How to Export Bookmarks From Chrome (and Import Them Anywhere)

Exporting your Chrome bookmarks gives you a single file containing every saved site and folder. It's how you move to a different browser, set up a work laptop, or keep a backup in case something goes wrong with your account. The export takes under a minute. Here's how to do it, how to bring the file into another browser, and the mistakes that leave people with duplicates.

Export Chrome bookmarks to a file

1. Open Chrome on your computer.
2. Click More, the three dots at the top right.
3. Choose Bookmarks and lists, then Bookmark manager. The shortcut is Ctrl, Shift and O, or Command, Option and B on a Mac.
4. In the Bookmark manager, click the three dots in the blue bar at the top.
5. Select Export bookmarks.
6. Choose where to save the file and click Save.

The file is named something like bookmarks followed by the date, and it ends in .html. It contains every folder and link, including the ones on your bookmarks bar.

What the export includes, and what it doesn't

Included in the HTML file	Not included
Every bookmark and its folder	Saved passwords
The bookmarks bar layout	Browsing history
Folder names and order	Extensions and settings

If you want passwords to move too, that's a separate job. Google points to Google Password Manager for importing passwords into Chrome, and most password managers can export them. Keep any password export file somewhere safe and delete it afterwards, because it isn't encrypted.

Import the file into another browser

Google's help explains that other browsers accept the same kind of HTML file. The menus differ:

• Safari: File, then Import From, then Bookmarks HTML File.
• Firefox: open the Library with Ctrl, Shift and O, then Import and Backup, and Import Bookmarks from HTML.
• Edge: Settings, then Profiles, Import browser data, and choose Favorites or bookmarks HTML file.
• Chrome on another computer: Bookmark manager, three dots, Import bookmarks.

Moving to Chrome on a new computer? You may not need a file

If you sign in to Chrome with your Google account and switch on sync, your bookmarks appear on every computer where you sign in, with no export at all. The file is still worth having as a backup, but for a simple new-laptop move, signing in is quicker and keeps everything in step.

Where imported bookmarks end up

This catches people out. Google says that if Chrome had no bookmarks, imported ones go straight onto the bookmarks bar. If you already had some, the imported set is added as a separate folder called Other bookmarks at the end of the bar, so you may need to drag things into place.

Avoid doubling up your bookmarks

• Import once. Running an import twice adds a second copy rather than merging.
• If sync is on in the destination browser, imported bookmarks spread to every synced device, duplicates included.
• Before importing into a browser that already has bookmarks, export its current set too, so you can undo.
• Tidy up afterwards in the Bookmark manager by dragging folders and deleting doubles.

Make it a regular backup

Bookmarks feel permanent until a profile gets corrupted or an account is locked. Exporting every few months and saving the file to cloud storage or a USB stick takes a minute and means a lost account doesn't mean lost research. I'd name each file with the month so you know which is newest.

Export just one folder

Chrome's export always includes everything; there's no option to pick a single folder. If you only want to share one folder, say a set of supplier links with a colleague, the easiest route is to create a fresh Chrome profile, copy that folder into it, and export from there. Or open the folder in the Bookmark manager, select all the bookmarks inside, copy them and paste the list into an email, which gives the other person working links without any file at all.

Where to find the file later

If you didn't pick a location, Chrome usually saves the export to your Downloads folder. Search your computer for bookmarks and the .html ending. Double-clicking it opens a plain page in your browser listing every link, which is handy on its own if you just want to look something up from an old backup.

Export bookmarks from Chrome on a phone?

Chrome on Android and iPhone doesn't have an export option. The workaround is sync: sign in to Chrome on your phone with sync on, then sign in on a computer, open the Bookmark manager there and export. Your phone's bookmarks are included.

While you're moving browsers, think about where your passwords live. My guide to open-source password managers covers tools that work in any browser, which makes the next switch even easier.

My verdict

Open the Bookmark manager, click the three dots and choose Export bookmarks, then keep that HTML file safe. It's the cleanest way to change browsers and a sensible backup even if you're staying put. Import it only once into the new browser, and look in Other bookmarks if your links seem to have vanished. Trying a different browser? Start with my look at Brave.

Frequently asked questions

How do I export bookmarks from Chrome?

Open the Bookmark manager, click the three dots at the top and choose Export bookmarks.

What format does Chrome export bookmarks in?

Chrome saves them as a single HTML file that other browsers can import.

Does exporting bookmarks include passwords?

No. Passwords are exported and imported separately, through a password manager.

Where do imported bookmarks go in Chrome?

Onto the bookmarks bar if you had none, otherwise into a folder called Other bookmarks.

Can I export Chrome bookmarks on my phone?

Not directly. Turn on sync, then export them from Chrome on a computer.

How do I import Chrome bookmarks into Safari?

In Safari, choose File, Import From, then Bookmarks HTML File.