How to Copy Your Bookmarks Out of Chrome

The fastest way to move your Chrome bookmarks

The simplest path is to export your bookmarks as an HTML file, then import that file into another browser. Chrome stores all your bookmarks in one place, and the export takes about two minutes. You do not need any extensions or special tools — the feature is built into Chrome itself.

This method works whether you are moving to Firefox, Safari, Edge, or any other browser. The HTML file is a standard format that nearly every browser can read. Once you have the file saved to your computer, you can import it into as many browsers as you want, or keep it as a backup.

Key Takeaways

Export your bookmarks from Chrome by opening the menu, selecting Bookmarks, then Export Bookmarks, and saving the file to your computer.
The exported file is an HTML document that you can open in any text editor or import directly into another browser.
Most browsers have an Import option in their bookmark menu that will read the Chrome HTML file and add all your bookmarks automatically.
Keep the exported HTML file in a safe location if you want to restore your bookmarks later or move them to a third browser.

Export bookmarks from Chrome on Windows or Mac

Open Chrome and click the three-line menu icon in the top right corner of the window. This menu contains all of Chrome's settings and tools. From the dropdown, hover over Bookmarks — a submenu will appear with several options.

Click Bookmark Manager to open the full list of your saved bookmarks. At the top of the Bookmark Manager window, you will see another three-dot menu icon. Click it and select Export Bookmarks. A dialog box will open asking where you want to save the file.

Choose a location you will remember — your Desktop or Documents folder works well. The file will be named bookmarks.html by default. You can rename it if you want (for example, "Chrome Bookmarks Backup"), but leave the .html extension at the end. Click Save, and the export is complete.

Import bookmarks into Firefox

Open Firefox and click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right. Select Bookmarks, then click Manage Bookmarks to open the Bookmarks window. At the top of that window, click the menu icon again and select Import and Backup, then Import Bookmarks from HTML.

A file browser will open. Navigate to the bookmarks.html file you exported from Chrome and click Open. Firefox will read the file and add all your Chrome bookmarks to a folder called "Imported" in your Firefox bookmarks. You can move individual bookmarks or the entire folder to your main bookmarks bar if you want them more visible.

Import bookmarks into Safari

Open Safari and click File in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Select Import From, then choose Chrome Bookmarks if that option appears — Safari can sometimes detect Chrome automatically. If it does not, select Import Bookmarks instead and navigate to your bookmarks.html file.

Safari will add your bookmarks to a folder called "Imported" in your Bookmarks menu. You can reorganize them afterward by dragging bookmarks to different folders or the bookmarks bar.

Import bookmarks into Microsoft Edge

Open Edge and click the three-dot menu in the top right. Select Bookmarks, then Manage Bookmarks. Click the three-dot menu again and select Import Bookmarks and Settings. A window will open with options to import from other browsers.

If Chrome appears in the list, you can click it and Edge will import your bookmarks directly without needing the HTML file. If you want to use the HTML file instead, select Bookmarks HTML File and navigate to your bookmarks.html file. Edge will add them to a folder called "Imported Bookmarks."

What the bookmarks.html file contains

The file Chrome creates is a plain text document written in HTML format — the same language used to build web pages. You can open it in any text editor (Notepad on Windows, TextEdit on Mac) to see the raw code, though it is not meant to be read by humans. Each bookmark is stored as a link with the website address and the name you gave it.

Because it is a standard HTML file, it is compatible with nearly every browser made in the last fifteen years. You can also email the file to yourself, save it to cloud storage, or keep multiple copies as backups. The file size is usually very small — even thousands of bookmarks typically take up less than one megabyte.

Organizing bookmarks after import

When you import bookmarks into a new browser, they usually land in a single folder or at the bottom of your existing bookmarks. Spend a few minutes moving them to where you want them. Most browsers let you drag bookmarks between folders, delete duplicates, or rename folders to match your system.

If you had bookmarks organized into folders in Chrome (like "Work," "Recipes," or "Travel"), those folder names and structure will come through in the import. You may need to move the imported folder to your main bookmarks bar or reorganize it to match the new browser's layout, but the bookmarks themselves are all there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import the same bookmarks.html file into multiple browsers?

Yes. The HTML file does not change when you import it, so you can use the same file to import into Firefox, Safari, Edge, or any other browser. Each browser will add the bookmarks independently, and you can organize them differently in each one.

What if I want to keep my Chrome bookmarks and add the imported ones to another browser?

Importing does not remove anything from Chrome. Your Chrome bookmarks stay exactly where they are. The import process only adds a copy of them to the new browser, so you end up with bookmarks in both places.

Will my bookmarks sync across devices after I import them?

That depends on the browser. Firefox and Edge will sync bookmarks across your devices if you sign in with an account. Safari syncs through iCloud if you are on Apple devices. Check the browser's sync settings to turn this on after importing.

Can I edit the bookmarks.html file before importing it?

Technically yes, but it is not recommended unless you know HTML. It is easier to import all your bookmarks and then delete the ones you do not want in the new browser. If you want to remove specific bookmarks before importing, do that in Chrome first, then export again.

What happens if I lose the bookmarks.html file?

You can create a new one anytime by exporting from Chrome again. If you have already imported the bookmarks into another browser, they are safe there. The HTML file is just a backup — the actual bookmarks live in each browser's own storage.

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