Moving your Chrome data to Firefox takes about five minutes and happens in one direction: Firefox can import from Chrome, but you choose what to bring over
Firefox has a built-in import tool that reads your Chrome profile and copies bookmarks, passwords, browsing history, and autofill information into Firefox. You do not need to export anything from Chrome first — Firefox finds your Chrome data automatically when you start the import. The process is the same whether you are on Windows, Mac, or Linux.
The import happens once, at the moment you choose it. After that, Chrome and Firefox are separate. Changes you make in one browser do not sync to the other. If you want to keep using both browsers, you will need to manage bookmarks in each one separately, or use a cloud service like Pocket or a bookmark manager to keep them in sync.
Key Takeaways
- Firefox imports bookmarks, passwords, history, and autofill data directly from Chrome without requiring you to export anything first.
- The import tool is built into Firefox and appears the first time you open it, or you can access it through the menu at any time.
- You can choose which types of data to import — you do not have to import everything if you want to start fresh with some categories.
- Importing happens once and does not create an ongoing sync between Chrome and Firefox; changes in one browser stay in that browser.
- Extensions, themes, and payment methods do not import automatically and must be set up separately in Firefox.
How to import your data the first time you open Firefox
When you launch Firefox for the first time, a welcome screen appears with an option to import from another browser. Click the button labeled "Import browsing data from another browser" or look for a section that says "Import from Chrome." Firefox will then show you a list of data types: bookmarks, history, passwords, and autofill information. Check the boxes next to the data you want to bring over.
Click the import button, and Firefox will copy your selected data into its own storage. This usually takes less than a minute. Once it finishes, your bookmarks appear in the Firefox menu, your passwords are stored in Firefox's password manager, and your history is searchable in the Firefox history view. You can start using Firefox when ready.
How to import data if you have already opened Firefox
If you have already set up Firefox and want to import Chrome data now, open the Firefox menu (the three horizontal lines in the top right corner). Select "Settings," then click "General" in the left sidebar. Scroll down to the section labeled "Browsing & History" and look for a link that says "Import bookmarks, history, passwords and more." Click it.
A window will open asking which browser you want to import from. Select "Google Chrome" from the list. Firefox will then show you the same data type options: bookmarks, history, passwords, and autofill. Choose what you want to import and click the import button. The process is the same as the first-time import — it happens once and completes in under a minute.
What data imports and what does not
Firefox can import bookmarks, history, passwords, and autofill information (like your name, address, and phone number if you saved them in Chrome). These are the core pieces of your browsing profile that Firefox needs to function like your old browser.
Firefox does not import Chrome extensions, themes, or payment methods. You will need to install Firefox extensions separately by visiting the Firefox Add-ons store. If you used a Chrome theme, you can choose a Firefox theme from the same Add-ons store, but it will not be the same one. Payment methods like credit cards saved in Chrome do not transfer — you can add them to Firefox's autofill settings manually, or let Firefox prompt you to save them the next time you make a purchase online.
Chrome sync settings do not import either. If you were syncing Chrome across multiple devices using your Google account, that sync stops when you switch to Firefox. Firefox has its own sync feature that uses a Firefox account, which you can set up separately if you want to sync bookmarks and passwords across devices.
Organizing your imported bookmarks
When Firefox imports your bookmarks, it creates a folder called "Imported Bookmarks" or "From Google Chrome" in your bookmarks menu. All your Chrome bookmarks land in this folder first. You can then move them to other folders, delete ones you do not need, or reorganize them however you prefer.
To access your bookmarks, click the star icon in the top right of Firefox, or press Ctrl+Shift+B (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+B (Mac) to open the bookmarks sidebar. From there, you can drag bookmarks to new folders, create new folders, or delete bookmarks you no longer use. This is a good time to clean up bookmarks you accumulated in Chrome but never actually visit.
Handling passwords and autofill information
Your Chrome passwords import into Firefox's password manager. To view them, click the menu button (three lines), select "Settings," click "Privacy & Security" in the left sidebar, and scroll down to "Logins and Passwords." Click "Saved Logins" to see all imported passwords. Firefox will ask you to enter your computer password before showing the actual passwords, as a security measure.
Autofill information like your name, address, and phone number appears in Firefox's autofill settings under the same "Privacy & Security" section, in a subsection called "Autofill." You can edit, delete, or add more autofill profiles here. The next time you fill out a form online, Firefox will offer to autofill your information just like Chrome did.
What to do if the import does not work
If Firefox does not find your Chrome data, make sure Chrome is fully closed before you try importing. Firefox reads Chrome's local files, and Chrome locks those files while it is running. Close Chrome completely, then try the import again.
If you are on Windows and Chrome is still not appearing as an option, check that you are logged into the Windows user account where you installed Chrome. Firefox can only import from Chrome profiles on the same user account. If you used Chrome on a different Windows user account, you will need to switch to that account to import from it.
If you are on Mac and the import still does not work, open System Preferences, click "Security & Privacy," select the "Privacy" tab, and look for "Files and Folders" in the left sidebar. Make sure Firefox has permission to access your home folder. If it does not, click the lock icon at the bottom left, enter your password, and add Firefox to the list.
Keeping Chrome and Firefox in sync after import
Once you import your data, Chrome and Firefox are no longer connected. If you add a bookmark in Firefox, it does not appear in Chrome, and vice versa. If you want to use both browsers and keep your bookmarks synchronized, you have a few options.
You can use a cloud-based bookmark manager like Pocket, which both Chrome and Firefox support through extensions. You save bookmarks to Pocket from either browser, and they appear in both. Another option is to use your browser's built-in sync feature: Chrome syncs through your Google account, and Firefox syncs through a Firefox account. If you set up Firefox sync, your bookmarks and passwords will stay in sync across all your Firefox devices, but they will not sync with Chrome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import my Chrome data to Firefox on my phone?
Firefox for Android and iOS can import some data from Chrome on those devices, but the process is different from desktop. On Android, open Firefox, tap the menu button, select "Settings," tap "Import," and choose Chrome. On iOS, the import option may not be available depending on your Firefox version. Check the Firefox Help documentation for your specific device.
Will importing my Chrome data delete anything from Chrome?
No. Importing only copies data from Chrome to Firefox. Your Chrome bookmarks, passwords, and history remain in Chrome exactly as they were. You can delete Chrome later if you want, but the import itself does not touch anything in Chrome.
What if I want to import only bookmarks and not passwords?
When the import window appears, you can uncheck the boxes next to the data types you do not want to import. If you uncheck "Passwords," Firefox will import only bookmarks, history, and autofill information. You can import different data types at different times if you change your mind later.
Can I import from Chrome multiple times?
Yes. You can run the import process as many times as you want. If you import the same data twice, Firefox will create duplicates, so it is usually best to import once and then manage your data manually after that. If you want to import additional data you skipped the first time, you can run the import again and select only the new data types.
Do my Chrome extensions automatically work in Firefox?
No. Chrome extensions do not work in Firefox because they are built for Chrome's system. You will need to find Firefox equivalents in the Firefox Add-ons store. Many popular Chrome extensions have Firefox versions with the same or similar names. Search for the extension by name in the Add-ons store to see if a Firefox version exists.