How to Import Bookmarks from Firefox to Chrome

Chrome can import bookmarks directly from Firefox if both browsers are installed on the same computer. When that does not work, Firefox's HTML export gives you a reliable fallback. Both methods preserve your folder structure and bookmark URLs.

Before you import: back up your existing Chrome bookmarks

If you already have bookmarks in Chrome, back them up first. Importing adds Firefox bookmarks on top of what is already there, and Chrome does not check for duplicates. Having a backup lets you start over if the import creates a mess.

Method 1: Import directly from Firefox

This is the simplest approach and works when Firefox is installed in its default location.

1. Open Chrome.
2. Go to chrome://settings/importData or click the three-dot menu, then Settings, then Import bookmarks and settings.
3. Select Mozilla Firefox from the dropdown.
4. Check Favorites/Bookmarks. Uncheck other items unless you want those too.
5. Click Import.

Chrome creates an Imported folder on your bookmarks bar containing the imported Firefox bookmarks. If your bookmarks bar was empty before the import, bar bookmarks go directly onto the bar, and only the other bookmarks end up inside the Imported folder. The Firefox folder structure is preserved either way.

Important: Firefox does not need to be running during the import. In fact, it is better to close Firefox first to make sure Chrome reads the most recent version of your bookmarks database.

When Chrome does not detect Firefox

Sometimes the Firefox option does not appear in Chrome's import dropdown. This happens more often than you might expect. Common causes:

• Firefox is a portable install. If you are running Firefox from a USB drive or a non-standard folder, Chrome will not find it because it looks for Firefox's profile data in the default system locations.
• Different OS user accounts. If Firefox was installed under a different Windows or macOS user account, Chrome cannot access its profile data.
• Firefox profile is in a custom location. If you moved your Firefox profile folder using the Profile Manager, Chrome will not know where to look.
• Snap or Flatpak on Linux. Sandboxed Firefox installations on Linux sometimes store profiles in locations Chrome cannot access.

If any of these apply, use Method 2 below.

Method 2: Export from Firefox, import into Chrome

This method works regardless of installation type, profile location, or operating system configuration.

Export from Firefox

1. Open Firefox.
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+O (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Option+B (macOS) to open the Library window.
3. Click Import and Backup in the toolbar at the top.
4. Select Export Bookmarks to HTML.
5. Choose a save location and filename, then save.

Import into Chrome

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

Chrome creates an Imported folder on the bookmarks bar containing the imported bookmarks. If your bar was empty, bar bookmarks go directly onto the bar instead, with only the other bookmarks placed inside the Imported folder.

What transfers and what does not

Firefox and Chrome handle bookmarks differently in a few ways. Here is what to expect:

Transfers cleanly:

• Bookmark URLs and titles
• Folder hierarchy
• Add dates for each bookmark

Does not transfer:

• Firefox tags. Firefox has a tagging system for bookmarks. Tags are not included in the export and Chrome does not support them natively.
• Bookmark descriptions. Firefox allows you to add notes to bookmarks. These are not part of the HTML export.
• Favicons. Chrome will reload favicons from each website as you visit them. Your bookmarks bar may look blank at first.
• Keyword shortcuts. Firefox lets you assign keyword shortcuts to bookmarks for quick access from the address bar. These do not carry over.
• Separator lines. Firefox supports visual separators between bookmarks. These are skipped during export.

Post-import cleanup

After the import, a few cleanup steps will get your library in order:

1. Check for duplicates first. If you had any bookmarks in Chrome before importing from Firefox, you likely have duplicates now. Chrome does not skip bookmarks that already exist. The duplicate removal guide covers how to find and clean them up. Do this before reorganizing so you do not waste time arranging bookmarks you will end up deleting.
2. Reorganize imported bookmarks. Open Bookmark Manager and reorganize. Drag folders and bookmarks to where you want them.
3. Merge or rename Firefox-specific folders. Firefox uses a "Bookmarks Menu" folder and a "Bookmarks Toolbar" folder. You may want to merge these with Chrome's "Bookmarks bar" and "Other Bookmarks."
4. Back up your combined library. Once everything is organized and duplicates cleaned up, create a backup before you start using Chrome as your daily browser.

Importing from Firefox on a different computer

If Firefox is on a different machine than Chrome, the direct import will not work. Your options:

1. Export from Firefox on the old machine using the steps above.
2. Move the HTML file to the new machine via USB drive, email, or cloud storage.
3. Import the file into Chrome on the new machine.

This is the same HTML file method, just with an extra step to transfer the file between computers.

Keeping bookmarks safe after the switch

Migrating browsers always carries some risk. A bad import, an accidental overwrite, or a sync conflict can scramble your carefully organized library. TrueBookmark keeps automatic versioned backups of your Chrome bookmarks so you can recover from any of these scenarios without repeating the import process.