8 Ways to Fix Microsoft Edge Do Not Restore Last Session

Microsoft Edge do not restore last session or recent tabs?

Well, restoring the last session or tabs is an essential feature that allows users to reopen the previous browsing session after restarting the browser or recently closed tabs after closing the tabs.

Sometimes users experience issues where Edge does not restore the last session, leading to frustration, especially when important tabs are lost. However, you can manually re-open tabs from history. But it might be a time-consuming task for you.

So, in this article, I’ll show you how to Fix Microsoft Edge Do Not Restore Last Session problem.

Well, Microsoft Edge is a powerful web browser for Windows 11/10 that provides an efficient browsing experience with enhanced performance, security, and productivity features.

The browser is built on the Chromium Engine and offers excellent compatibility with web standards, enhanced privacy controls, and deep integration with Windows features.

Also, the browser offers some unique and useful features like vertical tabs, collections, and a built-in PDF reader, Edge aims to be a productivity-focused browser that meets the needs of both casual and professional users.

Why Microsoft Edge Is Not Restoring the Last Session?

Several reasons create problems to prevent restoring the last session in the Edge browser. The most common reasons are given below:

• Browser Updates and Changes – Updates may reset settings or introduce bugs that affect session restoration or other features.
• Unexpected Browser Crash – A crash may cause Edge to fail to save session data properly.
• Third-Party Extensions and Conflicts – Some extensions can interfere with Edge’s session-saving mechanism.
• Clearing Browsing Data on Exit – If Edge is set to delete browsing data upon exit, it will not restore the last session.
• Edge Running in Compatibility Mode – Compatibility mode can sometimes affect session restoration.
• Windows Registry Issues – Incorrect registry settings related to Edge’s startup behavior can cause this problem.

How to Fix Microsoft Edge Do Not Restore Last Session

By default, Microsoft Edge provides a keyboard shortcut to restore the last session or closed tabs. You just need to press the Ctrl + Shift + T from the keyboard. You can press this shortcut multiple times to restore multiple closed sessions or tabs.

Sometimes, this shortcut doesn’t work because of some reasons. So, there are a few fixes that you can try to fix this problem.

1. Update Microsoft Edge

Microsoft frequently releases updates for the Edge browser. These updates introduce new features, fix bugs, and improve stability. But sometimes, updates might introduce bugs that prevent some features from working properly.

In 2024 the Ctrl + Shift + T keyboard shortcut to restore recently closed sessions or tabs was not working due to a bug. But in late 2024 Microsoft fixed this issue in its update.

So, if the Ctrl + Shift + T keyboard shortcut is not working, then you might need to update the Edge browser to the latest version.

Steps are given below to Update Microsoft Edge:

1. Open the Edge browser on your computer and click on the three dots from the top right.
2. Open Settings from the list.
3. After that click on About Microsoft Edge from the left navigation pane.
4. Edge will check for updates automatically. If an update is available, install it.
5. Restart Edge after updating.

2. Update Windows 11/10

Microsoft Edge is deeply integrated with Windows OS. So, you also need your Windows 11/10 up to date to make your computer bug-free and secure. Sometimes bugs are fixed through Windows updates.

The steps are given below to update Windows OS:

1. Open the Settings app on Windows 11/10 by pressing the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut or from the Start Menu.
2. Click on the Windows Update from the left navigation pane.
3. Install any pending updates. Otherwise, click on the Check for Updates button to check newly available updates.
   Also, click on Advanced Options and install Optional Updates.
4. That’s it.

3. Repair Microsoft Edge

Microsoft doesn’t allow you to uninstall and reinstall the Edge browser. But you can repair the Microsoft Edge browser on your computer. The repair process is similar to reinstalling because the browser files are downloaded from the Microsoft server and reinstalled on your computer.

Repairing Microsoft Edge can solve bugs, missing files, corrupted files, and other browser-related issues.

The steps are given below to repair Microsoft Edge browser:

1. Open the Settings app on your computer by pressing Windows key + I from the keyboard.
   Otherwise, you can open the Settings app from the Start menu » All.
2. From the Settings app, click on the Apps option from the left navigation pane and select the Installed Apps option from the right-side settings list.
3. After that, you’ll see the list of all installed apps on your Windows computer. Find the Microsoft Edge from the list and click on three horizontal dots next to the Microsoft Edge option.
4. Click on Modify from the context menu.
   If the User Account Control popup arrives, click on the Yes button to proceed.
5. Now the Repair Microsoft Edge popup windows will be open. Click on the Repair button.
   Note: Your computer must be connected to the internet because all files download from the Microsoft servers.
6. After that, you’ll see the download progress. After downloading, the browser will automatically be reinstalled on your PC.
7. That’s it.

