Windows 11 Edge unexpectedly cleared open tabs and recently closed windows.

This happened to me just today, which was extremely frustrating. None of the suggestions mentioned above worked for me. However, I eventually stumbled upon the "Tab groups" option under the "Settings and more" option (i.e., the "..." on the toolbar). When you expand "Tab groups" it displays a menu with all your prior grouped tab names, along with the pages in that group. To restore a tab group just mouse over the tab group and a popup menu will display. Click "Open" on the tab group and it will restore that group. When you're done restoring all your tab groups you can rearrange them as needed.

Hope that helps!

Hello Erion Vitija!

Thank you for reaching out to the Q&A forum.

From what you described, I understand Microsoft Edge on your Windows 11 suddenly lost all open tabs and closed windows, even though you did not clear browsing data, reset Edge, or remove your profile.

At this time, there is no official confirmation that this is a known issue, and this behavior is not typical for Microsoft Edge on Windows 11. You may check Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Application to see whether any Edge‑related errors were recorded that could provide additional insight.

As a workaround, try pressing Ctrl + Shift + T in Edge to see if it helps. Pressing this shortcut repeatedly will reopen the last closed tab, and further presses will bring back earlier closed tabs in reverse order. If you accidentally closed a window with multiple tabs, this method restores the tabs one by one, in reverse.

To help prevent this from happening again, try several methods below:

1. Check for Updates and Sync

Ensure that your Microsoft Edge is up to date via edge://settings/help

Verify that your Microsoft account is syncing properly. You can do this by going to Settings > Profiles > Sync. Ensure all relevant toggles are turned on.

2. Repair Microsoft Edge

Repairing Edge can fix update‑related issues without removing your data.

Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Microsoft Edge > Advanced options > Repair

3. Open tabs from the previous session

Open Microsoft Edge > Go to Settings

In the left pane, click Start, home, and new tabs

Under On startup, select Open tabs from the previous session

4. Use extension (optional)

If you want more control over sessions, some third‑party extensions can help:

• Session Buddy: Save, restore, and manage multiple browsing sessions.
• OneTab: Collapse all open tabs into a single list that you can restore later.

To install an extension:

Visit the Microsoft Edge Add‑ons store

Search for the extension name

Click Get and follow the prompts

Hope this helps. Please let me know how it goes!

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It seems that you are experiencing an issue where Microsoft Edge on Windows 11 has lost all your open tabs and recently closed windows unexpectedly. This behavior is not typical, as Edge is designed to restore tabs from the previous session unless there is a specific issue or setting that prevents it.

Here are a few points to consider regarding your situation:

1. Session Restoration: Microsoft Edge typically restores open tabs from the previous session on startup. If this feature is not functioning, it could be due to a temporary glitch or a problem with your Edge profile.
2. Profile Issues: If your local Edge profile has lost session files, it may indicate a corruption or issue with that profile. Profiles in Edge are designed to keep browsing data separate, but if the profile is not functioning correctly, it could lead to loss of session data.
3. Sync and Browsing History: While your browsing history is still available in your Microsoft account, Edge does not currently provide a way to restore open tabs directly from this history. The browsing history is separate from session data.
4. Preventing Future Issues: To prevent this from happening again, ensure that you regularly update Microsoft Edge to the latest version, and consider creating a backup of your profile data if possible. Additionally, enabling sync for settings may help keep your data consistent across devices.

Unfortunately, there is no supported method to recover lost session data once it has been cleared or lost from the local profile. If this issue persists, you may want to consider creating a new profile to see if that resolves the problem.

References:

• User data and privacy in Microsoft Edge
• User data and privacy in Microsoft Edge