How to Import Bookmarks from Brave to Chrome

Brave is built on Chromium, the same engine Chrome uses. That means you have two ways to move your bookmarks: the standard HTML export/import, or a direct file copy that preserves more metadata. The HTML method is simpler. The file copy method is faster for large libraries and keeps data that HTML export strips out.

Before you start: back up your Chrome bookmarks

If you already have bookmarks in Chrome, back them up first. Importing adds Brave bookmarks on top of what is already there, and Chrome does not check for duplicates. A backup lets you start over if the result is not what you expected.

Method 1: HTML export and import (recommended)

This is the standard approach and works regardless of which version of Brave or Chrome you are using.

Export from Brave

1. Open Brave.
2. Open Brave's Bookmark Manager (Ctrl+Shift+O on Windows/Linux, Cmd+Option+B on Mac).
3. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
4. Select Export bookmarks.
5. Choose a location and file name, then click Save.

Brave saves an HTML file containing all your bookmarks and folder structure.

Import into Chrome

1. Open Chrome.
2. Open Bookmark Manager (Ctrl+Shift+O on Windows/Linux, Cmd+Option+B on Mac).
3. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
4. Select Import bookmarks.
5. Choose the HTML file you exported from Brave.

Where the imported Brave bookmarks land depends on your profile: if your bookmarks bar was empty, they go straight onto the bar; if you already had bookmarks, Chrome adds them to the Other bookmarks folder at the end of the bar (on Chromebooks, in a folder named Imported). Your existing bookmarks aren't changed.

Method 2: Direct file copy (advanced)

Because Brave and Chrome are both Chromium-based, they store bookmarks in the same JSON format. You can copy the Bookmarks file from Brave's profile folder directly into Chrome's profile folder. This preserves metadata that the HTML export strips out, like GUIDs and some internal attributes.

Important: Close both Brave and Chrome completely before copying files. If either browser is running, it may overwrite your changes.

Find the Brave Bookmarks file

The file is called Bookmarks (no extension) and lives in Brave's profile folder.

Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Bookmarks

Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/Bookmarks

Linux: ~/.config/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/Bookmarks

If you use multiple profiles in Brave, the folder name may be Profile 1, Profile 2, etc., instead of Default.

Copy it into Chrome

Chrome's Bookmarks file lives in a similar location.

Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Bookmarks

Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Default/Bookmarks

Linux: ~/.config/google-chrome/Default/Bookmarks

Before replacing the file:

1. Close Chrome completely (quit, not just close the window).
2. Make a copy of Chrome's existing Bookmarks file as a backup.
3. Copy Brave's Bookmarks file into Chrome's profile folder, replacing the existing one.
4. Open Chrome and check Bookmark Manager to verify your Brave bookmarks appear.

What to know about the file copy method

• This replaces your Chrome bookmarks entirely. If you want to merge Brave bookmarks with existing Chrome bookmarks, use the HTML method instead.
• The file copy preserves folder structure, bookmark order, and add dates exactly as they were in Brave.
• If something goes wrong, restore the backup copy of Chrome's Bookmarks file you made in step 2.

For more details on where Chrome stores its bookmark files, see Where Are Chrome Bookmarks Stored.

Can Chrome import directly from Brave?

Chrome's import dialog at chrome://settings/importData sometimes lists other browsers, but Brave does not always appear as an option. If it does show up, you can try importing directly. If it does not, use either method above.

Post-import cleanup

After importing, open Bookmark Manager (Ctrl+Shift+O on Windows/Linux, Cmd+Option+B on Mac) and review the results:

1. Check for duplicates. If you had bookmarks in Chrome before importing, you likely have duplicates now. The duplicate cleanup guide walks through how to find and remove them.
2. Reorganize the imported bookmarks. Find where they landed (the Other bookmarks folder if you already had bookmarks, or directly on the bar if it was empty) and move them to where you want them.
3. Back up your merged library. Once everything looks right, create a fresh backup so you have a clean restore point going forward.

Protect your bookmarks after migrating

After switching from Brave to Chrome, TrueBookmark keeps your new library protected: it backs up on install, lets you back up anytime, and saves a safety backup before risky changes. If anything goes wrong, an earlier version is always one restore away.