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How to transfer bookmarks from one system to another?

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  • Last reply by ysewhard

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Frustrated to the n-th degree again - On my new system running W10, I go to Firefox "Library" - "import and backup" - "Import bookmarks from html" - then I navigate to the flash drive folder which holds an html file named "bookmarks" that got there by using Firefox's "export to html" on my old W7 system - I then select the "bookmarks" html file on the flash drive and click on the open button - Nothing happens! Nothing happens!! Where am I failing?

Frustrated to the n-th degree again - On my new system running W10, I go to Firefox "Library" - "import and backup" - "Import bookmarks from html" - then I navigate to the flash drive folder which holds an html file named "bookmarks" that got there by using Firefox's "export to html" on my old W7 system - I then select the "bookmarks" html file on the flash drive and click on the open button - Nothing happens! Nothing happens!! Where am I failing?

Chosen solution

To Pkshadow,

W7 Firefox refers to Windows 7 running Firefox. The information from your suggested link: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/import-bookmarks-html-file thankfully allowed me to assimilate a successful strategy. My mind absorbed it as follows:

Mozilla Firefox stores all personal settings, bookmarks, passwords and extensions in a “Profile Folder” located in a directory separate from the Firefox program.

Locate the Profile Folder

Click menu button Fx57 that appears as three horzontal lines located top right Firefox window

Look near the bottom of the list for “Help” item and click on the button

Look for “Troubleshooting Information” and click on the button

The Troubleshooting Information tab will open

Under the Application Basics section look for “Profile Folder” and an “Open Folder” button to its right

Click on “Open Folder”

The Profile Folder will open in Windows File Explorer

Copy (Back-up) Profile Folder

Go to the system that has the bookmarks that are to be transferred

Insert a flash drive or some other mobile storage device into the system to be transferred from

Click menu button Fx57 that appears as three horzontal lines located top right Firefox window

Look near the bottom of the list for “Help” item and click on the button

Look for “Troubleshooting Information” and click on the button

The Troubleshooting Information tab will open

Under the Application Basics section look for “Profile Folder” and an “Open Folder” button to its right

Click on “Open Folder”

The Profile Folder will open in Windows File Explorer

Alternately, one could simply use Windows File Explorer to navigate to the Firefox “Profile” folder, for example C:\Users\User’s name\AppData\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\

Right-click on the Profiles Folder (e.g. xxxxxxxx.default), and select Copy

Navigate to the flashdrive and paste the Profile Folder there


Paste (Restore) Profile Folder

Remove the flash drive containing the copied Profile Folder and reinsert it into the system that is to receive the copied Profile Folder

IMPORTANT: The names of the copied Profile Folder and the one to be replaced must match exactly

If you just installed Firefox on a new computer, you can use the default profile that is automatically created when Firefox is first run, instead of creating a new profile. If the default profile is not new, a new (another) profile needs to be created. In which case see instructions further below.

If the Profile Folder to be replaced and the copied Profile Folder on the flash drive have the same name, simply copy the Profile Folder on the flash drive and then paste it into (replace) the Profile Folder of the receiving system

Restart Firefox. The bookmarks on the new system should appear as they were on the old one

If the Profile Folder to be replaced has a name different from the copied Profile Folder on the flash drive, the name of the copied Profile Folder on the flash must be changed to exactly reflect the name that appears on the Profile Folder that is to be replaced

Once the Profile Folder names match, copy and paste in (replace) the existing Profile Folder on the receiving system with the Profile Folder on the flash drive

Restart Firefox. The bookmarks on the new system should appear as they were on the old one.

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All Replies (8)

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Can you open this HTML file in a Firefox tab (File -> Open File)?

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Yes, if I navigate to the flash drive that holds my W7 Firefox exported "bookmarks" file and double click on it, it launches into a Firefox tab appearing as attached:

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Does the file have a .html file extension?

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cor-el said Does the file have a .html file extension?

Yes, it is Firefox HTML Document (.html)

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What is W7 Firefox. What is going on please have you tried importing them as per the URL supplied ? What happens when you do ? Have you tried another USB drive in case that one is not being read properly ?

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Chosen Solution

To Pkshadow,

W7 Firefox refers to Windows 7 running Firefox. The information from your suggested link: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/import-bookmarks-html-file thankfully allowed me to assimilate a successful strategy. My mind absorbed it as follows:

Mozilla Firefox stores all personal settings, bookmarks, passwords and extensions in a “Profile Folder” located in a directory separate from the Firefox program.

Locate the Profile Folder

Click menu button Fx57 that appears as three horzontal lines located top right Firefox window

Look near the bottom of the list for “Help” item and click on the button

Look for “Troubleshooting Information” and click on the button

The Troubleshooting Information tab will open

Under the Application Basics section look for “Profile Folder” and an “Open Folder” button to its right

Click on “Open Folder”

The Profile Folder will open in Windows File Explorer

Copy (Back-up) Profile Folder

Go to the system that has the bookmarks that are to be transferred

Insert a flash drive or some other mobile storage device into the system to be transferred from

Click menu button Fx57 that appears as three horzontal lines located top right Firefox window

Look near the bottom of the list for “Help” item and click on the button

Look for “Troubleshooting Information” and click on the button

The Troubleshooting Information tab will open

Under the Application Basics section look for “Profile Folder” and an “Open Folder” button to its right

Click on “Open Folder”

The Profile Folder will open in Windows File Explorer

Alternately, one could simply use Windows File Explorer to navigate to the Firefox “Profile” folder, for example C:\Users\User’s name\AppData\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\

Right-click on the Profiles Folder (e.g. xxxxxxxx.default), and select Copy

Navigate to the flashdrive and paste the Profile Folder there


Paste (Restore) Profile Folder

Remove the flash drive containing the copied Profile Folder and reinsert it into the system that is to receive the copied Profile Folder

IMPORTANT: The names of the copied Profile Folder and the one to be replaced must match exactly

If you just installed Firefox on a new computer, you can use the default profile that is automatically created when Firefox is first run, instead of creating a new profile. If the default profile is not new, a new (another) profile needs to be created. In which case see instructions further below.

If the Profile Folder to be replaced and the copied Profile Folder on the flash drive have the same name, simply copy the Profile Folder on the flash drive and then paste it into (replace) the Profile Folder of the receiving system

Restart Firefox. The bookmarks on the new system should appear as they were on the old one

If the Profile Folder to be replaced has a name different from the copied Profile Folder on the flash drive, the name of the copied Profile Folder on the flash must be changed to exactly reflect the name that appears on the Profile Folder that is to be replaced

Once the Profile Folder names match, copy and paste in (replace) the existing Profile Folder on the receiving system with the Profile Folder on the flash drive

Restart Firefox. The bookmarks on the new system should appear as they were on the old one.

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Thank you Pkshadow and cor-el for helping out. Much obliged.