@in_search_of
Brave Browser (Windows OS) Orientation
‘Where Brave Browser Profiles Are Located’
Where the Brave Browser user profiles’ data exists, is within sub-folders of the User Data folder:
C:\Users\[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\
aka:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\
Suggest:
- Set some other Internet browser as default for the Windows OS computer.
- Disable Brave Sync
- Back up the
User Data folder to a safe location that is outside of the Brave Browser installation’s paths. Also, to an external USB drive, so you have 2 backups. Place each backup within a folder that you name (example): 20260404-2040_Saturday_BrvBrsrUDBKUP (date-time: yyyymmdd-hhmm).
- Backup username-and-password combinations - export as .CSV file, if using Brave’s Password Manager. And, secure that backup file in a safe location.
- Export Bookmarks - using Brave’s Bookmark Manager.
I would create at least 1 new Brave Browser user profile - for testing:
Create a new user Profile for Testing:
Create and use AN ADDITIONAL Brave Browser user Profile (Menu --> More tools --> Add profile) - only ← meaning: Do not have any other Brave Browser user Profile tabs/windows open.
When creating this new Brave Browser user Profile for test purposes
- Do not import anything.
- Do not add any extensions.
- Do not allow/enable any Brave Browser “bells and whistles” such as Brave Rewards, Brave Talk, etc.
IF this test Brave Browser user profile does not present your problem, then possibly, the profile that you have been using, has the problem . . . and that might be caused by one or more extensions, or too many tabs ← complex/conundrum.
Otherwise, IF you do not hear from Brave Support …
You might choose to *thoroughly* uninstall the *entire* Brave Browser installation:
- Brave Browser executable
brave.exe
- Brave Browser Updater
BraveUpdate.exe
User Data folder → %LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\
Where Brave Browser (Windows OS) executable brave.exe for x86 architecture, is located:
x86 architecture, system level installation:
C:\Program Files(x86)\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\Application\brave.exe
64 / x86 architecture, user level installation (NOTE: you must substitute your Windows OS user account name for [UserName]):
C:\Users\[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\Application\brave.exe
Where the Brave Browser updater, BraveUpdate.exe is located:
C:\Program Files (x86)\BraveSoftware\Update\BraveUpdate.exe
Uninstall Brave Browser (Windows OS)
Uninstall Brave Browser application brave.exe etc.:
‘Every time I open the browser it closes again directly - #20 by clifton’
Uninstall Brave Browser updater, BraveUpdate.exe:
‘Have to re-install Brave multiple times per day on Windows11 - #24 by mherrmann’
A note from Brave Support, if all you want, is: How do I delete my data in Brave?
'https://support.brave.app/hc/en-us/articles/4413256282765-How-do-I-delete-my-data-in-Brave
My preferred uninstaller:
‘https://crystalidea.com/uninstall-tool’
Then look for residual files and folders within the Brave Browser installation paths, using search terms “Brave” and “brave”, and delete them. For example, delete the BraveSoftware folder:
C:\Users\[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware
and all of its contents.
After all that uninstalling, deleting, Restart the Windows OS computer. I would do so, twice - as a “simple method” for getting the computer to a relaxed, post-updating-of-whatever … status.
After the last Restart, sign in to your Windows OS administrative level, user account. Make sure that you have a reliable, stable Internet connection - not prone to a connection “glitch.” Also try to make sure, that some anti-malware -type process will not interfere.
Visit ‘https://brave.com/download/’ and download, then install Brave Browser.