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Fix Chrome Error Message: “Your profile can not be used because it is from a newer version of Google Chrome”

By on December 14, 2010 in How-To

Your profile can not be used because it is from a newer version of Google ChromeAs you may know, there are a number of Early Access Release Channels for Google Chrome the let you test out new features that are still under development.  For example, you could be using Google Chrome 9 right now, if you were so inclined and were prepared to put up with a few errors and instabilities now and then. But what happens more often than not when a user switches to a beta channel or dev channel of Chrome is that they switch back to the stable channel after too many crashes. This is all well and good—it’s just a matter of reinstalling Chrome—but when you move from a newer version of Google Chrome to a previous version, you’ll get this error message upon launch:


Your profile can not be used because it is from a newer version of Google Chrome. Some features may be unavailable. Please specify a different profile directory or use a newer version of Chrome.

Your profile can not be used because it is from a newer version of Google Chrome. Some features may be unavailable. Please specify a different profile directory or use a newer version of Chrome.

So, Chrome lays out the problem, and even the solution, but how the heck do you specify a different profile directory in Chrome? Search me. Personally, I think the easiest way to fix this is to just delete your profile and start from scratch. You won’t lose anything like saved form data, passwords or synced bookmarks, but it will get rid of this pesky error message telling you that your profile cannot be used. Here’s a quick fix:

Step One

Launch Windows Explorer. Navigate to C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default

Don’t forget to sub out your Windows user name for YOURUSERNAME.

Your profile can not be used because it is from a newer version of Google Chrome

Note you may need to Show hidden files and folders to get here. Click Start and  type Folder Options in the search bar and choose Folder Options. In the View tab, select Show hidden, files folder and drives under Hidden files and folders.

Your profile can not be used because it is from a newer version of Google Chrome

Step Two

Locate the file called web data. Delete it.

Your profile can not be used because it is from a newer version of Google Chrome

Note: If you’re nervous about doing this, you can simply rename it to “web data.bk” to save it  as a backup. But deleting this shouldn’t have any adverse effects.

Step Three

Launch Google Chrome. The error message is gone!

Your profile can not be used because it is from a newer version of Google Chrome

That’s all there is to it. What a pesky error—luckily, it’s an easy fix.

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57 Responses to Fix Chrome Error Message: “Your profile can not be used because it is from a newer version of Google Chrome”

  1. ntcpqzflqh December 16, 2010 at 11:26 am #

    Thank you very much, this is just what I needed! I wish they had anticipated this (probably common) downgrade cycle.

    Reply
  2. Gregory January 1, 2011 at 6:35 pm #

    Thank you so much. Wish I had checked here earlier, would have saved myself some time. Again, thank you so much.

    Reply
  3. kumar January 8, 2011 at 11:49 am #

    Can you please give instructions for the mac.

    Reply
    • MaryAnn November 15, 2011 at 5:14 pm #

      I need mac instructions too.

      Reply
      • Jason January 8, 2012 at 8:48 am #

        Go to your user home folder -> Library -> application support -> Google -> Chrome -> default -> delete the web data file. Hope that helps :)

        Reply
        • Feico January 25, 2012 at 11:52 am #

          Thanks, works 100%

          Reply
  4. katie February 13, 2011 at 7:28 pm #

    Thank you very much! It worked like a charm.

    Reply
  5. supa February 23, 2011 at 7:10 am #

    thanks you … you saved my day

    Reply
  6. supa1 February 23, 2011 at 7:10 am #

    thanks you … you saved my day

    Reply
  7. Carpii March 2, 2011 at 3:58 am #

    Thanks, this worked great

    For anyone else on a Mac, the file to nuke is in

    ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Web Data

    Reply
  8. Andrei B March 11, 2011 at 7:38 am #

    Thank you very much, it worked! :)

    Reply
  9. Harem March 27, 2011 at 11:58 am #

    wouldn’t this delete all of the bookmarked pages in my Firefox?

    Reply
  10. hinata April 24, 2011 at 5:13 pm #

    i cannot find C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default in window 7 plszz help

    Reply
    • zogmeister May 11, 2011 at 12:39 am #

      C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default

      should be

      C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Default

      Reply
      • groovinJackman May 11, 2011 at 4:29 am #

        That’s odd. I dbl-checked in the 32-bit and 64-bit ver and it’s C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default for me on both.

        Reply
        • zogmeister May 15, 2011 at 11:24 am #

          Ok. Try using explorer to search for file “web data” in your USER folder “My Documents” (or whatever the f*** it is on Windows 7). Then delete it.

          Reply
  11. Robert Phillips May 15, 2011 at 8:24 am #

    I have no “Web Date” file!!

    Reply
    • zogmeister May 15, 2011 at 11:25 am #

      Thta’s because it’s “web data” <– check speeelling

      Reply
  12. Jason June 5, 2011 at 4:50 pm #

    Thanks, works like a charm !!!!!

    Reply
  13. Ebony June 10, 2011 at 12:06 am #

    OMG!!! Thank you sooooo much!!!! Awesome

    Reply
  14. newbee July 19, 2011 at 11:53 pm #

    This is gr8..thanks for post m8..!!

