Over the years, you have likely curated hundreds of bookmarks, carefully organizing your favorite websites, vital work documents, and online recipes into a personalized library. If you are buying a new computer, switching to a different web browser like Firefox or Safari, or simply want to create a secure backup of your data, you must export your bookmarks.
Google Chrome makes this process incredibly simple by packaging your entire bookmark library into a single, universally recognized HTML file. This file can be saved to a USB drive, emailed to yourself, and easily imported into almost any other web browser on the market.
How to Export Chrome Bookmarks (Desktop)
The following instructions apply whether you are using Google Chrome on a Windows PC, an Apple Mac, or a Linux computer.
- Open the Google Chrome browser.
- Look at the top right corner of the window and click the three vertical dots to open the main menu.
- Hover your mouse over Bookmarks and lists (on older versions of Chrome, this is simply labelled “Bookmarks”).
- A secondary menu will slide out. Click on Bookmark Manager. (Alternatively, you can press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + O on Windows, or Command + Option + B on Mac).
You are now looking at the Bookmark Manager interface, which displays all your folders and saved websites.
- Look for a second set of three vertical dots. These are located in the blue header bar at the top right of the screen, directly across from the “Search bookmarks” bar. Click them.
- Click on Export bookmarks.
- A standard “Save As” dialogue box will appear, asking you where you want to save the file.
- Choose a secure location that is easy to find, such as your Desktop or Documents folder.
- The default file name will be something like
bookmarks_10_24_24.html(including the current date). You can rename it if you wish, but ensure you do not delete the .html extension at the end of the file name. - Click Save.
You have successfully backed up your bookmarks. If you navigate to your Desktop, you will see the newly created HTML file. If you double-click this file, it will open in your browser as a very basic, clickable webpage containing a massive list of all your saved links.
Can I Export Bookmarks from the Chrome Mobile App?
Unfortunately, no. The Google Chrome mobile app for iPhone, iPad, and Android does not have a built-in “Export” button. You cannot save an HTML file directly to your smartphone’s local storage.
To export bookmarks saved on your mobile device, you must use Google’s cross-device synchronization feature.
- On your smartphone, open Chrome, tap the three dots, go to Settings, and ensure Sync is turned on and connected to your Google Account.
- Go to a desktop computer (PC or Mac) and open Google Chrome.
- Sign in to Chrome using the exact same Google Account you use on your phone.
- Wait a few minutes for the desktop browser to download the bookmarks from your phone via the cloud.
- Once the mobile bookmarks appear on your desktop computer, follow the standard desktop export instructions detailed above to generate the HTML file.
How to Import Your Bookmarks
When you are ready to load your bookmarks into a new computer or a different web browser, the process is just as simple.
If you are importing them back into Google Chrome, simply return to the Bookmark Manager, click the three vertical dots in the blue header bar, and select Import bookmarks. Select the HTML file you previously saved, and Chrome will instantly populate your bookmarks bar with all your saved folders and links.