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Do you need to move bookmarks to your new computer? Whether you have a new device or want to switch browsers, you can easily export all your bookmarks as an HTML file and then export them to the new browser. This wikiHow teaches you how to transfer bookmarks from one computer to another using Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge.
Quick Steps
- Plug a flash drive into your computer.
- Open Google Chrome.
- Click ⁝ > Bookmarks and lists > Bookmark manager.
- Click ⁝ above the Bookmarks page.
- Click Export Bookmarks and select a save location.
- Open Chrome on the new computer.
- Open the Bookmark manager > ⁝ > Import Bookmarks.
Steps
-
Plug a flash drive into your computer. A flash drive is probably the easiest way to quickly transfer your bookmarks to another computer.[1]
- If you don’t have a flash drive, you can attach the bookmark file to an email message instead. You can also upload the file to a cloud service, such as iCloud, Google Drive, or OneDrive.
-
Open Chrome and click ⁝. It’s at the top-right corner of the browser on Windows and Mac. A menu will expand.[2]Advertisement
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Select Bookmarks and lists. Another menu will expand.[3]
-
Click ⁝. It’s at the top-right corner of the Bookmarks page. You'll see this on the right of the Search bookmarks.[5]
-
Click Export Bookmarks. This opens your computer’s file browser.[6]
-
Navigate to the location where you want to save the bookmarks. If you’re using a flash drive, browse to the flash drive in the file browser.
- If you’re going to email yourself the bookmarks or upload it to a cloud service, navigate to your Downloads folder (or anywhere else that’s easy to remember).
- If you have the cloud service connected to your computer, navigate to its folder.
-
Click Save. Your bookmarks will save to the selected location as an HTML file. When the file is finished saving, safely eject the drive from your computer.
- If you’re emailing the bookmarks to yourself, open your email client, compose a new message to yourself, attach the file, then click the send button.
-
Plug the flash drive into the new computer.[7]
- If you emailed yourself the bookmarks or uploaded them to a cloud service, log into your account from the new computer, open the message or file, and then download the HTML attachment.
-
Open Google Chrome on the new computer. Be sure to download Google Chrome on the new computer if you haven't already.
- If you want to transfer to a different browser, skip to the importing steps for Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge.
-
Open the Bookmark Manager on the new computer. In Chrome, click the ⁝ at the top-right corner of the browser, select Bookmarks, then click Bookmark manager.
-
Click ⁝. This is at the top-right corner of the page.
-
Click Import Bookmarks. If you’re using Chrome, this opens the computer’s file browser.
-
Browse to the bookmark file. If you saved the file to a flash drive, navigate to the flash drive. If you downloaded the file from an email message or cloud service, navigate to the folder in which you saved it.[8]
-
Select the bookmark file and click Open. This will import your bookmarks into the new browser.
-
Move the bookmarks (optional). If the bookmarks upload into a separate folder outside of the bookmarks bar, you can easily move them.
- Open the Bookmarks manager.
- Select the folder with your bookmarks.
- Select the bookmarks you want to move.
- Drag the bookmarks to the new location.
-
Plug a flash drive into your computer. A flash drive is probably the easiest way to quickly transfer your bookmarks to another computer.[9]
- If you don’t have a flash drive, you can attach the bookmark file to an email message instead. You can also upload the file to a cloud service, such as iCloud, Google Drive, or OneDrive.
-
Open Firefox and press Ctrl+⇧ Shift+O (PC) or ⌘ Command+⇧ Shift+O (Mac). It’s in the All Apps area of the Start menu in Windows, and the Applications folder in macOS. Pressing the keyboard shortcut opens the Bookmark Manager.[10]
- Alternatively, you can go to ☰ > Bookmarks > Manage bookmarks.
-
Click Import and Backup.[11]
-
Click Export Bookmarks to HTML…. Your computer’s file browser will appear.[12]
-
Navigate to the location where you want to save the bookmarks. If you’re using a flash drive, browse to the flash drive in the file browser.
- If you’re going to email yourself the bookmarks or upload it to a cloud service, navigate to your Downloads folder (or anywhere else that’s easy to remember).
- If you have the cloud service connected to your computer, navigate to its folder.
