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If Edge closed tabs and there is no useful Recently closed list, try recovery in this order: press Ctrl + Shift + T, search History, then enable Open tabs from previous session for future restarts. If an entire session disappeared, you can also inspect Edge’s session files—but that is an unofficial, last-resort workaround and must be handled carefully.

1. Reopen tabs with Ctrl + Shift + T

In Edge, press Ctrl + Shift + T. This reopens the most recently closed tab or window.

Press the shortcut repeatedly to work backward through your recently closed tabs. For example:

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  1. Press it once to reopen the last tab you closed.
  2. Press it again to reopen the tab closed before that.
  3. Continue until the required pages or window reappear.

This is the quickest option when the tabs were closed recently, even if Edge does not show a separate Recently closed submenu. It is also useful after accidentally closing an entire Edge window.

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2. Find the missing pages in Edge History

If the shortcut no longer exposes the tab, look for its page in browsing history:

  1. Open Edge.
  2. Select Settings and more (…) in the upper-right corner.
  3. Select History.
  4. Search the visited-site list for the page title, website name, or URL.
  5. Select the matching result to open it again.

History is usually more useful than repeatedly guessing keyboard shortcuts when you remember the site but not the exact page. Search for distinctive words from the page title or domain rather than a broad term such as “work” or “research.”

This method restores pages individually. It does not necessarily reconstruct the original window arrangement, pinned tabs, or tab groups.

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3. Make Edge reopen the previous session automatically

To prevent a future restart from leaving you with a blank window, change Edge’s startup setting:

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  1. Select Settings and more (…).
  2. Open Settings.
  3. Select Start, home, and new tabs.
  4. Under When Edge starts, select Open tabs from previous session.

After this setting is enabled, Edge is configured to reopen tabs from the previous session when it starts. Microsoft says this can include tab groups, not just the currently active tab.

The current Windows Edge label is Open tabs from previous session. Older instructions may tell you to select Continue where you left off; that is not the current label shown in Microsoft’s current guidance.

This setting is for future launches. It should not be treated as a command that reconstructs every older session that has already disappeared. Also, do not assume that a visible Restore Tabs prompt will appear: Microsoft’s current instructions describe automatic reopening through the startup setting instead.

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4. Recover a whole session from Edge’s session files

If multiple windows and many tabs vanished, Edge’s profile folder may still contain session data. On a typical Windows installation using the default Edge profile, look here:

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C:Users<username>AppDataLocalMicrosoftEdgeUser DataDefaultSessions

Replace <username> with your Windows account name. The folder may contain files beginning with:

  • Session_
  • Tabs_

If you use another Edge profile, Default may be replaced by that profile’s directory name.

Before opening or changing the files

  • Do not close Edge or restart the computer first if you are trying this recovery route.
  • End all Edge processes before manipulating files. Check Task Manager if necessary.
  • Copy the entire Sessions folder to a separate location before doing anything else.
  • Work only on the copy if you are testing a manual recovery idea.

Later Edge launches or shutdowns may replace the remaining session data, according to the Microsoft Q&A workaround describing this procedure. That makes timing important: preserve the files before reopening Edge if the lost session is valuable.

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However, this is not a guaranteed or officially documented Edge restoration workflow. Microsoft’s current Edge article does not document renaming or deleting Session_* or Tabs_* files as a supported recovery procedure. Treat the files as potentially useful evidence, not as a dependable restore button. If the tabs contain critical work, make a backup copy and avoid experimenting on the only remaining files.

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Which recovery method should you use?

Situation Best first step What to expect
You closed one or several tabs moments ago Ctrl + Shift + T Tabs reopen in reverse closing order
You remember the site or page title Settings and more (…) → History Open matching pages individually
You want Edge to recover tabs after future restarts Settings → Start, home, and new tabs → Open tabs from previous session Edge attempts to reopen the previous session, including tab groups
An entire session disappeared and normal methods fail Back up the Sessions folder before reopening Edge Possible but unofficial and not guaranteed

Why the tabs may not appear where you expect

Edge’s recovery controls do different jobs. The keyboard shortcut targets recently closed tabs. History records visited pages. The previous-session setting controls what Edge attempts to open at startup. None of these should be assumed to recreate the exact state of every older browser session.

Recovery can also be less complete if you used more than one Edge profile, opened the tabs in another Windows account, or viewed them in a separate window. Check the relevant profile before concluding that the history or session data is missing.

Prevent losing important Edge tabs

  • Enable Open tabs from previous session in Settings and more (…) → Settings → Start, home, and new tabs.
  • Bookmark important pages instead of relying on an open tab as the only copy.
  • Use tab groups for projects so the group is easier to identify if the session is reopened.
  • For a long research session, save the important URLs to a document or collection before closing Edge.
  • If tabs disappear unexpectedly, avoid repeatedly launching and closing Edge before checking History and preserving any session files.

Sources and scope

The menu paths and shortcut behavior above follow Microsoft’s Edge Learning Center guidance: How to reopen closed tabs in Microsoft Edge. The session-folder location and timing warning come from a Microsoft Q&A workaround, not from a guaranteed product-support procedure. Edge features and labels can change between releases and regions.

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FAQ

How do I restore Edge tabs when Recently closed is empty?

Press Ctrl + Shift + T first. If that does not find the tabs, open Settings and more (…) → History and search for the pages you visited. For future restarts, enable Settings → Start, home, and new tabs → Open tabs from previous session.

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What is the current Edge setting for restoring tabs after a restart?

The current Microsoft Edge label is Open tabs from previous session. It is under Settings and more (…) → Settings → Start, home, and new tabs, in the When Edge starts section.

Can Ctrl + Shift + T restore more than one Edge tab?

Yes. Press it repeatedly to reopen additional tabs in reverse closing order. It can also reopen a recently closed Edge window.

Where does Edge store session files on Windows?

For the default Edge profile, the reported location is C:UsersAppDataLocalMicrosoftEdgeUser DataDefaultSessions. Other profiles may use a different profile-directory name instead of Default.

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Is manually restoring Edge Session_ and Tabs_ files guaranteed to work?

No. This is a Microsoft Q&A participant’s workaround, not a current documented Edge recovery procedure. Back up the folder first, end Edge before manipulating files, and understand that later launches may replace the available session data.

Does Edge always show a Restore Tabs prompt after a crash?

Not necessarily. Microsoft’s current guidance focuses on enabling Open tabs from previous session for automatic reopening and does not require a visible Restore Tabs prompt.

The Bottom Line

Start with Ctrl + Shift + T, then search Settings and more (…) → History. To protect future sessions, enable Open tabs from previous session. Use the Sessions folder only as a cautious last resort: preserve it before reopening Edge, and do not treat file manipulation as a guaranteed Microsoft-supported restore method.

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