The quickest way to bookmark a page on iPhone
To bookmark a page in Safari on iPhone, tap the Share button (the square with an arrow pointing up) at the bottom of the screen. A menu will appear. Tap Add Bookmark, and a dialog box will open showing the page title and the folder where it will be saved. The default folder is usually "Favorites," but you can change it by tapping the folder name. Tap Save to confirm.
The bookmark is now stored in Safari and will appear in your Bookmarks menu the next time you open it. You can access your bookmarks by tapping the Bookmarks icon (it looks like an open book) at the bottom of Safari, then selecting the folder where you saved it.
Key Takeaways
- Tap the Share button at the bottom of Safari, then select Add Bookmark to save any page you are viewing.
- You can choose which folder to save your bookmark in, or create a new folder to organize related bookmarks together.
- Bookmarks saved to "Favorites" appear in a dedicated tab at the top of Safari for quick access.
- You can edit or delete bookmarks by opening the Bookmarks menu, tapping Edit, and making changes to the list.
Creating folders to organize your bookmarks
If you bookmark many pages, organizing them into folders makes them easier to find later. When you tap Add Bookmark, the dialog shows a folder name at the bottom. Tap that folder name to see all available folders and choose a different one.
To create a new folder, tap Edit in the Bookmarks menu (the open book icon), then tap New Folder at the bottom. Name your folder and choose where it should go. You might create folders for topics like "Web Development Tools," "Reference Sites," or "Design Inspiration." Once the folder exists, you can select it when saving future bookmarks.
The difference between Favorites and other bookmark folders
Safari has a special folder called Favorites. Any bookmark you save to Favorites appears as a row of icons at the top of the Safari start page, below the search bar. This makes them when ready visible when you open a new tab, without needing to navigate through menus.
Other folders you create are stored in the Bookmarks menu but do not appear on the start page. If you want quick access to a bookmark without opening the Bookmarks menu, save it to Favorites. If you want to keep it organized but do not need when ready access, save it to a custom folder instead.
Editing or removing bookmarks you no longer need
To change a bookmark after you have saved it, open the Bookmarks menu (the open book icon at the bottom of Safari), then tap Edit in the top right corner. You will see a list of all your bookmarks and folders. Tap the red minus icon next to any bookmark to remove it, or tap a bookmark to edit its name or folder location.
You can also delete a bookmark by swiping left on it in the Bookmarks menu and tapping Delete. This is faster if you only need to remove one or two bookmarks without entering Edit mode.
Syncing bookmarks across your Apple devices
If you use iCloud, your Safari bookmarks automatically sync across your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other Apple devices. This means a bookmark you save on your iPhone will appear in Safari on your Mac, and vice versa. To turn on syncing, go to Settings on your iPhone, tap your name at the top, select iCloud, and make sure the toggle next to Safari is turned on.
If you do not use iCloud or prefer not to sync, your bookmarks stay only on the device where you created them. You can still access them in Safari on that device, but they will not appear on your other Apple devices.
Using the reading list as an alternative to bookmarks
Safari also has a Reading List, which is different from bookmarks. The Reading List is meant for pages you want to read later but do not necessarily want to keep forever. To add a page to your Reading List, tap the Share button and select Add to Reading List instead of Add Bookmark.
Reading List items appear in a separate menu (also accessed through the Bookmarks icon) and are organized by date rather than by folder. This works well if you collect articles or pages to review later but do not want them cluttering your main bookmark folders. Reading List items also sync across your Apple devices if iCloud is enabled.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bookmark a page without using the Share button?
No, the Share button is the standard way to bookmark in Safari on iPhone. There is no keyboard shortcut or alternative method. However, once you bookmark a page, you can access it quickly by tapping the Bookmarks icon and selecting the folder where you saved it.
What happens to my bookmarks if I delete Safari?
If you delete the Safari app from your iPhone, your bookmarks are deleted with it. However, if you have iCloud syncing turned on, your bookmarks are backed up to iCloud and will reappear if you reinstall Safari or sign into iCloud on another device.
Can I bookmark a page in other browsers like Chrome or Firefox?
Yes. Chrome and Firefox on iPhone have their own bookmark features, usually accessed through a menu icon (three dots or lines) at the bottom or top of the screen. The steps are similar to Safari, but the exact buttons and menu names differ depending on which browser you use.
How do I move a bookmark to a different folder after I save it?
Open the Bookmarks menu, tap Edit, then tap the bookmark you want to move. A dialog will open showing its current folder. Tap the folder name to choose a different one, then tap Done to save the change.