Description of the issue :
Hello everyone,
As said in the post title, I no longer have a history (cmd + Y), it stays empty (I still can see the recently closed ones in “History” at the top, but the “recent visits” is blank/empty). And a message pops-up when a launch the app "An error occurred while opening your profile. Some features may not be available.”
I think this can be in relation with the fact that I used “migration assistant” to go from my old mac to a new one, since I didn’t have this problem before.
Expected result :
Keeping track of my history again, including (and most importantly) getting back the suggestions of the sites already visited when typing the adresses. FYI I still have old suggestions of adresses from before the migration but not from a site I visited yesterday…
Not having this profile error pop-up at launching, but it’s a detail since the app’s always open.
What I already tried:
Reinstall app, close an relaunch (app and mac), clear cache, cookies, history (even if it’s empty).
Leads to solution ?
Something to do with my main profile, delete an create a new one maybe ?
But is it possible to do it, and also keep my bookmarks (of which icons don’t actualise/personalize since the migration neither), passwords etc…
With Brave Browser not running, please back up the Brave-Browser folder anyway . . . to some area on your Mac, that is not within the Brave Browser installation paths.
Sorry English isn’t my native language, by “back up” do you simply mean take the folder and put it somewhere else. So no “Brave-Browser” folder appears in “Application Support” ? And then what ? Relaunch Brave ?
Yes, I have one, but hiding the folder elsewhere on my SSD, or on the USB drive seems the same to me…
Done, I copied the folder on the USB drive. With Brave closed, but also keeping the original folder in Application Support/BraveSoftware…
I’m French.
Without Brave Browser running, move that Default folder to your Mac’s Desktop.
Next, start up Brave Browser. The browser should create a new Default folder. You may be prompted to answer some questions and make some choices regarding settings.
During that, I suggest that you NOT import any settings, nor files, nor bookmarks. The idea is to get Brave Browser running - without some notice of an error.
Yes, new Default folder created automatically. And yes I always used one single profile.
I did NOT import any settings, nor files, nor bookmarks… (even if Brave is suggesting me to do so)
So great, now I can see my History, and get suggestions from it when I enter an website address.
But not great, I no longer have saved passwords, nor bookmarks, default basic settings etc…
Is the idea to get back some infos/sub folders from the original Default folder now on the Desktop ? And transfer/replace them in the new Default folder in Brave-Browser ?
OK. Without Brave Browser running, create a new folder on your Mac Desktop, and name the new folder “BB_pieces”.
From within the newly created Default folder, move the Bookmarks file to that “BB_pieces” folder.
Next, from within the old Default folder on the Mac Desktop, move the Bookmarks file into the new Default folder.
IF the old Bookmarks file is still in good condition, after you start up Brave Browser, the bookmarks should appear in the Brave Browser’s Bookmark Manager window.
Ok, so now my bookmarks are back AND, when visited, their icons changed to the respective sites, and not stayed as little planets like before, gooood, and thanks !
Tell me this is not finished, and you have some same procedure for the passwords and maybe settings ?
Sooo faaarr, sooooo gooood…
I tried a few sites, passwords came back. Still no profile error popping up when launching Brave.
I just moved the “login data”, not the “login data for account” from the old folder to the new. What’s the difference ?
Now what’s left ? Maybe some other settings that I can’t think of precisely, like the homepage, theme colors, etc… But they’re easily done “by hand” as if I newly downloaded Brave…
OK. The next item to replace, is the History file ← following the steps outlined for Bookmarks and for Login Data . . . and again, possibly the replacement will work.
Remember to make the replacement without Brave Browser running.
“When the dust settles”, examine certain Brave Browser settings - in order to improve chances of not losing Browsing history and other data.
In a Brave Browser New Window, go to: brave://settings/clearBrowserData
FIRST
Basic tab > ENABLEBrowsing history
Basic tab > ENABLECookies and other site data
Set “Time range” to “All time” and clear that data.
SECOND
Return to: brave://settings/clearBrowserData
Basic tab > Disable Browsing history
Basic tab > Disable Cookies and other site data
Advanced tab > Disable Browsing history
Advanced tab > Disable Cookies and other site data
Advanced tab > Disable Passwords and other sign-in data
Advanced tab > Disable Autofill form data
Advanced tab > Disable Site and Shields Settings
On exit tab > Disable Cookies and other site data
On exit tab > Disable Passwords and other sign-in data
On exit tab > Disable Autofill form data
On exit tab > Disable Site and Shields Settings
Use the Clear data or Save buttons. AFTER making those settings changes . . . then Exit / Quit Brave Browser. And, quit everything else . . . and Restart the Mac.
And be sure to establish a routine for backing up your data.
Aaaannnd, it fails !
When I do the same for the History file (FYI 17Mo for the old, for 400ko for the new), the error profile pops up again when I launch the app
Seems that this file was/is the problem, no ?..
I already put back the new History file (temporarily put in BB_pieces) in place, and deleted the old big one posing problem. And I no longer have the pop up error when launching.
I will now clear the data as you recommend and restart the Mac.
HHhhmmm, I see, I understand"ish" anyway… For the file too big.
All done, no more History for now, but I’ll rebuilt it little by little…
Do you think that with time the History file could grow too big again, and cause some problem ? Or it usually manages itself.
And BTW, I can delete the old Default and the temporary BB_pieces folders on my desktop now, I won’t be needing them anymore.
Anyway, thanks A LOT for your advices, and especially for your time !
Really, thank you 289wk !
Given your practice, the History file will likely grow to be a problem again. I would periodically back up that file - while it is working OK - so you have generations of it - use the Compress selection under File in the Finder menu bar and give the .zip file results, a chronological name:
20250702_BB_History_file.zip
20250703_BB_History_file.zip
The History file is an SQLite file. DB Browser for SQLite, is handy for viewing the file contents.
How to use DB Browser for SQLite, for viewing 'Login Data':
Add a filename extension to Login Data making either:
but not from a site I visited yesterday…