    Reply
  15. jim shady August 19, 2011 at 6:26 pm #

    AMAZING, U saved my life!!! not really, but made it not suck as much. thanks a million

    Reply
  16. baddu September 1, 2011 at 4:28 am #

    thanks alot dude…ur amazing…keep it up

    Reply
  17. Al September 7, 2011 at 9:52 am #

    After a pretty severe corruption and default restore of my Windows 7 user profile I had this problem. You’re method repaired my problem. Thanks

    Reply
    • Steve Krause July 3, 2012 at 1:01 pm #

      Awesome @0f0af1582d87be686d1a84ea70ae323e:disqus glad it worked out!

      Reply
  18. asdfsd September 20, 2011 at 11:19 pm #

    cant find app data in my user?

    Reply
  19. Manish October 23, 2011 at 8:32 am #

    This fix causes another problem.

    Can’t see history items anymore. The history tab is blank now. I sensed it before I tried the recommended fix, but knew no other way to fix the error message (which was more annoying).

    Any fix for this issue, or did this happen only on my PC?

    PS: OS = Windows 7

    Reply
  20. purna November 15, 2011 at 12:07 pm #

    Thanks man it really helped made my chrome error free .Thanks again

    Reply
  21. Marcus December 16, 2011 at 6:17 am #

    You rock, Jack Busch! One of the few step-by-steps that matches what I ended up seeing on my screen. So easy. Thanks.

    Reply
  22. stallon December 17, 2011 at 7:56 am #

    hi
    thanx. for srware iron browser it is netlog.mayb it could help someone.

    Reply
  23. meToo December 18, 2011 at 12:47 pm #

    Thank you thank you, exactly as you said it should be. How often does that happen?

    Reply
  24. Scindia January 3, 2012 at 3:03 am #

    Thanks a lot….. It worked very well.

    Reply
  25. terri January 5, 2012 at 3:37 pm #

    worked great thank you

    Reply
  26. iblistobat January 16, 2012 at 5:45 pm #

    thanks, u really clearly helpful ..

    Reply
  27. Zahid January 20, 2012 at 7:19 am #

    I can’t find ‘web data’ on my pc plz anyone help me

    Reply
  28. hardik January 21, 2012 at 9:11 pm #

    Thanks a lot. Its working..

    Reply
  29. Fadzil January 28, 2012 at 3:11 pm #

    its work.. thank bro..

    Reply
  30. RacerX February 4, 2012 at 8:47 pm #

    Thanks man. Worked like a charm!

    Reply
  31. JohnMiller February 12, 2012 at 1:52 pm #

    My thanks too! Having the screenshots made it very clear!

    Reply
  32. Fola Tai February 22, 2012 at 12:51 am #

    Hi, this is superb, i just want to say thank you.

    Reply
  33. Screendrip March 4, 2012 at 8:30 am #

    Amazing. This had been really annoying me.

    Reply
  34. Anso March 16, 2012 at 1:48 pm #

    Awesoooooomee!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Buddy

    Reply
  35. Hayk March 19, 2012 at 1:45 am #

    thankssss

    Reply
  36. Aaron April 3, 2012 at 8:39 pm #

    Thank you.

    Reply
  37. Maureen April 7, 2012 at 3:17 pm #

    I deleted the file and it was fine for 24 hours then I couldn’t get online so I
    uninstalled Chrome and went back to Google Toolbar.
    Will it affect my computer not having the deleted file?

    Reply
  38. Tanya July 2, 2012 at 8:44 am #

    Thanks – seems to have worked :)

    Reply
  39. Jason July 2, 2012 at 6:58 pm #

    Worked for me as well;-)))))))))))))))

    Reply
  40. nelsadams July 3, 2012 at 12:49 pm #

    Good job writing this fix – clear and complete. Thank-you!

    Reply
    • Steve Krause July 3, 2012 at 12:59 pm #

      You bet! Glad we could help and welcome to groovyPost!

      Reply
  41. Teresa Davis July 8, 2012 at 6:45 am #

    The only problem with this fix is it’s not permanent. As soon as you restart you computer it happens all over again!!!!

    Reply
  42. Apollo July 8, 2012 at 6:25 pm #

    not so, every time I restart my computer I still get the same eror message

    Reply
  43. Shobhit Bhatnagar August 8, 2012 at 12:14 am #

    i have solved this problem by following these step but after that a new problem arise which i can,t explain videos on you tube not playing correctly with out this error message like RED LINE below the you tube video is crashing and CRACKING videos quacking every time actually this problem has been for many time when ever i instlall google chroom from opera with flash player this message arise (Your profile could not be used because its from a new version of chrome) but video plays this time correctly but when i download chrome from the main site message do not arise but videos not playing chorrectly actualy you tube videos not playing correctly either in Opere like Videos quacking every time red line below the video which run with the video is weirdly moving and broke up in the end please tell me the solution i have scan computer from anti virus but it does’t work

    Reply
  44. ken August 22, 2012 at 10:30 am #

    i cant delete the wed data file.. when i delete it,, “the action cant be completed because the file is open in search settings”,,, what should i do..?

    Reply
  45. Fran August 29, 2012 at 9:13 am #

    THANKYOU SO MUCH! this made it so much clearer and i’m so glad it finally worked :)

    Reply
  46. Shane Sparky November 12, 2012 at 4:10 pm #

    Thanks works!

    Reply
  47. Kate March 2, 2013 at 5:20 am #

    I had a major issue with Microsoft Office and then the “tech” from Microsoft deleted an important file that completely screwed up my entire computer. After I thought I had everything fixed, Google kept popping up with this message. Your blog was the ONLY one that gave an easy fix that didn’t require any major editing in the cache. Thank you!! I wish I could hug you, haha.

    Reply

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