5 Minute HelpDesk – How to Back Up and Migrate Bookmarks to a Different Web browser?

In a previous helpdesk blog, we saw how to change the default search engine of various browsers. When you change your browser, you would also want to migrate your bookmarks. Luckily, you can easily transfer by following some simple steps. Our IT experts from Perth help you on how to back up and migrate your bookmarks to various browsers.

Google Chrome

To export bookmarks in Chrome to an HTML file

• Open Google Chrome
• Select the Chrome Customize and Control button (the triple dots on the top right)
• Click on Bookmarks
• Select Bookmarks Manager from the drop-down menu (Short cut to open Bookmark Manager Ctrl+Shift+O )
• Then select the Organize button (the 2nd set of triple dots on the blue banner) from the newly opened window.
• Select “Export bookmarks “

You can see on the ” Save As” dialogue box that Chrome has automatically given the HTML file a name containing the current date. You can change the file name if you want.

• Select the desired destination to save the file
• Then, click “Save”

You have successfully exported your bookmarks. Now you can import it into another web browser.

To import bookmarks to Chrome.

Ensure no other web browsers are open

• Open Google Chrome
• Select the Chrome Customize and Control button
• Select Bookmarks
• Then select “Import Bookmarks and Settings”

• Next, select the web browser from which you want to import the bookmarks
• Then choose the bookmarks file you’d like to import
• Click Import

You have successfully imported bookmarks. The imported files will appear in Google Chrome.

Mozilla Firefox

To export bookmarks in Firefox to an HTML file

• Open Mozilla Firefox
• Click the Library button on your toolbar Or Click on “Open Menu” button (the triple bar on the top right) and select Library.
• Click on Bookmarks
• Then select the “Show All Bookmarks” bar at the bottom.

A library window will be displayed (Short cut to open the library window: Ctrl+Shift+O )

• Then select “Import and Backup” from the toolbar on the Library window.
• Select “Export Bookmarks to HTML…” from the drop-down menu

From the Export Bookmarks File window, choose the desired location to save the file, named bookmarks.html by default. You can change the name if you want.

• Click “Save”

The Export Bookmarks File window will close and later close the Library window.

You have successfully exported your bookmarks from Firefox. Now you can import it into another web browser.

To import bookmarks from an HTML file

• Open Mozilla Firefox
• Open Library (refer the steps above)
• Select “Import and Backup” from the toolbar on the Library window
• Select the “Import Bookmarks from HTML…” option
• Select the HTML bookmark file you want to Import.
• The imported bookmarks will get added to the Bookmarks Menu.

Internet Explorer

To export bookmarks in Internet Explorer

• Open Internet Explorer
• Click on favourites button(the star-shaped icon)
• Click on the drop-down arrow (right side) of the “Add to favourites” button.
• Then, select “Import and Export”

• In the Import/Export Wizard, select the “Export to a file” option and click Next.

• Then select Favorites, and click Next.
• Choose the Favorites folder you need to export. To export, all of the folders select the Favorites folder at the top. Then, click “Next”.
• By default, the file will be saved to the Documents folder and will be named bookmark.htm.
•  Click “Browse” to save the file to another location.
• You can select the location and change the file name according to your need.

• Click “Save”.
• Next click on “Export” on the Import/Export Settings dialogue box
• Then, click “Finish” to complete the exporting.

To import the bookmarks

• Open Internet Explorer
• Open Import/Export Wizard (refer the steps above)
• Select “Import from a file”, then click Next.

• Check the Favorites check box, and then click Next.
• Browse and select the file you want to import

• Then, click Next
• Click Finish

You have successfully imported the bookmarks to Internet explorer.

Microsoft Edge

To exports Bookmarks in Microsoft Edge

• Open Microsoft Edge
• Click the three-dot icon(top right side)
• Select the “Favourite” menu from the drop-down list
• Click on “Manage Favourite” button (Short cut to open Manage Favourite: Ctrl+Shift+O)
• The Favourites bar page will be displayed.
• Click on the three-dot menu and select “Export favourite”

• By default, the HTML file will have a name containing the current date. You can choose a location and change the file name according to your need.
• Click Save

To import the bookmarks

• Open Microsoft Edge
• Open Manage Favorites (refer to the above steps)
• Click on the three-dot menu displayed in the Favorites bar page
• Select “Import favorites”

• A pop-up menu will appear. Select the “Favorites or bookmarks” the checklist and uncheck the files you don’t want to import.
• Then from “Import from” drop-down menu, select “Favorites or bookmarks HTML file”
• Then click on “Choose file”

• You can choose the file to import and click on “open” to import the bookmarks.
• Finally, click on “done”

You have successfully imported the bookmarks.

These are the steps to back up and migrate your bookmarks in Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Edge. Need help with another browser? Contact us or email at helpdesk@computingaustralia.group. We are 24/7 ready to support you.

Jargon Buster

Web Browser – An application used to access and view information on the internet: E.g. Google Chrome, Firefox etc.
Bookmarks – A saved shortcut which directs your browser to a specific webpage. Bookmarks store the title, URL, and favicon of the saved webpages.