-
Click Save. Your bookmarks will save to the selected location as an HTML file.[13] When the file is finished saving, safely eject the drive from your computer.
- If you’re emailing the bookmarks to yourself, open your email client, compose a new message to yourself, attach the file, then click the send button.
-
Plug the flash drive into the new computer.[14]
- If you emailed yourself the bookmarks or uploaded it to a cloud service, log into your account from the new computer, open the message or file, then download the HTML attachment.
-
Open Firefox on the new computer. Be sure to download Firefox on the new computer if you haven't already.
- If you want to transfer to a different browser, skip to the importing steps for Google Chrome, Safari, or Microsoft Edge.
-
Press Ctrl+⇧ Shift+O. This opens the Bookmark Manager in Firefox on the new computer.
-
Click Import and Backup in Firefox. This opens your computer’s file browser.[15]
-
Browse to the bookmark file. If you saved the file to a flash drive, navigate to the flash drive. If you downloaded the file from an email message or cloud service, navigate to the folder in which you saved it.[16]
-
Select the bookmark file and click Open. This will import your bookmarks into the new browser.[17]
-
Move the bookmarks (optional). If the bookmarks upload into a separate folder outside of the bookmarks bar, you can easily move it.
- Open the Bookmarks manager.
- Select the folder with your bookmarks.
- Select the bookmarks you want to move.
- Drag the bookmarks to the new location.
-
Plug a flash drive into your computer. A flash drive is probably the easiest way to quickly transfer your bookmarks to another computer.
- If you don’t have a flash drive, you can attach the bookmark file to an email message instead. You can also upload the file to a cloud service, such as iCloud, Google Drive, or OneDrive.
-
Launch Safari and click the File menu. This is in the top toolbar when Safari is open.
-
Click Export Browsing Data to File…. You can find this in the drop-down menu.
-
Toggle on the Bookmarks switch and click Export. If you don’t want to export anything but your bookmarks, be sure to toggle all other switches.[18]
-
Navigate to the location where you want to save the bookmarks. If you’re using a flash drive, browse to the flash drive in the Finder.
- If you’re going to email yourself the bookmarks or upload it to a cloud service, navigate to your Downloads folder (or anywhere else that’s easy to remember).
- If you have the cloud service connected to your computer, navigate to its folder.
-
Click Save. Your bookmarks will save to the selected location as an HTML file. When the file is finished saving, safely eject the drive from your computer.
- If you’re emailing the bookmarks to yourself, open your email client, compose a new message to yourself, attach the file, then click the send button.
-
Plug the flash drive into the new computer.[19]
- If you emailed yourself the bookmarks or uploaded it to a cloud service, log into your account from the new computer, open the message or file, then download the HTML attachment.
-
Open Safari on the new computer. If you don't have Safari and you're using another Mac, you can download it again from the App Store.
- If you want to transfer to a different browser, skip to the importing steps for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge.
-
Click the File menu and select Import Browsing Data from File or Folder….
-
Click Choose File or Folder…. This will open the Finder.
-
Browse to the bookmark file. If you saved the file to a flash drive, navigate to the flash drive. If you downloaded the file from an email message or cloud service, navigate to the folder in which you saved it.
-
Select the bookmark file and click Open. This will import your bookmarks into the new browser.
-
Move the bookmarks (optional). If the bookmarks upload into a separate folder outside of the bookmarks bar, you can easily move it.
- Open the Bookmarks menu.
- Select the folder with your bookmarks.
- Select the bookmarks you want to move.
- Drag the bookmarks to the new location.
-
Plug a flash drive into your computer. A flash drive is probably the easiest way to quickly transfer your bookmarks to another computer.
- If you don’t have a flash drive, you can attach the bookmark file to an email message instead. You can also upload the file to a cloud service, such as iCloud, Google Drive, or OneDrive.
-
Open Microsoft Edge and press Ctrl+⇧ Shift+O (PC) or ⌘ Cmd+⇧ Shift+O (Mac). This opens the Favorites menu.
- Favorites is Microsoft Edge's version of bookmarks.
