How to Export MSN Explorer Favorites

Microsoft has not made it easy to export your favorites, or your bookmarked list of favorite Web sites. This is partly because some of the data concerning your favorites are stored on servers rather than on your computer. There is, however, a free program that you can use to convert the extracted favorites into a file that you can use in another browser. After all, the main reason to export favorites is if you plan on importing them into another program. Follow these steps to find out how to export MSN Explorer favorites.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• WinZip or compatible software program
• Computer with an Internet connection
• MSN account

View Hidden Files on Your Computer

1. Travel to the MSN home page to log in to your account (see Resources below).

2. Click on the "Tools" menu and then select "Folder Options."

3. Click on the "View" tab and locate the "Hidden Files and Folders" setting area.

4. Check the circle "Show Hidden Files and Folders."

5. Uncheck the box entitled "Hide Protected Operating System Files."

6. Click the "OK" button. This will allow you to see the file that you are searching for.

7. Open "My Computer" or "My Documents" on your computer.

Locate the MSN Favorites File

8. Use the address bar to locate the following "C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\MSNx\UserData\{xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxx}"--the X's represent numbers that will be unique to your computer configuration.)

9. Copy the file "Favorites.xml" to somewhere you can easily locate it, like your desktop.

10. Open "My Computer" or "My Documents" on your computer.

Download the MSN Favorites Export Toolkit

11. Go to the homepage of the MainSoft Web site (see Resources below).

12. Click on the "MSN Favorites Export Toolkit" link.

13. Save the file "MSNfav.zip" to your computer.

Use the MSN Favorites Export Toolkit

14. Double click the toolkit icon to open the file.

15. Extract the included files and move them to your desktop. Create a folder to stay organized.

16. Move the "Favorites.xml" file into the folder you created for the toolkit files.

17. Double click the "Msnfav.vbs" file to begin the process of converting your "Favorites.xml" file into an HTM file.

18. Visit the Microsoft Help and Support page if you hit any snags (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• MSN explorer does not save your favorites in a format that is usable by other web browsers. This means that while you can export your MSN Explorer favorites, you won't be able to upload them into another browser, even Microsoft's own Internet Explorer. However, a freeware program called MSN Favorites Export Toolkit can convert the favorites file from MSN Explorer into something that can be read by other browsers.
• After downloading MSN Favorites Export Toolkit to your computer, scan the file for viruses to ensure the safety of the program before installing.

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[vikramsinha]

on 2/7/2009 The tools menu is for the windows explorer page .. not for the internet explorer or the msn browser ...

[jaross20]

on 10/7/2008 fatwilly:

He is not talking about MSN Explorer. You have to go to Windows Explorer.

1. Go to my computer.
2. Click tools
3. Folder Options
3. Click on the "View" tab and locate the "Hidden Files and Folders" setting area.
4. Check the circle "Show Hidden Files and Folders."
5. Uncheck the box entitled "Hide Protected Operating System Files."

For those that don't no how to use a search engine, you can download the file here: www.jasonross.name/files/MsnFav.zip

[lyndonhr]

on 10/6/2008 Where do I find the MainSoft MSN Favorites Export Toolkit? I did not see it on the MainSoft home page.

Thanks.

[fatwilly]

on 2/1/2008 These instructions are flawed from the get go, there is no tools menu on the msn homepage

[ozellian]

on 6/8/2007 Step 2 ; where's the tools menu ?