Where your bookmarks go when you move to Chrome

Chrome can pull bookmarks directly from Firefox, Safari, Edge, or Internet Explorer during setup, or you can import them later from a file you've saved. The import happens in one place — the Settings menu — and Chrome creates a folder called "Imported" to hold everything that comes in, so your existing bookmarks stay separate and organized.

The simplest path is importing during the first time you open Chrome on a new device. If you've already set up Chrome and want to add bookmarks now, you can still do it through Settings. Either way, the process takes less than a minute.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome can import bookmarks directly from Firefox, Safari, Edge, or Internet Explorer if those browsers are installed on your computer.
  • Imported bookmarks land in a folder called "Imported" so they don't mix with bookmarks you've already saved in Chrome.
  • You can import during setup or anytime later through Chrome Settings under "Import bookmarks and settings".
  • If you're moving bookmarks from a browser on a different computer, export them as an HTML file first, then import that file into Chrome.

Importing from another browser already on your computer

Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select "Settings" from the menu. On the left side, click "Import bookmarks and settings".

A window will appear asking which browser you want to import from. If Firefox, Safari, Edge, or Internet Explorer is installed on your computer, you'll see it listed. Click the dropdown and choose the browser. Check the box next to "Bookmarks" — you can also import passwords and other data if you want, but bookmarks is what you need. Click "Import".

Chrome will pull everything over in seconds. Your bookmarks appear in a new folder called "Imported" in your bookmarks bar. You can rename this folder, move individual bookmarks out of it, or delete it entirely once you've organized things the way you want.

Importing from a browser on a different computer

If the browser you want to import from isn't installed on this computer, you need to export the bookmarks as a file first. Do this on the computer where the other browser is installed.

In Firefox, click the three horizontal lines in the top right, go to "Bookmarks", then "Manage Bookmarks". Click the three dots at the top of that window and select "Export Bookmarks". Save the file somewhere you can find it — your Desktop works well. In Safari, go to "File" menu and click "Export Bookmarks". In Edge, click the three dots, go to "Favorites", then "Manage favorites", click the three dots again, and select "Export favorites". Each browser saves this as an HTML file.

Move that HTML file to the computer where Chrome is installed. You can email it to yourself, put it on a USB drive, or use cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox. Once the file is on your Chrome computer, open Chrome and go to Settings. Click "Import bookmarks and settings". At the top of the window, you'll see a dropdown that says "Choose what to import from". Click it and select "Bookmarks HTML File". Click "Select file" and navigate to the HTML file you saved. Chrome imports everything into the "Imported" folder.

Finding and organizing your imported bookmarks

After import, click the star icon in Chrome's top right corner to open your bookmarks. You'll see the "Imported" folder at the top of the list. Click it to see everything that came over. If you had a lot of bookmarks, they may be organized in subfolders that match how they were organized in the other browser.

You can drag bookmarks out of the "Imported" folder into other folders, or create new folders to sort them. Right-click any bookmark to rename it, delete it, or move it. Once you've moved everything you want to keep, you can delete the "Imported" folder by right-clicking it and selecting "Delete".

What to do if the import doesn't show everything

Sometimes bookmarks from the other browser don't appear in Chrome right away. This usually happens because the other browser was still running when you tried to import. Close the other browser completely and try importing again through Settings.

If you're importing from Safari on a Mac, make sure Safari is fully closed before you start. If you're importing from Firefox and it doesn't work the first time, try exporting your bookmarks as an HTML file from Firefox instead — go to "Bookmarks", click "Manage Bookmarks", click the three dots, and select "Export Bookmarks". Then import that HTML file into Chrome using the steps above.

Syncing bookmarks across devices with your Google account

Once your bookmarks are in Chrome, you can sync them across all your devices by signing into your Google account. Click the profile icon in the top right of Chrome and select "Turn on sync". Choose your Google account and click "Yes, I'm in". Chrome will sync your bookmarks, passwords, and browsing history to any other device where you sign in with the same account.

This means if you import bookmarks on your laptop, they'll automatically appear on your phone or tablet when you open Chrome there. You can manage what syncs by going to Settings, clicking "You and Google", then "Manage your Google Account", and selecting the "Data and privacy" tab.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import bookmarks from a browser that's not installed on my computer?

Yes. Export the bookmarks as an HTML file from that browser on the computer where it's installed, then import the HTML file into Chrome. Every major browser has an export option in its bookmarks or favorites menu.

Will importing bookmarks replace the ones I already have in Chrome?

No. Imported bookmarks go into a folder called "Imported" and stay separate from your existing bookmarks. You can move them, delete them, or keep them organized however you want.

What if I imported bookmarks but they're not showing up?

Close the other browser completely and try importing again. Sometimes the browser needs to be fully shut down before Chrome can read its bookmarks. If it still doesn't work, try exporting the bookmarks as an HTML file from the other browser and importing that file instead.

Do imported bookmarks sync to my phone if I use Chrome there?

Yes, if you sign into your Google account in Chrome. Go to Settings, click "You and Google", and turn on sync. Your bookmarks will appear on any device where you sign in with that account.