Microsoft Edge Drops Reset Sync Option for Security Reasons

Microsoft has removed the option to reset sync in the latest update of its Edge browser, version 96.0.1054.34. This option allowed users to delete all their synced data from the Microsoft servers and start fresh.

The reset sync option was useful for users who wanted to clear their browsing history, passwords, autofill data, extensions, settings, and other data from the cloud. It was also helpful for troubleshooting sync issues or resolving conflicts between devices.

However, Microsoft has decided to remove this option from the Edge settings menu, citing security and privacy reasons. According to a Microsoft engineer, the reset sync option was “a potential attack vector for malicious actors to wipe out user data without their consent or knowledge”.

Users who still want to reset their sync data will have to use a different method, which involves signing out of their Microsoft account on all devices, deleting their Edge profile folder on each device, and signing back in with a new profile. This process is more complicated and time-consuming than the previous option.

Microsoft has not announced any plans to bring back the reset sync option or provide an alternative solution for users who want to reset their sync data. Some users have expressed their frustration and disappointment with this change on the Microsoft Edge forums and Reddit.

Edge is not the only browser that has removed the option to reset sync. Google Chrome also removed this feature in 2019, citing similar security and privacy concerns. However, Chrome users can still delete their synced data from the Google Dashboard website, which is not possible for Edge users.

Microsoft is Still Facing a Battle for Market Relevance

At the start of March, Statcounter predicted that Microsoft Edge would lose its position as the second most used desktop browser. The market research firm said that Apple‘s Safari browser would overtake Edge. Well, that happened May with Statcounter's latest report showing Microsoft Edge now in third place in the market.

According to the company, the default browser for Windows 10 and 11 had a 11% market share in April, down from 11.15% in March.

Meanwhile, Apple's Safari browser gained some ground and reached 11.87% market share in April 2022, up from 10.92% in March 2022. This means that Safari has overtaken Edge as the second most popular desktop browser in the world.