How to Reset Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox (and why you may need to)
Installing extensions can add functionality to your browser. And some of them are quite helpful – uBlock Origin for example. But others can be malicious and cause your browser to display endless unwanted popups, tech support scam ads, popups, random advertisements, or worse.
If you are having problems with your browser, no matter the cause, resetting it is a good option. Resetting your browser removes or disables all extensions and resets your browser to its original state. Resetting a browser does not erase or clear your bookmarks or favorites.
Here’s our guide to resetting Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox
Google Chrome
Click the Menu icon (very top-right; it looks like 3 vertical dots). Click Settings. in the menu on the left, and click “Reset and clean up”. In the dialog that opens, click “Restore settings to their original defaults” and then click “Reset settings”. For a complete guide to resetting Chrome and clearing its history/cache, see our tutorial here.
Mozilla Firefox
Click on the hamburger icon (3 horizontal lines) at the top right to open the drop-down menu. From the drop-down menu, click on “Help > Troubleshooting information” > “Refresh Firefox” For a complete tutorial on resetting Firefox and clearing Firefox history and cache see this page.
Microsoft Edge
Click on the 3 horizontal dots icon at the top-right of Microsoft Edge. In the menu that appears click on Settings then from the menu that appears on the left, click on “Reset settings”. In the dialog that appears, click on “Restore settings to their default values” and click the “Reset” button. See our tutorial here for a complete guide on resetting Microsoft Edge and clearing the history/cache.
When to consider resetting your browser
When your favorite browser is not working right due to corruption or an extension you installed, or if you’re getting popups, warnings, or advertisements you shouldn’t be getting, or something else does not seem quite right resetting your browser might be just the fix you need.
I must tell you, I love the u-Block extension. It works so very well, and I am so happy you recommended it. You are right, it is very helpful, and I wouldn’t want to do without it!