How to Backup (Export) Chrome Bookmarks? (Complete Guide 2024)

By: Daily Tech Posts Editorial Team - Updated: November 21, 2018 9:14 am

Chrome Bookmarks are a quintessential part of today’s highly competitive and fast-paced business world. Imagine you save shortcuts to your favorite web pages, and you switch computers - you’d always wish to navigate through the historical record of your web journey from anywhere else in just seconds.

So, how can one do this? The answer lies in exporting Chrome bookmarks. As a user, you can choose to backup bookmarks in Chrome, and then import the bookmarks in Chrome or other web browsers.

Now, isn’t that a remarkable feature? So, without further ado, let’s explore how to export Chrome bookmarks, and more.

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How to Export Chrome Bookmarks in a jiffy?

One of the first things you may wish to do is backup Chrome bookmarks. So, for this let’s try and understand how to export bookmarks in Chrome? Here’s what you can do:

Open Google Chrome on your computer
Click on the three vertical dots ( with the tooltip text Customise and control Google Chrome ) at the extreme right of the web browser. Next, in the drop-down menu, go to Bookmarks , and then click on the Bookmark manager (Three vertical dots > Bookmarks > Bookmark manager).

Alternatively, you invoke the Bookmark Manager by using the Ctrl + Shift + O shortcut .

In the Bookmark manager page, click the Organise (three vertical dots with the tooltip Organise ) drop-down menu.

Click Export bookmarks to HTML file .

Next, choose a desired name and location for the file and click Save .

How to Retrieve Bookmarks from a Saved file?

Next, let’s have a look at how we can retrieve the bookmarks from the saved HTML file. To retrieve, we would need to understand importing the bookmarks and see how this is done (a) In Google Chrome, and (b) For other web browsers. Let’s start with the former.

(a) In Google Chrome

Open Google Chrome .
Click the three vertical dots at the extreme right of the web browser (with the tooltip text Customise and control Google Chrome) . Next, click on Bookmarks from the drop-down menu, and then find Import bookmarks and settings… and click on it.

Now, on the Open page (Import bookmarks and settings) , select Bookmarks HTML file from the pull-down menu.

And, click on the button Choose file .

Find the saved bookmarks HTML file and double-click on the file.
Click Done .

And, voila you are all set to access your favorite bookmarks.

(b) For other Web Browsers

In the case you choose to import your Google Chrome bookmarks into some other web browsers, the methodology would remain the same.

So, you will need to go to the more-option list or in the Settings pane of your web browser, and find the Bookmarks option. Next, you can find the Import option ( Import from another browser ).

And, you would be all set to retrieve the backed-up bookmarks HTML file into the other web browser of your choice.

How to Transfer Chrome Bookmarks to another computer?

Now, picture that you have a new laptop installed with Windows 10, and you wish to migrate and transfer browser bookmarks to your new system. How do you achieve this? The way you can transfer your Bookmarks is quite simple.

(a) Automatic Transfer

In the case you choose to use Chrome with a Google account, then your browser settings would be saved within the account. So, all you need to do is, to go to your new computer and just log in to your Google account. As you do this, your Google account will load the preferred browser settings from your old computer.

Now, your freshly loaded browser would prompt you to import the settings and bookmarks automatically. The caveat in this scenario is that the user must have a Google account.

(b) Manual Transfer

Pre-requisites: Removable storage device.

In the case, you don’t have Chrome attached to your Google account there is no need to fret. Relax, you can still migrate your bookmarks by manually loading and storing the bookmarks without logging into your Google account.

So, to get into the manual transfer, you will need to connect a USB or some other external storage device (or some cloud-based options) to your old computer and then try the following:

(i) Backup Chrome Bookmarks

Open Google Chrome .
Go to the three vertical dots at the extreme right of the page (with the tooltip text Customise and control Google Chrome ) and click Bookmarks . Next, go to the Bookmark manager , and go to Organise .
And, select Export bookmarks to HTML File and save the bookmark file to your external drive.

(ii) Load and Transfer Bookmarks.

Now, that you have the export bookmarks Chrome ready, you can connect your external drive, which has the saved settings in the HTML file. You can repeat the same methodology.

Open Google Chrome .
Go to the three vertical dots at the extreme top of your webpage ( Customise and control Google Chrome ) and then click Bookmarks , and go to the Bookmark manager .
Next, go to Organise menu and select the Import Bookmarks .

4. When you get the prompt to load your file, access your external drive and select the saved file and load your bookmarks.

Next, let’s try and understand more on syncing Chrome bookmarks.

How to Sync Chrome Bookmarks between computers?

It is very normal for users to have multiple computers, let’s assume one for the workplace and the other which stays at home. And, in the case, you wish to sync up your bookmarks without adding or transferring them to your multiple computers, you can choose to simply set up the Sync in Google Chrome.

This feature, when turned on, can help you access your favorite bookmarks without transferring them. Here are the steps to enable the Sync option on Google Chrome.

Open the Google Chrome
Go to the three vertical dots at the extreme right-hand corner of the webpage.
Choose Settings from the drop-down menu.
Now, in the new tab that is opened, click the Sign in to Chrome button, which is near the top and sign-in to your Google account .
Next, you can choose the settings that you wish to sync or “ Sync everything “. Apart from which, you could also add a passphrase for encryption .

6. Now, you can Enable syncing in Google Chrome on your other devices like phones, tablets, or computers. And, the features you have just selected to sync would appear soon.

This method will save you time and effort of transferring your bookmarks or re-downloading the extensions as Chrome simply brings them along.

Finally, you can enjoy accessing your favorite Bookmarks from absolutely anywhere-anytime by following the easy steps mentioned above. And, if you have any other facet to include on exporting Chrome bookmarks, drop in your thoughts in the Comments box below.

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