The fastest way to clear all bookmarks
Open Chrome and press Ctrl + Shift + B on Windows or Command + Shift + B on Mac to show the bookmark bar. Click the folder icon on the far right of the bookmark bar — this opens the Bookmark Manager. Press Ctrl + A (or Command + A on Mac) to select every bookmark, then press Delete. Chrome will ask you to confirm; click "Remove" and all bookmarks are gone.
If you do not see the bookmark bar, you can reach the Bookmark Manager another way: click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of Chrome, hover over "Bookmarks", then click "Bookmark Manager". The steps from there are the same — select all with Ctrl + A, delete, and confirm.
This method deletes bookmarks from your computer only. If you have Chrome sync turned on, your bookmarks may reappear on other devices where you are signed in. The section below explains how to handle that.
Key Takeaways
- You can delete all bookmarks at once by opening the Bookmark Manager, pressing Ctrl + A (or Command + A on Mac), and clicking Delete.
- If Chrome sync is on, deleted bookmarks will reappear on other devices unless you turn off sync before deleting.
- Deleting bookmarks from the Bookmark Manager is permanent and cannot be undone, so make sure you want them gone before confirming.
- You can delete bookmarks selectively by folder instead of all at once if you only want to remove certain groups.
What happens if you have Chrome sync enabled
Chrome sync keeps your bookmarks, passwords, and other data the same across every device where you sign in with the same Google account. If sync is on and you delete all bookmarks on one device, Chrome will sync that deletion to your phone, tablet, and other computers within a few minutes.
If you want to delete bookmarks on just one device without affecting the others, turn off sync before you delete. Go to the three-dot menu, click "Settings", then click "You and Google" on the left. Click "Sync and Google services" and toggle off "Sync is on". Now delete your bookmarks — they will stay on your other devices. You can turn sync back on afterward if you want.
If you have already deleted bookmarks and they came back on another device, sync restored them from that device's copy. Turn off sync on the device that still has them, delete the bookmarks there, then turn sync back on.
Deleting bookmarks by folder instead of all at once
If you want to keep some bookmarks but remove others, you do not have to delete one by one. Open the Bookmark Manager, find the folder that contains the bookmarks you want to remove, right-click on the folder name, and click "Delete". This removes the entire folder and everything inside it.
You can also select multiple individual bookmarks by holding Ctrl (or Command on Mac) and clicking each one, then pressing Delete. This is slower than deleting a whole folder, but useful if the bookmarks you want to remove are scattered across different folders.
How to find the Bookmark Manager if you cannot see the bookmark bar
Some people hide the bookmark bar to save space. If you do not see it at the top of Chrome, the Bookmark Manager is still easy to reach. Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner, point to "Bookmarks", and click "Bookmark Manager". A new tab opens showing all your bookmarks organized by folder.
From the Bookmark Manager, you can see your entire bookmark structure at a glance. The left side shows folders like "Other bookmarks" and any custom folders you created. Click a folder to see what is inside, or use the search box at the top to find a specific bookmark.
Why you might want to delete all bookmarks
People delete all bookmarks for different reasons. You might be selling or giving away your computer and want to start fresh on the new one. You might have accumulated thousands of old bookmarks over years and prefer to rebuild a cleaner list. Or you might be handing off your Chrome profile to someone else and want to clear out your personal links first.
Whatever the reason, the deletion is permanent once you confirm it. Chrome does not keep a trash folder for bookmarks the way it does for files on your computer. If you think you might want some of them back later, consider exporting your bookmarks first — Chrome can save them as an HTML file that you can import again if you change your mind.
How to export bookmarks before deleting them
If you want a backup before you delete, the Bookmark Manager can save all your bookmarks to a file. Open the Bookmark Manager, click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the manager window, and click "Export bookmarks". Chrome opens a save dialog where you choose where to put the file. Give it a name and click "Save".
Chrome saves your bookmarks as an HTML file — a format that most browsers can read. If you ever want to bring them back into Chrome, open the Bookmark Manager again, click the three vertical dots, click "Import bookmarks", and select the HTML file you saved. Chrome will add all those bookmarks back to your account.
What to do if you deleted bookmarks by accident
If you deleted bookmarks and did not mean to, your options depend on whether you have a backup. If you exported bookmarks before deleting (see the section above), you can import that HTML file back into Chrome using the Bookmark Manager's import feature.
If you did not export them, Chrome does not have an undo button for bookmarks. However, if you have sync turned on, you might be able to recover them from another device that still has the old bookmarks. Turn off sync on that device before Chrome syncs the deletion to it, then export the bookmarks from there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo deleting all my bookmarks?
No — Chrome does not have an undo feature for bookmarks. Once you confirm the deletion, they are gone. If you have sync on, they may reappear from another device, but otherwise they cannot be recovered unless you exported them as an HTML file beforehand.
Will deleting bookmarks affect my passwords or autofill data?
No. Bookmarks are separate from passwords and autofill information. Deleting bookmarks only removes your saved links and does not touch your passwords, payment methods, or other saved data in Chrome.
Do I have to delete all bookmarks at once, or can I delete them slowly?
You can do either. Deleting all at once is faster if you want to clear everything. If you want to remove bookmarks gradually, you can delete individual bookmarks or folders one at a time from the Bookmark Manager without affecting the rest.
What is the "Other bookmarks" folder?
The "Other bookmarks" folder is where Chrome puts bookmarks that do not fit into your custom folders or the bookmark bar. It is a catch-all location. You can delete this folder and everything in it the same way you delete any other folder — right-click it in the Bookmark Manager and click "Delete".
If I delete bookmarks on my phone, will they disappear on my computer?
Yes, if sync is on. Deleting bookmarks on any device syncs that deletion to all your other devices within a few minutes. If you want to delete bookmarks on only one device, turn off sync before you delete them.