How to export Chrome bookmarks on Windows, Mac and Linux
You export Chrome bookmarks from the Bookmark manager, and the steps are the same on Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS. Chrome writes one HTML file that holds every folder, bookmark and the date each was added.
- Open Chrome on your computer and click the ⋮ menu at the top right.
- Choose Bookmarks and lists → Bookmark manager. The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+O on Windows and Linux, or ⌘+Option+B on a Mac. You can also type
chrome://bookmarksin the address bar. - Click the ⋮ menu in the blue bar at the top of the Bookmark manager (not the browser menu).
- Choose Export bookmarks, pick a folder and save. Chrome names the file
bookmarks_plus the date, for examplebookmarks_9_26_26.html.
That is the whole Chrome export bookmarks flow. The file always contains everything, including Mobile bookmarks if you sync a phone; Chrome cannot export bookmarks from Chrome one folder at a time. To do that, open the file above, pick a folder and download just that part.
Where are Chrome bookmarks stored on your computer?
Chrome stores bookmarks in a JSON file named Bookmarks, with no extension, inside your profile folder. The default profile folder is Default; extra profiles are Profile 1, Profile 2 and so on.
| System | Path to the Bookmarks file |
|---|---|
| Windows | %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Bookmarks |
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Default/Bookmarks |
| Linux | ~/.config/google-chrome/Default/Bookmarks |
| Linux (Chromium) | ~/.config/chromium/Default/Bookmarks |
Not sure which profile you use? Type chrome://version in the address bar and look at Profile Path. That line shows the exact folder for the window you are in. On a Mac the Library folder is hidden; in Finder press ⌘+Shift+G and paste the path.
This is how to extract Chrome bookmarks when Chrome will not open, or from an old drive or backup. Copy the Bookmarks file and drop it into the tool; it rebuilds your folders and saves a bookmarks HTML file any browser can import. If the file is damaged, try Bookmarks.bak, the backup copy Chrome keeps beside it.
Bookmarks HTML export or the Bookmarks file: which should you use?
Use the HTML export for moving to another browser or computer, and the raw Bookmarks file for recovery. Both hold the same bookmarks and folders, but only the HTML export is a format other browsers can import.
| Bookmarks HTML export | Chrome's Bookmarks file | |
|---|---|---|
| How you get it | Bookmark manager → Export bookmarks | Copy it from the profile folder |
| Format | Netscape bookmark HTML | JSON |
| Imports into other browsers | Yes: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Brave, Opera | No, not directly |
| Needs Chrome to be running | Yes | No, so it works for broken installs |
| Dates | Date added, in Unix seconds | Date added, in microseconds since 1601 |
| Opens in this tool | Yes | Yes |
The HTML export's ADD_DATE values are ordinary Unix timestamps; paste one into the Unix timestamp converter if you want to read it by hand. The Bookmarks file is plain JSON, so the JSON formatter will pretty-print it if you are curious about its structure.
Can you export bookmarks in Chrome on Android or iPhone?
No. Chrome on Android, iPhone and iPad has no option to export bookmarks in Chrome as a file. The workaround is sync: get the bookmarks onto a computer through your Google Account, then export from there.
- On the phone, open Chrome, tap your profile picture and sign in. Check that bookmarks are included in what Chrome syncs.
- On a computer, sign in to Chrome with the same Google Account and wait a minute for bookmarks to arrive.
- Phone bookmarks appear in a folder called Mobile bookmarks in the Bookmark manager.
- Export as usual from the Bookmark manager. Here you can pick the Mobile bookmarks folder to save only those.
This page also works on a phone: tap the upload box and choose an export saved in your files app.
