The simplest way to save a webpage
A bookmark is a saved link to a website that you can return to later without typing the address again. On iPhone, you save a bookmark by tapping the share button while viewing a webpage, then selecting "Add Bookmark" from the menu that appears. The bookmark then lives in your Safari browser's bookmark folder, where you can find it when ready whenever you need it.
The whole process takes about five seconds and works the same way whether you're using Safari (Apple's built-in browser) or most third-party browsers like Chrome or Firefox. Once you've saved a bookmark, you never have to remember or type that web address again.
Key Takeaways
- Open the webpage you want to save, tap the share button (the box with an arrow), and select "Add Bookmark" from the menu.
- You can rename the bookmark to something shorter or more memorable before you save it.
- Bookmarks are stored in folders within Safari, and you can organize them into custom folders if you have many.
- You can access your bookmarks by tapping the bookmark icon (looks like an open book) in Safari's toolbar at the bottom of the screen.
Opening a webpage and finding the share button
Start by opening Safari or your browser and navigating to the webpage you want to bookmark. Once the page has fully loaded, look at the bottom right corner of your screen. You'll see several icons in a row — one of them is a square with an upward-pointing arrow coming out of it. That's the share button. Tap it.
If you're using a different browser like Chrome or Firefox, the share button is usually in the same location at the bottom right, though the exact icon may look slightly different. The important thing is that it opens a menu of options for sharing or saving the page.
Selecting "Add Bookmark" and naming it
After you tap the share button, a menu will slide up from the bottom of your screen showing several options. Scroll through this menu until you see "Add Bookmark" — it usually appears near the top. Tap it.
A small window will pop up showing the name of the bookmark (usually the title of the webpage) and asking where you want to save it. The name is already filled in, but you can change it to something shorter or easier to remember. For example, if the page title is "Best Sourdough Starter Maintenance Tips for Beginners," you might shorten it to just "Sourdough Tips." Tap the name field and edit it, then tap "Save" to finish.
Finding your bookmarks later
Once you've saved a bookmark, you can return to it anytime by opening Safari and tapping the bookmark icon at the bottom of the screen. It looks like an open book. A menu will appear showing all your saved bookmarks organized by folder.
If you saved the bookmark to the default "Favorites" folder, you'll see it listed right there. Tap the bookmark name and Safari will take you directly to that webpage. If you have many bookmarks, you may want to organize them into custom folders so they're easier to find — you can do this by tapping "Edit" in the bookmark menu and creating new folders.
Organizing bookmarks into folders
If you're saving many bookmarks, keeping them all in one place becomes hard to manage. You can create folders to organize them by topic. Open the bookmark menu (the open book icon), tap "Edit" at the bottom right, then tap "New Folder." Name the folder something descriptive like "Recipes" or "Travel," then tap "Done."
When you save a new bookmark, the same window that lets you rename it also lets you choose which folder to save it to. Tap the folder name at the bottom of the bookmark window and select the folder you want. This way, all your recipe bookmarks stay together, all your travel bookmarks stay together, and so on.
Bookmarks versus reading list
Safari also has a feature called "Reading List," which is different from bookmarks. Reading List is meant for articles you want to read later but don't necessarily want to keep forever. Bookmarks are for websites you return to regularly or want to keep saved indefinitely.
If you tap the share button and see "Add to Reading List" as an option, that's a different feature. For most purposes, bookmarks are what you want — they're easier to find and organize, and they don't disappear after a certain amount of time.
What to do if you can't find the share button
On some older iPhone models or if you're using a full-screen app, the toolbar at the bottom may be hidden. Tap anywhere on the webpage and the toolbar should reappear. If you're in a different app like Mail or Messages and trying to bookmark a link from there, look for a share icon (usually a square with an arrow) in that app's toolbar instead.
If you're using a browser other than Safari, the process is almost identical, but the bookmark menu might be in a slightly different location. Most browsers put it in the toolbar at the bottom or top of the screen, and it usually looks like a star or an open book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bookmark a page if I'm not using Safari?
Yes. Chrome, Firefox, and most other iPhone browsers have a bookmark feature that works the same way. Tap the share button or look for a bookmark icon (often a star) in the browser's toolbar, then select the bookmark option. The bookmarks are stored within that browser, so they won't appear in Safari.
What happens to my bookmarks if I get a new iPhone?
If you use iCloud, your Safari bookmarks are automatically backed up and will appear on your new iPhone when you sign in with the same Apple ID. If you don't use iCloud, you'll need to manually transfer them or export them from your old phone before switching.
Can I bookmark a specific part of a webpage, not the whole page?
No. Bookmarks always save the link to the top of the webpage. However, you can manually note the section you want in the bookmark name — for example, "Sourdough Tips — Section 3" — so you remember where to look when you return.
How many bookmarks can I save?
There's no practical limit to the number of bookmarks you can save on an iPhone. However, if you save hundreds, finding the one you want becomes difficult. Using folders to organize them keeps them manageable.
Is there a way to bookmark a page without using the share button?
In Safari, you can also tap the bookmark icon (open book) at the bottom of the screen, then tap the plus sign that appears. This opens the bookmark window without using the share menu. It's a bit faster if you're already in Safari.