How to Export Favorites from Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge stores your bookmarks — called favorites — in a browser profile tied to your local device or your Microsoft account. When you switch devices, migrate to a new browser, or simply want a backup, exporting those favorites gives you a portable file you can take anywhere. The process is straightforward, but a few variables — your Edge version, sync settings, and intended destination — shape exactly how you should approach it.
What "Exporting Favorites" Actually Means
When you export favorites from Edge, the browser packages your saved links into an HTML file. This is the universal bookmark format, readable by virtually every major browser including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera. The file preserves your folder structure, link titles, and URLs — but not favicons, reading list items, or browser-specific metadata like notes added via Edge Collections.
This HTML export method has been the standard across browsers for years. It's offline, self-contained, and doesn't require a Microsoft account.
How to Export Favorites from Edge 🗂️
The built-in export tool lives inside Edge's favorites manager. Here's how to reach it:
- Open Microsoft Edge on your Windows or macOS device.
- Click the star icon (Favorites) in the toolbar, or press Ctrl+Shift+O (Windows) / Cmd+Shift+O (Mac).
- In the Favorites panel, click the three-dot menu (⋯) in the top-right corner.
- Select Export favorites.
- Choose a save location on your device and click Save.
Edge will generate an .htm file containing all your favorites and folder structure. You can store this file locally, move it to a USB drive, or upload it to cloud storage.
Importing That File Into Another Browser
Once you have the .htm file, importing into another browser follows a nearly identical path in each:
| Browser | Import Path |
|---|---|
| Google Chrome | Settings → Bookmarks → Import bookmarks and settings → HTML file |
| Firefox | Bookmarks → Manage Bookmarks → Import and Backup → Import Bookmarks from HTML |
| Safari (Mac) | File → Import From → Bookmarks HTML File |
| Edge (new device) | Favorites (⋯ menu) → Import favorites → Import from other browsers or file |
The folder structure from Edge is generally preserved across all these browsers, though deeply nested folders occasionally flatten depending on the importing browser's version.
The Sync Alternative: Microsoft Account Favorites
If you're moving to another Edge installation — on a new PC, for example — exporting an HTML file may be unnecessary. Edge's built-in sync, tied to your Microsoft account, automatically carries favorites, passwords, history, and open tabs across devices.
To use sync instead of manual export:
- Sign into Edge with your Microsoft account on the original device.
- Go to Settings → Profiles → Sync and confirm Favorites is toggled on.
- Sign into Edge on the new device with the same account.
Sync is real-time and continuous, meaning any favorite you add on one device appears on others. The key difference from an HTML export: sync requires an active Microsoft account and an internet connection. If you're migrating away from Edge permanently or need a static snapshot, the HTML export is the more durable option.
Factors That Affect Your Export Experience
Not every export goes identically. A few variables are worth understanding:
Edge version and platform. The export option described above applies to the current Chromium-based Microsoft Edge (released in 2020 and later). The older EdgeHTML-based Edge — which shipped with early Windows 10 builds — had a slightly different interface and is no longer supported. If you're on a very old Windows 10 installation, check whether you're running the legacy version before following these steps.
Operating system. On Windows, the process above applies directly. On macOS, Edge behaves identically, with keyboard shortcuts swapped to Mac conventions. On Android or iOS, the Edge mobile app does not offer a direct HTML export — mobile favorites sync through your Microsoft account, so access on those platforms depends on having sync enabled.
Folder depth and size. Very large favorites collections — thousands of links across many nested folders — export cleanly in most cases, but some older browsers may have trouble importing deeply nested structures. If you're importing into a browser like Safari, it's worth checking the imported structure afterward.
What gets exported and what doesn't. The HTML export covers favorites only — not your Edge Collections, reading list, or pinned tabs. If you use Collections heavily as a research or saving tool, those items require a separate manual approach (copy-pasting or using the Collections export feature, which generates a separate file format).
When Manual Export Makes More Sense Than Sync
Sync is convenient but has real limitations. It depends on Microsoft's servers staying reachable, your account credentials remaining valid, and the destination device also running Edge. An HTML export has none of these dependencies — it's a file you control entirely.
For users moving to a different browser ecosystem, creating a periodic HTML backup, or working in an enterprise environment where personal Microsoft accounts aren't used, the manual export is the more reliable and flexible approach.
Whether sync or manual export fits better depends on factors only you can assess: where you're moving your data, what browser you're landing on, and how much of your workflow depends on real-time access across multiple devices. 🖥️