As Google Chrome enthusiasts, users often amass an extensive collection of bookmarks, providing easy access to their most-visited websites. Organising these bookmarks into folders and synchronising them across various devices enhances the browsing experience.
Nonetheless, certain scenarios may necessitate the transfer of bookmarks to another computer, browser, or device. Additionally, users may wish to create backups to safeguard against unforeseen issues with their Chrome profile. This comprehensive article offers a step-by-step process to effortlessly import and export bookmarks from Google Chrome, ensuring a seamless and straightforward procedure.
Before continuing, let us first understand why you must import or export bookmarks from Chrome.
Why import and export bookmarks from Chrome?
Importing and exporting bookmarks from Google Chrome offers several benefits:
- Seamless browser transition: If you want to switch to a different web browser like Brave, Firefox, or Safari, importing bookmarks ensures you don’t lose your essential bookmarks.
- Cross-device synchronisation: You can synchronise your bookmarks across multiple devices, including laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones, for a seamless browsing experience.
- Bookmark sharing: Have you bookmarked something interesting? You can share your curated bookmarks with friends, family, or colleagues, making it easier for them to access your favourite websites.
- Data Backup: Safeguard your bookmarks in case of Chrome profile corruption, accidental deletion, or security breaches.
Also read: How to delete bookmarks from Mac?
How to export bookmarks from Google Chrome?
Exporting bookmarks from Google Chrome is a straightforward process, as you can see from the steps below:
Step 1: Open Google Chrome and click on the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner of the screen. From the drop-down menu, go to Bookmarks > Bookmark Manager. Alternatively, press Ctrl + Shift + O.
Step 2: In the Bookmark Manager, click on the three-dot menu icon again, located in the top-right corner of the screen and select Export bookmarks from the drop-down menu.
After that, select a preferred location on your computer to save the bookmarks file. By default, the file will have a .HTML extension named bookmarks_DATE.html. You can modify the name and location if you desire.
Click on Save, and your bookmarks will be exported as an HTML file, which you can then use to import them into another browser or device.
Also read: Chromebook error configuring network: Quick Fix
How to import bookmarks into Google Chrome?
Importing bookmarks into Google Chrome is just as simple. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Open Google Chrome and click on the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner of the screen. Next, head to Bookmarks > Import bookmarks and settings.
Step 2: A dialogue box will appear, asking you to choose the source of your bookmarks. Select the appropriate option based on your source of bookmarks. For instance, choose Bookmarks HTML File if you have an HTML file containing your bookmarks. Alternatively, select the specific browser you want to import bookmarks from.
Step 3: If you select Bookmarks HTML File, click Choose File to select the file from your computer. Just double-click on the file to import it.
Note: Turn on the toggle in front of the Show bookmarks bar, and you can now access your newly imported bookmark from the Imported folder.
Also read: How to bookmark on Mac?
Tips for importing and exporting bookmarks from Google Chrome:
To optimise your bookmark management experience, consider implementing these tips:
- Organise bookmarks: Before exporting or importing bookmarks, organise them into folders to facilitate easy access and management in the future.
- Utilise Chrome sync: If you want to synchronise your bookmarks on devices using the same Google account, manually importing and exporting may not be necessary. Sign in to Chrome and enable sync in the settings.
- Edit bookmarks file: Open the bookmark file in any text editor or web browser to edit it. You can also use third-party tools like Bookmark Manager for this purpose.
Whether switching browsers, sharing bookmarks, or creating backups, this comprehensive guide provides all the steps to accomplish these tasks effortlessly. By optimising your bookmark organisation and utilising Chrome’s sync feature, you can enjoy a personalised and seamless browsing experience across all your devices.