- You can also get there by clicking the three dots at the top-right corner of the window and selecting Favorites.[20]
-
Click ••• on the Favorites' window. This is at the top of the window. A drop-down menu will open.
-
Click Export favorites. Your computer’s file browser will appear.
-
Navigate to the location where you want to save the bookmarks. If you’re using a flash drive, browse to the flash drive in the file browser.
- If you’re going to email yourself the bookmarks or upload it to a cloud service, navigate to your Downloads folder (or anywhere else that’s easy to remember).
- If you have the cloud service connected to your computer, navigate to its folder.
-
Click Save. Your bookmarks will save to the selected location as an HTML file. When the file is finished saving, safely eject the drive from your computer.
- If you’re emailing the bookmarks to yourself, open your email client, compose a new message to yourself, attach the file, then click the send button.
-
Plug the flash drive into the new computer.[21]
- If you emailed yourself the bookmarks or uploaded it to a cloud service, log into your account from the new computer, open the message or file, then download the HTML attachment.
-
Open Microsoft Edge on the new computer. If you don't have Microsoft Edge, you can download it again from the Microsoft app store.
- If you want to transfer to a different browser, skip to the importing steps for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari.
-
Press Ctrl+⇧ Shift+O. This opens the Favorites menu in Microsoft Edge on the new computer.
-
Click ••• on the Favorites' window. This is at the top of the window. A drop-down menu will open.
-
Click Import favorites. This opens your computer’s file browser.
-
Click Choose what to import. You can find this under the Import from other browsers header.
-
Browse to the bookmark file. If you saved the file to a flash drive, navigate to the flash drive. If you downloaded the file from an email message or cloud service, navigate to the folder in which you saved it.
-
Select the bookmark file and click Open. This will import your bookmarks into the new browser.
-
Move the bookmarks (optional). If the bookmarks upload into a separate folder outside of the bookmarks bar, you can easily move it.
- Open the Favorites menu.
- Select the folder with your bookmarks.
- Select the bookmarks you want to move.
- Drag the bookmarks to the new location.
Community Q&A
-
QuestionWhen I try to save the bookmarks file, it just doesn't save. No error message, it just doesn't get saved. It's as if Firefox is blocking it.Ogechi NwaoguCommunity AnswerFix the Bookmarks file. If your changes to your bookmarks do not appear when you restart Firefox, the issue may be that your bookmarks file is write-protected. A write-protected file can't be changed, which prevents Firefox from saving any changes you have made.
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QuestionHow do I join the Bookmarks I've imported in Firfox with the Bookmarks that are there? When I follow step 13, the file opens in a new URL tab.Community AnswerIt seems like you may be opening the file directly from your file manager (File Explorer on Windows, Finder on macOS). When importing bookmarks to Firefox, you should be starting the workflow in the Firefox bookmark manager. See steps 10 and 11.
-
QuestionHow dos one 'sync your data to the computer you were transfering the data to"?Ogechi NwaoguCommunity AnswerTo find Sync settings, select the Start , then select Settings > Accounts > Sync your settings .
Video
Tips
References
- ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/windowsbasics/working-with-flash-drives/1/
- ↑ https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/96816?hl=en
- ↑ https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/96816?hl=en
- ↑ https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/96816?hl=en
- ↑ https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/96816?hl=en
- ↑ https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/96816?hl=en
- ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/windowsbasics/working-with-flash-drives/1/
- ↑ https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/96816?hl=en
- ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/windowsbasics/working-with-flash-drives/1/
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/keyboard-shortcuts-perform-firefox-tasks-quickly#w_bookmarks
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/export-firefox-bookmarks-to-backup-or-transfer
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/export-firefox-bookmarks-to-backup-or-transfer
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/export-firefox-bookmarks-to-backup-or-transfer
- ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/computerbasics/bringing-your-files-with-you/1/
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/import-bookmarks-html-file
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/import-bookmarks-html-file
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/import-bookmarks-html-file
- ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/117827
- ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/computerbasics/bringing-your-files-with-you/1/
- ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/open-your-entire-favorites-bar-in-microsoft-edge-1de9c233-759b-d464-7963-72059be83f79
- ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/computerbasics/bringing-your-files-with-you/1/