You can also do this job from the control panel. Learn how to repair Microsoft Edge using the Control panel.

4. Disable Extensions and Check

Fauty and buggy browser extensions might also cause some problems on the browser that prevent the browser from restoring the last session and tabs or interfere with session restoration.

So, you need to disable all extensions and check by enabling them one by one.

1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser, click on three horizontal dots from the top right, and select Extensions from the list of options.
2. You’ll see the popup, click on Manage Extensions from the popup.
3. Now the extensions settings page will be open.
   Note: You can use the Edge Settings URL to open the Extensions page directly. Just type edge://extensions/ in the address bar and open the internal link.
4. After opening the Extensions page, disable all extensions and restart the Edge browser.
5. If the issue is resolved, re-enable extensions one by one to identify the culprit.
6. That’s it.

5. Disable “Clear Browsing Data on Exit”

If Edge is set to delete browsing data on exit, it will not restore the last session. So, you need to disable this setting.

1. Open the Edge browser, click on three horizontal dots from the top right, and select the Settings option.
2. From the settings page, click on the Privacy, search, and Services option from the left navigation pane.
3. Click on the “Choose what to clear every time you close the browser” option from under Delete browsing data.
4. Ensure that the Browsing history option is turned off.
5. Restart the Edge browser and check if the problem persists.
6. That’s it.

Also read: How to Enable Auto Delete Browsing History in Microsoft Edge

6. Reset Edge’s Default Settings

Reset Edge settings to restore the browser to its default state. It helps to resolve the issues caused by misconfigured settings or extensions.

Note: Reset Settings will reset your startup page, new tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs. It will also turn off all extensions and clear temporary data like cookies. Your favorites, history, and saved passwords will not be cleared.

The steps are given below to reset Edge settings to default:

1. Open the Edge browser, click on three dots from the top right, and open the Settings option from the list.
2. Now the settings page will be open. From the left navigation pane, click on the Reset settings.
3. Click on the Restore settings to their default values.
4. You’ll see the popup for confirmation. Click on the Reset button to confirm.
5. Restart Edge and check if the issue is resolved.

7. Clear Cache and Cookies

Corrupted cache and cookies can prevent session restoration. So, you might need to clear your cache and cookies.

The steps are given below to clear cache and cookies:

1. Open Edge, click on three dots from the top right, and go to Settings.
2. Now click on the Privacy, search, and Services option from the left pane.
3. Under Delete browsing data, click the Choose what to clear button next to Clear browsing data now.
   Tip: You can open the Delete browsing data popup by using Ctrl + Shift + Delete keyboard shortcut.
4. Select All time from the Time range. After that, select Cookies and other site data, and Cached images and files.
5. Click on the Clear Now button.
6. Restart Edge and check if the issue is fixed.

8. Use “Open tabs from the previous session”

If none of the above solutions work, you might need to wait for the next Edge update. Otherwise, you can use and enable Open tabs from the previous session option.

The “Open tabs from the previous session” setting in Microsoft Edge ensures that when you reopen the browser, it automatically restores all the tabs that were open during your last session.

This feature is useful for maintaining workflow, recovering lost tabs, and continuing browsing without manually reopening each page.

The steps are given below to enable the “Open tabs from the previous session” feature.

1. Open Microsoft Edge, click on the three-dots menu in the top-right corner, and select Settings from the list of options.
2. Click on Start, home, and new tabs from the left pane.
3. Under the When Edge starts section, select Open tabs from the previous session.
4. Restart Edge.

Now when you close and reopen the Edge browser, your last session will automatically be restored.

Final Words

I hope this guide helped you learn “How to Fix Microsoft Edge do not Restore Last Session”. When the Edge browser does not restore the last session it can be frustrating, especially if you rely on multiple tabs for work or research.

The issue can occur due to misconfigured settings, bugs, corrupted files, or conflicts with extensions. By following the solutions in this guide, you can troubleshoot and fix the problem efficiently.

If the issue persists, consider repairing (reinstalling) Edge or switching to an alternative browser (such as Google Chrome) temporarily. However, in most cases, updating the browser, adjusting the settings, and clearing browsing data should resolve the problem.