Chrome bookmarks transfer: moving them to another computer or browser
For any Chrome bookmarks transfer you have two routes: sync through a Google Account, or export an HTML file and import it on the other side. Sync is easier between two copies of Chrome. The HTML file works everywhere and does not need an account.
| Destination | Import steps for the HTML file |
|---|---|
| Chrome on another computer | ⋮ menu → Bookmarks and lists → Import bookmarks and settings → Bookmarks HTML file → Choose file. Or sign in and sync. |
| Microsoft Edge | Settings → Profiles → Import browser data → import from a Favorites or bookmarks HTML file. Edge can also import straight from Chrome on the same PC. |
| Firefox | Bookmarks → Manage bookmarks (Ctrl+Shift+O) → Import and Backup → Import Bookmarks from HTML. |
| Safari on Mac | File → Import From → Bookmarks HTML File. If Chrome is on the same Mac, File → Import From Browser → Google Chrome skips the file. |
| Spreadsheet or notes app | Convert here to CSV or Markdown, then open or paste the result. |
To migrate Chrome bookmarks to a new computer without signing in, export Chrome bookmarks on the old machine, copy the HTML file over by USB stick or cloud drive, then import it. Imported bookmarks land in a new Imported folder, so nothing is overwritten.
To transfer bookmarks to Chrome from Edge, Firefox or Safari, reverse it: export HTML from the old browser and use Import bookmarks and settings in Chrome.
Clean up before you migrate Chrome bookmarks
Clean the export before you import it; that is easier than fixing a messy import afterwards.
- Duplicates. The Duplicate finder groups URLs saved more than once and shows each copy's folder.
example.com/pageandEXAMPLE.com/page/count as the same. - One folder only. Choose a folder in the filter to move just your Work or Recipes collection.
- One website. Filter by website to see, say, every YouTube video you saved, then export that list.
- Bookmarklets. Bookmarks that start with
javascript:are shown as text with a bookmarklet badge. They stay in HTML exports but are never clickable here.
Then choose Bookmarks HTML and download; the folders you kept stay intact. To see exactly what changed, paste the old and new exports into the diff checker.
Which format should you convert your bookmarks to?
Pick Bookmarks HTML to move into a browser, CSV for a spreadsheet, JSON for code and Markdown for notes. Every format includes title and URL; CSV, JSON and HTML also keep the date added when the source file has it.
- Bookmarks HTML
- The Netscape format every major browser imports, with folders and dates. Use it for any Chrome bookmarks export you plan to import.
- CSV
- One row per bookmark: Title, URL, Folder, Date added. UTF-8, and titles starting with = + - or @ get an apostrophe so spreadsheets never run them as formulas.
- JSON
- A flat array of
title,url,folderanddateAddedobjects for scripts and apps. - Markdown
- A heading per folder with a list of links. Paste it into Notion, Obsidian or a README.
Title,URL,Folder,Date added
MDN Web Docs,https://developer.mozilla.org/,Bookmarks bar,2024-09-05T08:53:20.000Z
Team calendar,https://calendar.google.com/,Bookmarks bar / Work,2024-09-28T12:40:00.000ZExporting Chrome bookmarks: common problems and fixes
Most problems with exporting Chrome bookmarks come down to the wrong profile, a missing menu item, or a file that is not a bookmarks file. These fixes cover the usual cases.
- No Export option. You used the browser's ⋮ menu. Open the Bookmark manager, then use the ⋮ menu inside it. On a managed device, an administrator may block bookmark editing.
- Bookmarks are missing from the export. You have more than one Chrome profile. Switch to the right one (profile picture, top right) and export again.
- "Not a bookmarks file" error. You may have picked
Historyor a saved web page. Choose the file named exactlyBookmarks, or the .html export. - Everything landed in an Imported folder. That is normal; drag the contents where you want them.
- Duplicates after syncing. Importing a file into a browser that already synced the same bookmarks doubles them. Run the export through the Duplicate finder, remove extras, delete the old set and import the clean file.
Still stuck? What's My Browser shows your exact Chrome version, and Chrome Flags Explorer explains experimental settings you may have switched on.
Do you need a bookmark manager extension?
Usually not. Chrome's built-in bookmark manager handles folders, search and export, and this page covers one-off clean-ups. An extension helps if you save dozens of pages a week.
If your real problem is too many open tabs rather than too many bookmarks, a tab manager is the better fix. OneTab collapses every open tab into one list, and our tab manager extensions guide compares the options. Check which permissions any bookmark or tab extension asks for; the tabs permission page explains what that access means.