Edge’s profile menu may be recreated or made available through operating-system sign-in, enterprise sign-in, or single sign-on. The ImplicitSignInEnabled policy allows Edge to sign a user into a profile based on how the user signed in to the operating system. The BrowserSignin policy can allow, disable, or force browser sign-in.
Check edge://policy. If the profile belongs to a work or school account, ask the administrator whether the associated Windows or organizational account also needs to be removed.
Edge says the profile is locked or cannot be opened
A locked or unavailable profile can result from another Edge process using it, a read-only user-data folder, insufficient Modify permission, synchronization problems, or enterprise restrictions.
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- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager on Windows.
- End all remaining msedge.exe processes.
- Restart Edge and try the profile-removal steps again.
- If the problem continues, check the properties and permissions of the Edge user-data folder. Your account must be able to modify it.
The default Windows user-data folder is %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data.
On macOS, close Edge completely and check that no Edge process is still running before retrying. If the profile remains locked, permissions, synchronization, or management policies may be responsible.
Do not simply delete the Default folder
Deleting %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default is sometimes suggested as a shortcut, but it is not Microsoft’s normal supported method for removing a profile. Default is a folder name, not a reliable indication of which profile you intend to delete. Manually deleting it can remove unsynced data and may affect the wrong profile.
Microsoft’s supported first choice is Profile icon > Profile settings > More profiles > Delete > Remove profile. Microsoft’s troubleshooting guidance mentions renaming a profile folder as a recovery technique after Edge has been closed, not as the standard profile-deletion procedure.
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Sign out, remove, and reset sync are different
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Sign out | Disconnects the profile from browser sign-in and sync. It does not use the profile-removal command. |
| Remove profile | Deletes the selected profile and its local Edge data from the current installation. |
| Clear browsing data | Deletes selected categories of browser data. With sync enabled, some deletions can affect other devices. |
| Reset sync or cloud data | Changes or removes synchronized Edge information stored in Microsoft’s cloud. This is separate from deleting a local profile. |
Microsoft’s current user documentation does not provide a supported command-line syntax for removing one individual Edge profile. Use the Edge interface unless your organization provides a specific management procedure.
Sources
- Microsoft Support: Sign in and create multiple profiles in Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft Support: Sign in to sync Microsoft Edge across devices
- Microsoft Learn: Fix an Edge profile that doesn’t load or is locked
- Microsoft Learn: NonRemovableProfileEnabled policy
- Microsoft Learn: Reset Microsoft Edge data in the cloud
FAQ
Does removing an Edge profile delete the Microsoft account?
No. It removes the profile and its local browser data from the device. The Microsoft, Microsoft 365, work, or school account itself is not deleted.
Will removing an Edge profile delete data on my other devices?
Removing the local profile is not the same as deleting cloud data. Clearing synced data while signed in can affect other devices, so turn off sync or sign out before local cleanup if you want to avoid that risk.
Why can’t I delete an Edge profile?
The profile may be controlled by an organization, locked by a running Edge process, stored in a folder your account cannot modify, or affected by synchronization problems. Check edge://policy and close all msedge.exe processes before trying again.
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Why does the Edge profile return after I remove it?
Operating-system sign-in, enterprise single sign-on, or Edge policies such as ImplicitSignInEnabled and BrowserSignin can recreate or re-enable the profile. Managed devices may require an administrator to remove the associated account.
Can I remove an Edge profile from the command line?
Microsoft’s current user documentation does not provide a supported command-line syntax for removing one profile. Use Edge’s profile settings page instead.
The Bottom Line
On Windows and macOS, open edge://settings/profiles, choose the profile under More profiles, select Delete, and confirm with Remove profile. Turn off sync first if you are cleaning up data locally, and avoid manually deleting the Default folder.
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