Delete a bookmark in Safari, Chrome, or Firefox
The steps to remove a bookmark depend on which browser you use. Safari, Chrome, and Firefox all store bookmarks differently, so the deletion process is not the same across all three. The good news is that each method takes less than a minute once you know where to look.
If you are not sure which browser you use, look at the icon in your dock at the bottom of your screen. Safari has a compass icon. Chrome has a colorful circle. Firefox has an orange fox wrapped around a blue globe. Find your browser below and follow those steps.
Key Takeaways
- In Safari, right-click the bookmark in the Bookmarks menu or sidebar and select Delete to remove it immediately.
- In Chrome, right-click any bookmark in the Bookmarks menu or the bookmarks bar and choose Remove to delete it.
- In Firefox, right-click a bookmark in the Bookmarks menu or sidebar and select Remove to take it out.
- Deleted bookmarks cannot be recovered, so make sure you no longer need the bookmark before you remove it.
- You can also organize bookmarks into folders before deleting them if you want to keep some but hide others from view.
Delete a bookmark in Safari
Open Safari and click the Bookmarks menu at the top of your screen. A dropdown list will appear showing all your bookmarks. Find the one you want to delete, right-click it (or hold Control and click), and select Delete from the small menu that pops up. The bookmark is now gone.
If you use the bookmarks sidebar instead of the menu, the process is the same. Click View at the top, then Show Bookmarks Sidebar if it is not already open. Find your bookmark in the sidebar on the left side of the window, right-click it, and select Delete. You can also click the bookmark once to select it and then press the Delete key on your keyboard.
If you have bookmarks stored in folders, open the folder first to see the bookmarks inside it. Right-click the one you want to remove and select Delete. Deleting a bookmark does not delete the folder it was in.
Delete a bookmark in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the window. A menu will drop down. Click Bookmarks, then Bookmark Manager. A new tab will open showing all your bookmarks organized by folder.
Find the bookmark you want to delete in the list. Right-click it and select Delete from the menu. The bookmark will disappear immediately. You can also click the bookmark once to select it, then press the Delete key on your keyboard.
If your bookmarks are stored in folders, click the folder name on the left side to open it and see what is inside. Then right-click the bookmark you want to remove and select Delete. You can delete a bookmark without deleting its folder.
Another way to delete a bookmark in Chrome is to right-click it directly from the bookmarks bar at the top of the window (if you have one turned on). Right-click the bookmark and select Delete. This method skips the Bookmark Manager entirely.
Delete a bookmark in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the Bookmarks menu at the top of the screen. A dropdown will show your bookmarks. Find the one you want to delete, right-click it, and select Remove from the menu. The bookmark is deleted.
If you prefer to use the bookmarks sidebar, click View at the top, then Sidebar, then Bookmarks. The sidebar will open on the left. Find your bookmark, right-click it, and select Remove. You can also select the bookmark and press the Delete key.
Bookmarks stored in folders work the same way. Click the folder to open it and see the bookmarks inside, then right-click the one you want to delete and select Remove. The folder itself stays in place.
What happens after you delete a bookmark
Once you delete a bookmark, it is gone for good. Your browser does not keep a trash folder or undo option for deleted bookmarks. If you think you might want the bookmark back later, consider moving it to a folder called "Archive" or "Old Bookmarks" instead of deleting it. That way you can find it again if you need it.
Deleting a bookmark does not affect the website itself. The website still exists on the internet. You can always visit it again by typing the address in your browser or searching for it. Bookmarks are just shortcuts stored on your computer — removing one does not change anything about the actual website.
Organize bookmarks instead of deleting them
If you have too many bookmarks and are not sure which ones to delete, try organizing them into folders first. This keeps them out of sight without losing them. In Safari, right-click a bookmark and select Edit Bookmark, then choose a folder from the dropdown. In Chrome, open the Bookmark Manager, right-click the bookmark, and select Edit to move it to a different folder. In Firefox, right-click the bookmark and select Edit to change its folder.
You can also create new folders to sort your bookmarks by topic. In Safari, click Bookmarks at the top, then Add Bookmark Folder. In Chrome, open the Bookmark Manager, click the three dots at the top right, and select Add folder. In Firefox, click Bookmarks at the top, then Manage Bookmarks, then right-click in the sidebar and select New Folder. Once you have folders set up, you can move bookmarks into them to keep your list clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo a deleted bookmark?
No. Once you delete a bookmark, it cannot be recovered through your browser. If you deleted it by mistake, you will need to bookmark the website again. To avoid this, consider moving bookmarks to an "Archive" folder instead of deleting them, so you can find them later if needed.
Does deleting a bookmark delete my browsing history?
No. Bookmarks and browsing history are separate. Deleting a bookmark only removes the shortcut you saved. Your browser history — the list of websites you have visited — stays the same. If you want to remove a website from your history, you need to clear your browsing history separately.
What if I delete a bookmark folder by accident?
The folder and all bookmarks inside it are deleted. Your browser does not have an undo feature for this. To prevent this, be careful when right-clicking folders and double-check that you are deleting the right item. If you delete a folder, you will need to re-bookmark those websites manually.
Can I delete multiple bookmarks at once?
Yes, in Chrome and Firefox. Open the Bookmark Manager (Chrome) or Manage Bookmarks (Firefox), then hold Control (or Command on Mac) and click each bookmark you want to delete. Right-click one of the selected bookmarks and choose Delete. All selected bookmarks will be removed at once. In Safari, you must delete bookmarks one at a time.
Will deleting a bookmark affect my other devices?
Only if you use bookmark syncing. If you have turned on syncing in Chrome, Firefox, or Safari (through iCloud), deleting a bookmark on one device will delete it on all devices signed into that account. If syncing is off, deleting a bookmark only affects the device you are using.