Using Internet Explorer, how do I import or export favorites or bookmarks?

On this page:

• Importing
  • Internet Explorer for Windows
  • Internet Explorer for Mac OS X
  • Internet Explorer for Mac OS
• Exporting
  • Internet Explorer for Windows

Importing

In Internet Explorer, you can import favorites from a variety of sources, including another web browser or an HTML document. Follow the instructions below for your operating system:

Internet Explorer for Windows

1. In Internet Explorer, from the File menu, choose Import and Export... . This opens the Import/Export Wizard.
   
   
2. Click Next.
   
   
3. Select Import Favorites, and click Next.
   
   
4. To import links from another program, select the radio button for Import from an Application, and make a selection from the drop-down menu. If you have more than one profile set up for the program you are importing from, the list will contain all available profiles. Choose the profile from which you want to import the bookmarks.

   To import from an HTML file, select the radio button for Import from a File or Address, and type the path or URL of the file in the field provided.

5. Click Next.
   
   
6. Internet Explorer will prompt you for a location within your favorites to store the imported items.
   
   
7. Click Next, and then click Finish.
   
   
8. You should then see a message saying that the favorites were successfully imported. Click OK.

Internet Explorer for Mac OS X

1. From the Window menu, select Favorites.
   
   
2. In the Favorites window, from the File menu, select Import Favorites... .
   
   
3. In the dialog box that appears, browse to the file that you want to import and click Open.
   
   
4. The folder you imported will appear in the Favorites window. You may move or rename the imported favorites, or simply close the window.

Internet Explorer for Mac OS

1. From the Favorites menu, select Organize Favorites (version 4.5 and higher) or Open Favorites (Internet Explorer 4.01). You can also press Cmd-j .
   
   
2. From the File menu, select Import Favorites... (version 5.x) or Import... (version 4.x).
   
   
3. Browse until you find the bookmark file you want to import. Select it, and click Open.

Exporting

If you've already assembled a list of favorites, you can also export those to a file, so you can transfer them to another browser or computer.

Internet Explorer for Windows

1. In Internet Explorer, from the File menu, choose Import and Export... . This opens the Import/Export Wizard.
   
   
2. Click Next.
   
   
3. Select Export Favorites, and click Next.
   
   
4. You will see a list of folders. Unless you want to export only a portion of your bookmarks, make sure the top folder (labeled Favorites) is highlighted and click Next.

   If you want to export only one of the subfolders, highlight that folder and click Next.

5. The "Export Favorites Destination" page will appear. Select Export to a File or Address. The default destination is normally your My Documents folder, and the default name of the file is bookmark.htm. To change the name, click in the field where the path is, go to the end, and change bookmark.htm to whatever name you want to give it.

   If you want to change the destination, click Browse... , and select where you want to save the file.

6. Click Next, and then click Finish.

Your favorites will be saved as a file in the location you chose, where you can copy them, email them, or import them into another web browser.

Also see:

• In Internet Explorer 5 for Windows, how do I expand the Favorites menu?
• In Windows or Internet Explorer, how can I alphabetize the items in the Start menu or the Favorites menu?