Although there are several third-party software programs that will enable you to backup, restore, and manage your Internet browser bookmarks or favorites, all modern browsers today include bookmark managers and are capable of backing up and restoring your bookmarks and/or favorites. Below is a listing of each of the major browsers and how to backup and recover your Internet bookmarks or favorites.
Tip: If you've considered moving from one browser to another you can often backup your bookmarks in one browser and then follow the below restore tips to import those bookmarks into your new browser.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Note: By default, Microsoft Internet Explorer will save your bookmarks as bookmark.htm.
Internet Explorer 5.0 and above users backing up favorites.
1. Within Internet Explorer, click the File menu and "Import and Export...".
2. Within the Import and Export window click Next.
3. Click "Export Favorites" and click Next.
4. Select the folder wish to backup; if you wish to backup all favorites, leave the Favorites folder highlighted and click Next.
5. Select the destination you wish to save the favorites and click Next.
6. Click Finish.
Internet Explorer 5.0 and above recovering backup files from an Internet Explorer or Netscape backup.
1. Within Internet Explorer, click the File menu and "Import and Export...".
2. Within the Import and Export window click Next.
3. Click "Import Favorites" and click Next.
4. Select the location that contains your favorites and click Next.
5. Select where you with to save your favorites and click Next.
6. Click Finish.
Mozilla Firefox
Recent versions of Firefox backup
1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
2. Click Bookmarks and then "Organize Bookmarks".
3. Click "Export HTML" or Click "Import and Backup" and then "Backup". We suggest Exporting to HTML since all browsers support the ability to easily read these files.
4. Type the filename you wish to save the file as and the destination and then click the Save button.
Recovering favorites in recent versions of Firefox
1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
2. Click Bookmarks and then "Organize Bookmarks".
3. Click "Import and Backup".
4. If the file is a JSON file click "Restore" and choose file. If the file is a .HTM/.HTML file or other browser file click "Import HTML" and follow the import wizzard.
Other versions of Firefox backup
1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
2. Click Bookmarks and then "Manage Bookmarks".
3. In the Bookmarks Manager window click File and choose Export.
4. By default your bookmarks file will be called bookmarks.html. Choose the location you wish to save the bookmarks file to and click the Save button.
Netscape
Note: By default, Netscape will save your bookmarks as bookmarks.html.
Netscape Communicator / Netscape 7.0 and above users backing up bookmarks
1. Within Netscape, click Bookmarks and "Manage Bookmarks..." or CTRL+B.
2. Within the Bookmark manager click Tools and Export
3. Select where you wish to export the file and click ok.
Netscape Communicator / Netscape 7.0 and above users recovering backup files from Netscape backup or Internet Explorer.
1. Within Netscape, click Bookmarks and "Manage Bookmarks..." or CTRL+B.
2. Within the Bookmark manager click Tools and Import
3. Select the file you wish to Import and click open.
Opera
Note: By default, Opera will save your bookmarks as Opera6.adr. If your version of Opera is not 6, this filename may change.
Opera users backing up your bookmarks
1. Within Opera, click the File menu and Export.
2. Select the destination to where you wish to save the backup of your favorites to and click Save.
Opera users recovering a backup of your bookmarks.
1. Within Opera, click the File menu and Import.
2. Select "Opera bookmarks", "Netscape bookmarks", or "Internet Explorer favorites" depending on which bookmarks or favorites you wish to recover.
3. Select the file or folder you wish to recover.
4. Click ok.