How to Export Chrome Bookmarks & Import Into Any Browser
If you visit certain websites frequently, you probably have those sites bookmarked in your browser. If you want to share these bookmarks or need to switch browsers, it is best to export them and use them accordingly.
This guide will focus specifically on Google Chrome and how to export your bookmarks from the browser. It will also cover all the different ways of importing these bookmarks into other browsers.
What are Chrome Bookmarks?
Chrome bookmarks aren’t any different from, say, Firefox or Edge‘s bookmarks. They are essentially website URLs that are stored in Google Chrome for future reference, allowing for quick access to certain web pages without your need to constantly type in the web address every time you open your browser.
Read More: How to Fix Chrome Bookmarks Bar Missing
Where are they Stored?
All of Google Chrome’s bookmarks, extensions, and cache files are stored inside Google’s AppData folder. For bookmarks specifically, they are stored under:
C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default
It’s possible that you can’t see the AppData folder inside the C Drive. This is because it’s hidden. To unhide the folder, check out our detailed guide on the topic.
How to Export Chrome Bookmarks?
Chrome has made it really simple to export your bookmarks. It does this by creating an HTML file that you can import into any browser to transfer your bookmarked tabs. Follow the steps below to export bookmarks from Google Chrome. The procedure is the same for Windows, Linux and Mac.
While we do have a dedicated guide on exporting bookmarks, here are the steps:
- Open Google Chrome.
- Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the window.
- Hover over Bookmarks and select Bookmark manager. You can also access the Bookmark manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+O on your keyboard.
Accessing Bookmark manager - In the Bookmark manager, click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the window.
- Select Export bookmarks.
Exporting bookmarks - In the File Explorer window (Finder on Mac), enter a name for the file and click Save.
Saving bookmarks’ HTML file
Importing Chrome Bookmarks
Now that you’ve exported the bookmarks, it’s time to import them into your new browser. We’ve explained the steps for Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox and even Apple Safari.
1. Edge
To import bookmarks into Microsoft Edge, follow the steps down below.
- Open Edge and click on the three-dots in the top-right corner.
- Click on Settings.
Accessing Edge Settings - Under Profiles, select “Import browser data.”
Accessing Import User Data menu - Now, under “Import from other browsers,” select “Choose what to import.”
Choosing the import options - Under “Import from:” choose “Favorites or bookmarks HTML file“
- Select “Choose file,” and then select the HTML file that was exported from Chrome.
Select your HTML file
2. Firefox
Importing bookmarks into Firefox is very straightforward, all you need to do is:
- Open Firefox on your PC and click on the three horizontal lines on the top right hand side of the screen.
Accessing Bookmarks settings menu in Firefox - Now click on Bookmarks and then Manage bookmarks. You can alternatively press Ctrl+Shift+O.
Accessing Bookmark manager - Click on Import and backup, and select “Import Bookmarks from HTML”
Import bookmark menu
3. Safari
To import bookmarks into Safari, just follow these easy steps:
- Open Safari and click on File in the menu bar, then hover on “Import From” in the drop-down menu.
Click File and then Import From - Now, click on “Bookmarks HTML File…“
Click Bookmarks HTML File… - Select the file from within Finder and hit Import.
Click Import
After you import the bookmarks, they will appear in the sidebar below Bookmarks in a new folder whose name begins with “Imported” and ends with the date.
Bonus: Google Chrome
The procedure is relatively simple on Chrome when compared to others, especially since we took the bookmarks from here originally.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+O to open Bookmark manager.
Chrome Bookmark Manager - On the top right hand side, click on the three vertical dots.
- Select Import Bookmarks
Importing bookmarks into Chrome
Exporting Chrome Bookmarks via Phone
It is important to note that Chrome does not allow you to export bookmarks directly via the app. However, there are third-party apps that can do this. The best way to get your bookmarks on your phone is to sync your Google account on your desktop and then sign in with the same account on the app. However, there is still no direct way to export Chrome bookmarks as an HTML file via the app.
Conclusion
Google has made it incredibly easy to export your bookmarks in Chrome. However, this guide goes a step further by considering all aspects and browsers you may want to transfer to. Additionally, Google simplifies the process of importing bookmarks from other browsers if they are on the same device.
FAQs about Bookmarks Management
No, there’s no need to enable sync to export bookmarks via HTML.
They’re stored inside C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default. Make sure to change the directory’s “username” with your PC’s username.
Absolutely, yes, you can. The HTML file can be imported into any browser.