Learn how to recover your Chrome autofill data from a corrupt Windows 10 PC using a simple method that involves copying and pasting a file.
If you use Google Chrome as your web browser, you probably rely on its autofill feature to save your passwords, addresses, and other personal information. Autofill makes it easier and faster to fill out online forms and log into websites. But what if your Windows 10 PC gets corrupted and you lose access to your Chrome autofill data? Is there a way to recover it and restore it to a new PC or a repaired one? In this article, we will show you how to do that using a simple method that involves copying and pasting a file.
Table of Contents
What is the Chrome Autofill Data File?
The Chrome autofill data file is a file that stores your autofill information in an encrypted format. The file is located in the following folder on your Windows 10 PC:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\DefaultThe file name is Web Data and it has no extension. This file is linked to your Chrome profile and it can be accessed only by Chrome. If you try to open it with a text editor, you will see a lot of unreadable characters.
How to Recover Chrome Autofill Data from a Corrupt Windows 10 PC?
If your Windows 10 PC gets corrupted and you can’t boot into it, you may think that you have lost your Chrome autofill data forever. However, there is a way to recover it and restore it to a new PC or a repaired one. Here are the steps to do that:
- Connect your corrupt Windows 10 PC to another working PC using a SATA to USB adapter or a hard drive enclosure. This will allow you to access the files on your corrupt PC from the working PC.
- On the working PC, open File Explorer and navigate to the folder where the Chrome autofill data file is located on your corrupt PC. The folder path should be something like this:
<corrupt PC drive letter>:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default
- Copy the Web Data file from the folder and paste it to a safe location on the working PC, such as the desktop or a USB flash drive.
- On the working PC, install Google Chrome if you haven’t already. Make sure you use the same Google account that you used on your corrupt PC to sync your Chrome data.
- On the working PC, close Google Chrome if it is running. Then, open File Explorer and navigate to the folder where the Chrome autofill data file is located on the working PC. The folder path should be the same as the one on the corrupt PC, except for the drive letter.
- Rename the existing Web Data file on the working PC to something else, such as Web Data.old. This is to back up the file in case something goes wrong.
- Copy the Web Data file that you saved from the corrupt PC and paste it to the folder on the working PC. Replace the existing file if prompted.
- Open Google Chrome on the working PC and check if your autofill data is restored. You should be able to see your passwords, addresses, and other personal information in the Chrome settings under Autofill.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Question: What if I don’t have another working PC to connect my corrupt PC to?
Answer: If you don’t have another working PC to connect your corrupt PC to, you can try to use a bootable USB drive or a recovery disk to access your files on your corrupt PC. You can create a bootable USB drive or a recovery disk using another PC or a friend’s PC. Then, you can boot your corrupt PC from the USB drive or the disk and follow the same steps as above to recover your Chrome autofill data file.
Question: What if I can’t find the Chrome autofill data file on my corrupt PC?
Answer: If you can’t find the Chrome autofill data file on your corrupt PC, it may be because the file is hidden or the folder path is different. To show hidden files, open File Explorer and click on the View tab. Then, check the box next to Hidden items. To find the correct folder path, open Google Chrome on your corrupt PC and go to the settings. Then, click on About Chrome and look for the Profile Path. This will show you the exact location of your Chrome profile folder, where the Chrome autofill data file is located.
Question: What if I have multiple Chrome profiles on my corrupt PC?
Answer: If you have multiple Chrome profiles on your corrupt PC, you will need to recover the Chrome autofill data file for each profile separately. To do that, you will need to find the folder for each profile and copy the Web Data file from each folder. The folder for each profile should be named something like Profile 1, Profile 2, etc. You can find the folder for each profile by following the same steps as above to find the Profile Path in the Chrome settings.
Summary
In this article, we have shown you how to recover your Chrome autofill data from a corrupt Windows 10 PC using a simple method that involves copying and pasting a file. This method can help you restore your passwords, addresses, and other personal information that you have saved in Chrome. We hope this article was helpful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. We are not responsible for any data loss or damage that may occur as a result of following this article. Please use this method at your own risk and discretion.