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How to Export and Import Your Web Browser Bookmarks - Knowledgebase / Mac - SOU IT Help Desk

How to Export and Import Your Web Browser Bookmarks

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This article will show you how to import and export your web browser bookmarks to and from Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari to a portable HTML file. This enables you to back up your bookmarks and transfer them to another computer or even into a different web browser.

 

Picture of the Google Chrome logo.Google Chrome

 

Export to HTML

 

Click on the vertical dots in the top-right corner of Chrome, then select Bookmarks and lists, followed by Bookmarks manager from the menus. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + O (the letter "oh").

Picture of the chrome settings and the side panel from bookmarks and lists which has the bookmark manager button to be clicked upon.

Click on the vertical blue dots in the top-right region of the Bookmarks Manager. Be careful not to confuse them with the grey vertical dots right above them that we used in the previous step.

Picture of the kebab menu to be selected in the bookmark manager section.

Select Export bookmarks from the menu and then choose a destination for the HTML file, such as a flash drive or a network location.

Picture of the export bookmarks option under the bookmark manager options menu.

Import from HTML

 

To import bookmarks from HTML into Chrome, follow the same instructions as when exporting except in the final step, select Import bookmarks from the menu. Chrome will then prompt you for the HTML file that contains your bookmarks.

Picture of the import bookmarks option under the bookmark manager options menu.

 

Picture of the Mozilla Firefox logo.Mozilla Firefox

 

Export to HTML

Press Alt on your keyboard while within a Firefox window to reveal the hidden top menu, then select Bookmarks followed by Manage Bookmarks to bring up the Bookmarks Manager. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + O.

Alternatively, you can select the hamburger menu, (the three horizontal lines that are arranged vertically,) and then select Bookmarks as shown in the picture.

Picture of the hamburger menu button and the bookmarks submenu button.

Then select Manage bookmarks at the bottom of the Bookmarks tab as shown.

Picture of the manage bookmarks button under the bookmarks submenu.

Within the Bookmarks Manager, click the Import and Backup button, select Export Bookmarks to HTML from the menu, and then choose a destination for the HTML file, such as a flash drive or a network location.

Picture of the bookmarks manager menu and the import and backup dropdown menu and under that the export bookmarks to html button highlighted.

Import from HTML

 

Follow the same instructions as with exporting to access the Bookmarks Manager, but in the final step, select Import Bookmarks from HTML and then provide Firefox with the HTML file containing your bookmarks.

Picture of the bookmarks manager menu and the import and backup dropdown menu and under that the Import bookmarks to html button highlighted.

 

Picture of the Microsoft Edge logo.Microsoft Edge

 

Export to HTML

 

Bring up the Favorites sidebar by clicking on the meatball menu, (the three horizontal dots,) in the top-right region of the Edge window, then select Favorites from the menu. (Or you can skip some of these steps and just press the key combination of Ctrl + Shift + O.)

Picture of the meatball menu and under it the favorites option.

 

Click on the meatball menu in the Favorites sidebar to bring up the more options menu.

Picture of the meatball menu for more options after going into the favorites menu from the picture before.

Under Favorites settings, click on the Export favorites option then choose a destination for the HTML file, such as a flash drive or a network location.

Picture of the export favorites option.

Import from HTML

 

Follow the same instructions as with exporting, except in the final step click on the Import favorites button.

Picture of the import favorites option.You shall be taken to another menu from which you may select different origin points for the data you want to import. We shall continue with importing our HTML file. Click the Choose what to import button under the Import from other browsers section as shown in the image.

Picture of the import favorites menu with the import browser data now option highlighted.This menu will give you more control over what you want imported generally, but for our purposes we are just going to go straight for the HTML file. Click on the drop down arrow and from the pop up menu select Favorites or bookmarks HTML file as shown in the image.

Picture of the import browser data menu with the dropdown option highlighted and the option favorites or bookmarks html file also highlighted.Finally, you can click on Choose file and find the HTML file you wish to import.

Picture of the choose file button highlighted under import browser data and favorites or bookmarks html file.

 

Picture of the safari logo.Safari

 

Export to HTML

 

With Safari open, click on the File menu in the top menu bar and then select Export Bookmarks and choose a destination for the HTML file, such as a flash drive or a network location.

Picture of the file dropdown menu found on safari and under it is the export bookmarks option to be selected for exporting bookmarks.

Import from HTML

 

With Safari open, click on the File menu in the top menu bar, then select Import From, followed by Bookmarks HTML File, and provide Safari with the HTML file containing your bookmarks.

Picture of the file dropdown menu under the safari app and another submenu highlighting the bookmarks html file button under that.

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