How to Export Safari Bookmarks to Chrome

Migrating Your Digital Life

If you have recently purchased a new Windows PC after years of using a Mac, or if you have simply decided to switch your default browser from Apple Safari to Google Chrome, your biggest obstacle is migrating your data. Over the years, you have likely accumulated hundreds of bookmarks, carefully organising them into folders for work, recipes, travel planning, and daily reading.

Leaving those bookmarks behind and starting from scratch is not an option. Fortunately, web browsers are designed to communicate with each other using a universal file format known as HTML. You can easily instruct Safari to package your entire bookmark library into a single file, which you can then import directly into Google Chrome. The process takes less than a minute and preserves your entire folder structure exactly as you built it.

Whether you are moving to Chrome on the same Mac or migrating entirely to a new Windows 11 computer, the process begins by exporting your data from Safari.

Step 1: Export Your Bookmarks from Safari

You must perform this step on your Mac, as Apple does not offer a native Safari app for Windows or Android devices.

1. Open the Safari browser on your Mac.
2. Look at the menu bar at the very top of your screen (next to the Apple logo) and click on File.
3. In the drop-down menu, hover your mouse over Export.
4. A secondary menu will appear. Click on Bookmarks.
5. A “Save As” dialogue box will appear. By default, the file will be named “Safari Bookmarks.html”.
6. Choose a convenient location to save the file, such as your Desktop or Downloads folder.
7. Click the blue Save button.

You now have a complete backup of your Safari bookmarks saved on your Mac. (Note: If you are migrating to a completely different Windows computer, you will need to transfer this HTML file to a USB flash drive or email it to yourself so you can open it on the new machine).

Step 2: Import Your Bookmarks into Google Chrome

Now that you have the HTML file, you can import it into Chrome. The steps are identical regardless of whether you are using Chrome on a Mac or a Windows PC.

1. Open the Google Chrome browser.
2. Look at the top-right corner of the window and click the three vertical dots to open the main menu.
3. Hover your mouse over Bookmarks and lists, then select Bookmark manager.
4. A new tab will open showing your (likely empty) Chrome bookmark library.
5. In this new tab, look for another set of three vertical dots located near the top-right corner of the blue header bar (do not click the dots next to your profile picture; click the ones slightly lower down).
6. Click these dots and select Import bookmarks from the menu.
7. A file browser window will open. Navigate to your Desktop or Downloads folder and select the “Safari Bookmarks.html” file you created in Step 1.
8. Click Open.

Chrome will instantly read the file and populate your bookmark bar. All of your saved websites, including the folders and sub-folders you created in Safari, will appear perfectly organised in their new home.

What About Your Saved Passwords?

It is important to note that this specific HTML export process only transfers your bookmarks. It does not transfer your saved passwords or browsing history.

If you also need to move your passwords from Apple’s Keychain into Google Chrome, you will need to open the System Settings on your Mac, navigate to the Passwords section, and use the separate export tool located there to generate a CSV file containing your login credentials.