Bookmarks save the web address of a page you want to return to later
A bookmark is a stored link to a website. Instead of typing the address or searching for the page again, you click the bookmark and your browser takes you there when ready. Most browsers let you bookmark with a single click or keyboard shortcut, and you can organize bookmarks into folders so you find them when you need them.
Bookmarks live in your browser, not on the website itself. If you switch browsers or computers, your bookmarks do not follow you unless you export them or sign into a browser account that syncs them.
Key Takeaways
- You bookmark a page by clicking the star icon in the address bar, pressing Ctrl+D (Windows) or Cmd+D (Mac), or using the browser menu.
- Most browsers let you choose a folder for the bookmark and edit the name so it is easier to recognize later.
- Bookmarks sync across devices if you sign into your browser account, but they stay local to that browser unless you export them.
- You can organize bookmarks into folders and subfolders, and most browsers let you search your bookmarks by name.
How to bookmark in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari
The process is nearly identical across all major browsers. Open the page you want to bookmark, then use one of these methods:
Keyboard shortcut: Press Ctrl+D on Windows or Cmd+D on Mac. A small dialog box appears asking where you want to save the bookmark and what name to give it.
Star icon: Look for a star icon in the address bar (the field where the website address appears). Click it once to bookmark the page. The star fills in solid to show the page is bookmarked. Click it again to remove the bookmark.
Browser menu: Click the menu button (three horizontal lines in Chrome, Firefox, and Edge; three dots in Safari), then select "Bookmark This Page" or similar wording. This opens the same dialog as the keyboard shortcut.
All three methods do the same thing — they just give you different ways to reach the bookmark dialog depending on what feels fastest to you.
Choosing a folder and naming your bookmark
When you bookmark a page, a dialog box appears with two fields: the bookmark name and the folder where it will be stored. The browser usually fills in the page title as the name, but you can change it to anything shorter or more memorable.
For example, if you bookmark a long article about CSS grid, the page title might be "A informational guide to CSS Grid Layout — CSS-Tricks". You could rename it to just "CSS Grid Guide" so it is easier to scan your bookmarks later.
The folder dropdown lets you choose where the bookmark goes. Most browsers create a default "Bookmarks Bar" folder (bookmarks that appear as clickable buttons at the top of the browser window) and a "Other Bookmarks" folder for everything else. You can create new folders to organize by topic — for example, "HTML Reference", "JavaScript Tools", "Design Inspiration" — and store related bookmarks inside them.
Finding and using your bookmarks
Once you have bookmarks saved, you access them through the Bookmarks menu or by clicking the bookmark icon in your browser toolbar. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, look for a folder icon near the address bar. In Safari, use the menu bar at the top of the screen.
Most browsers also let you search your bookmarks. In Chrome and Edge, press Ctrl+Shift+B (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+B (Mac) to open the Bookmark Manager, where you can search by name, sort by folder, and delete or rename bookmarks. Firefox has a similar Bookmark Manager accessible through the menu.
If you have bookmarks on the Bookmarks Bar, they appear as clickable buttons at the top of the browser window, so you can reach them without opening a menu. This is useful for sites you visit several times a week.
Syncing bookmarks across devices
If you sign into a browser account, your bookmarks sync automatically to other devices where you use the same account. In Chrome, sign into your Google account. In Firefox, create a Firefox account. In Edge, sign into your Microsoft account. In Safari, turn on iCloud Sync in System Preferences (Mac) or Settings (iPhone/iPad).
Syncing means you can bookmark a page on your work computer and see it on your phone without doing anything extra. If you delete a bookmark on one device, it disappears from all devices. If you do not want syncing, you can turn it off in your browser settings, and bookmarks will stay only on that device.
Keep in mind that syncing works only within the same browser. A bookmark in Chrome does not appear in Firefox, even if you use the same email address to sign in to both.
Exporting and importing bookmarks
If you want to move bookmarks from one browser to another, or back them up in case you lose them, you can export them as a file. In most browsers, open the Bookmark Manager or menu, look for an option called "Export Bookmarks" or "Backup", and save the file to your computer.
The exported file is usually an HTML file that any browser can read. To import bookmarks from another browser or from a backup, open the Bookmark Manager, find the "Import" option, and select the file. The bookmarks appear in a new folder so you can review them before moving them to their final location.
This process is useful when switching browsers or when you want to share a set of bookmarks with someone else (for example, a list of reference sites for a project).
Organizing bookmarks so you can find them later
As you bookmark more pages, your list grows. Without organization, finding a specific bookmark takes time. Create folders for broad categories — "Web Development", "Design Tools", "Learning Resources" — and subfolders within them if needed.
Name bookmarks clearly so you can recognize them at a glance. "CSS Grid" is more useful than "Article", and "MDN: Flexbox" is clearer than "Reference". If you bookmark many pages from the same site, include the site name so you remember where the information came from.
Review your bookmarks every few months and delete ones you no longer use. This keeps your list manageable and makes it easier to spot the bookmarks you actually need.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a bookmark and a favorite?
In most modern browsers, "bookmark" and "favorite" mean the same thing — a saved link to a page. Internet Explorer used the term "favorite", while other browsers use "bookmark". The functionality is identical.
Can I bookmark a page that requires a login?
Yes, you can bookmark the page. When you click the bookmark later, the browser takes you to that page, but you will need to log in again if your session has expired. The bookmark saves only the address, not your login information.
Do bookmarks take up storage space on my computer?
No, bookmarks use almost no storage. A bookmark is just a text file containing a web address and a name. Even thousands of bookmarks take up less than a megabyte of space.
What happens to my bookmarks if I uninstall my browser?
If you uninstall the browser, bookmarks are usually deleted along with it. If you signed into a browser account and syncing was on, you can reinstall the browser, sign in again, and your bookmarks will reappear. If syncing was off, export your bookmarks before uninstalling.
Can I share a bookmark with someone else?
You can export your bookmarks as a file and send it to someone, or you can straightforward copy the web address and send it to them. You cannot directly share individual bookmarks between browser accounts the way you might share a document.