How to Move Your Bookmarks Out of Firefox

The fastest way to save your Firefox bookmarks

You can move your Firefox bookmarks to another browser or save them as a backup file in about five minutes. Firefox stores bookmarks in a folder called "Bookmarks" in its menu, and you can export them all at once as an HTML file that most other browsers can read. The steps are the same whether you use Windows, Mac, or Linux.

The most common reason to transfer bookmarks is switching to Chrome, Edge, or Safari. Another reason is backing up your bookmarks before reinstalling Firefox or moving to a new computer. Either way, the process starts in Firefox itself — you do not need any extra software.

Key Takeaways

Firefox exports all bookmarks as a single HTML file through the menu: click the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines), then Bookmarks, then Manage Bookmarks, then the gear icon, then Export Bookmarks.
The exported file is a standard HTML document that Chrome, Edge, Safari, and most other browsers can read and import directly.
Save the exported file somewhere you can find it again, like your Desktop or Documents folder, before you close Firefox.
To import bookmarks into another browser, look for an import or restore option in that browser's settings, then select the HTML file you exported from Firefox.

Exporting bookmarks from Firefox step by step

Open Firefox and click the hamburger menu icon — three horizontal lines — in the top right corner of the window. A dropdown menu will appear with several options.

Click on Bookmarks in that menu. A submenu will open showing options like "Bookmark This Page" and "Manage Bookmarks." Click Manage Bookmarks to open the Bookmarks Library window.

In the Bookmarks Library window, look for a gear icon in the top right corner. Click it and select Export Bookmarks from the dropdown menu. A file save dialog will open.

Choose where to save the file — your Desktop or Documents folder works well — and click Save. Firefox will create an HTML file with a name like "bookmarks-2024-01-15.html" (the date will be today's date). This file now contains every bookmark you have in Firefox.

What the exported file contains

The HTML file Firefox creates is a plain text document that lists all your bookmarks in a format other browsers understand. It includes the bookmark names, the web addresses they point to, and the folder structure you created (like if you organized bookmarks into folders for "News," "Shopping," or "Work").

The file does not include your Firefox passwords, saved form data, or browsing history — only the bookmarks themselves. If you want to back up passwords and other data, you would need to use Firefox's built-in sync feature or export that data separately.

Importing bookmarks into Chrome

Open Chrome and click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner. Select Bookmarks, then Import bookmarks and settings.

A dialog box will appear asking which browser you want to import from. Select Bookmarks HTML file at the bottom of the list. Click Choose File and navigate to the HTML file you exported from Firefox. Select it and click Open.

Chrome will import all your bookmarks and organize them into a folder called "Imported" or add them to your existing bookmark structure, depending on your Chrome version. Your Firefox bookmark folders will appear as folders in Chrome's bookmark menu.

Importing bookmarks into Edge

Open Microsoft Edge and click the three-dot menu in the top right corner. Select Favorites, then Manage favorites, then the three-dot menu again and choose Import favorites.

A window will open asking what you want to import from. Select Bookmarks HTML file. Click Choose File, navigate to your exported Firefox HTML file, and select it.

Edge will import your bookmarks and place them in a folder called "Imported from Firefox" in your Favorites menu. You can move them to other folders afterward if you want to reorganize them.

Importing bookmarks into Safari

Open Safari and click File in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Select Import From, then Bookmarks HTML File.

A file browser will open. Navigate to the HTML file you exported from Firefox and click Import. Safari will add all your Firefox bookmarks to its Bookmarks menu, usually in a folder labeled "Imported Bookmarks" or directly into your existing bookmarks.

Common problems and how to fix them

If you cannot find the Manage Bookmarks option, you may be using an older version of Firefox. Try clicking the hamburger menu, then Bookmarks, then look for a Show All Bookmarks option instead. This opens the same Bookmarks Library window.

If the imported bookmarks appear in the wrong place in your new browser, you can move them manually. Most browsers let you drag bookmark folders around in their bookmark manager. You can also delete the imported folder and move individual bookmarks to where you want them.

If the HTML file will not import into your new browser, make sure you saved it with the .html file extension. Some browsers are particular about the file format. You can also try opening the HTML file in a text editor to confirm it contains bookmark data — it should show lines with words like "HREF" and "TITLE" mixed with web addresses.

Keeping bookmarks in sync across devices

If you use Firefox on multiple devices, exporting and importing is a one-time process. For ongoing sync — so new bookmarks appear on all your devices automatically — use Firefox Sync instead. Sign in with a Firefox account in the settings menu, and your bookmarks will sync across any device where you sign in.

Chrome, Edge, and Safari all have similar sync features if you sign in with your account on each device. Once you import your Firefox bookmarks into one of these browsers and sign in, your bookmarks will stay up to date across your phone, tablet, and computers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I export just some of my bookmarks instead of all of them?

The export function in Firefox exports everything at once. If you want to move only certain bookmarks, you can manually copy them one at a time by right-clicking each bookmark and selecting "Copy," then pasting it into your new browser. For a large subset of bookmarks, it is usually faster to export everything and then delete the ones you do not want in your new browser.

Will my bookmark passwords come with the exported file?

No. The HTML file contains only the bookmark names and web addresses. Passwords, usernames, and other login information stay in Firefox and do not transfer. You will need to log in again on websites in your new browser, or use your new browser's password manager to store credentials separately.

What if I lose the exported HTML file?

You can export your bookmarks again anytime by following the same steps. Firefox keeps your bookmarks in its local storage, so as long as Firefox is installed, you can create a new export file. If you have already deleted Firefox, the bookmarks are gone unless you saved the HTML file.

Can I import bookmarks from another browser into Firefox?

Yes. Most browsers can export their bookmarks as HTML files. Once you have the HTML file from Chrome, Edge, Safari, or another browser, open Firefox, go to Bookmarks > Manage Bookmarks, click the gear icon, and select Import Bookmarks instead of Export. Select the HTML file from your other browser and Firefox will add them to your bookmarks.

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