Google Chrome bookmarks are easy to sort and access from the browser. It only takes a few clicks to add, delete, and rename bookmarks as needed. However, when you need to migrate bookmarks to a new browser, you may need to locate your bookmarks file to transfer them manually unless you use the export function to create a new file.
Chrome stores all bookmarks together. If you can’t find the bookmark file, you must have the wrong folder open or be in the wrong user path. It is always in the same folder on any system. However, the folder may reside in a different location based on the OS in use, such as Windows 10, macOS, or a Linux variant.
This article provides various methods to access your Google Chrome bookmarks to back them up or import them into another browser.
How to Find Google Chrome Bookmarks on Windows
To reach the bookmark file in Windows, you will have to access your AppData folder. To find the folder, follow these steps:
- Open File Explorer.
- Go to C:/Users/[YourUserNameHere] and select the AppData folder. If successful, skip to Step 6.
If you don’t see the AppData folder, it is hidden. To access it, you need to change your settings to show hidden folders.
- To show hidden folders, select the View tab from the menu.
- In the Show/hide section, tick Hidden items.
- Try again to open C:/Users/[YourUserNameHere] and select the AppData folder. It should now be visible.
- Click on the Local folder.
- Go to Google > Chrome > User Data.
- Select the Profile 2 folder if listed, then skip to Step 10. If not, continue to Step 9.
- If the Profile 2 folder does not exist, select Default or Profile 1, depending on the number of profiles in your Chrome browser.
- Scroll down, and you will find the Bookmarks file. You can “kind of” view the bookmarks file within the folder using Notepad++ to verify it is the correct one. If not, look for another profile folder.
Now you can move, copy, or delete your Chrome bookmarks at your discretion.
Where are Google Chrome Bookmarks Stored in macOS?
Google Chrome stores its bookmarks in the “Application Support” directory in macOS. You can find this directory using Terminal. You must set your file browser to show hidden folders in macOS.
Type command line: /Users//Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Default. Press Enter and Finder will access the folder with your bookmarks.
If the folder is hidden, you can still access it with Finder. Here is what you should do:
- Open Finder.
- Navigate to Users//.
- If you don’t see a Library directory, press the Command + Shift + Period buttons to toggle off hidden folders. Alternatively, if you want to access the Library files directly, hold the Alt key before selecting the Go menu.
- Go to Library > Application Support.
- Find and click on Google.
- Now, click on Chrome.
- Open the Default folder.
- You should now see a Bookmarks file containing all of your Chrome bookmarks and a Bookmarks.bak file that serves as a backup.
Where are Google Chrome Bookmarks Stored in Linux?
If you are using Linux, you can access the files using two methods.
Option 1: Use the Terminal in Linux
- Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open Terminal.
- In the Terminal window, type this path:
/home//.config/google-chrome/Default/
Or, depending on the version of Chrome that you use, you might need this path instead:
/home//.config/chromium/Default
/
- Press Enter, and you will access the folder with your bookmarks file.
If you cannot access the file path/folder, you need to click Show hidden files in the file browser’s menu.
Option 2: Use a File Browser Directly
Depending on your flavor of Linux, you have various file browsers at your disposal, such as Nautilus (default in Ubuntu), Dolphin (popular amongst different Linux Systems), Thumar, Konqueror, Krusader, etc.
- Open the file browser of your choice. The default may be the best option based on pre-established privileges.
- Open Home > [your username] > .config > google-chrome > Default. Change google-chrome to chromium in your nav path if you use a Chromium browser version instead.
- The Bookmarks and Bookmarks.bak files should appear within the Default folder.
Export Chrome Bookmarks as an HTML File
If you don’t want to navigate through hidden files and system files, you can still get to your Google Chrome Bookmarks by exporting them as an HTML file.
To export your Chrome bookmarks, you need to do the following:
- Open Google Chrome.
- Click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner of the Chrome window.
- Hover over the Bookmarks option.
- Click on Bookmark manager.
- Click on the Organize icon (the three vertical white dots).
- Click Export bookmarks. Now you can choose a destination folder for your file.
Importing this file to another browser is simple.
- Follow steps 1-5, and instead of Export, click Import.
- Then, select the destination of the file and click Open. This action adds all the saved bookmarks to the existing ones.
Can’t Locate the Chrome Bookmarks File or Export Them?
If for some reason, you can’t find your bookmarks file in the mentioned folders or you have trouble exporting an HMTL file, you can post a question on Google Support.
Sometimes, the problem is a glitch in your Google Chrome profile or current OS’s state, or there may be another type of malfunction. If that is the case, try restarting the PC and trying again, or contact someone from the customer team, which will take over and guide you to a solution.
In closing, although you may have to change some settings to view hidden folders, you can easily find your bookmarks file on most devices and operating systems. If exporting your bookmarks isn’t enough, you now know where the file gets stored, so you can create a copy whenever needed.