How to Transfer Firefox Bookmarks From Windows XP to a Computer With Windows 7

Microsoft began selling Windows 7 Home Premium edition in 2009.

If you are upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7, either on the same PC or by switching to a new one, and don't want to lose your collection of bookmarks in Firefox, there's an easy to way to move them from one computer to another one.

Things You'll Need

• Removable storage medium (USB flash drive or SD memory card)

Instructions

Export From Windows XP

1. Connect the removable storage medium to the PC that uses Windows XP.

2. Open Firefox. Click "Bookmarks" at the top of the browser. Select "Organize Bookmarks" from the menu, which opens a dialog box called Library.

3. Click the "Import and Backup" button in the dialog box. Select "Export HTML" from the menu. This will open a second dialog box, called Export Bookmarks File.

4. Click the "My Computer" icon in the left pane. Double-click the drive letter (D, E,...) that Windows has assigned to the storage device.

5. Verify that the word "Bookmarks" is the stated in the File Name field. Click the "Save" button to export the bookmarks in the HTML format and store them on your storage device. Close Firefox and remove the storage device.

Import Into Windows 7

1. Connect the removable storage device with your saved bookmarks to the Windows 7 computer.

2. Open Firefox. Click "Bookmarks" at the top of the browser. Select "Organize Bookmarks" from the menu.

3. Click the "Import and Backup" button in the dialog box. Select "Import HTML" from the menu, which opens the Import Wizard dialog box.

4. Click the radio button next to "From an HTML File." Click the "Next" button. A dialog box called Import Bookmarks File will open.

5. Click the "Computer" icon in the left pane. Double-click on the drive letter that Windows 7 assigned to the removable storage device. Click to highlight the "Bookmarks" file on the device. Click the "Open" button. Wait while Firefox imports the HTML bookmarks file. The bookmarks will then be available on the new computer.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also move your Firefox profile and settings between Windows operating systems (see Resources).

• Another option is to download and install the Firefox Sync add-on, developed by Mozilla Labs, which helps you access bookmarks across many devices (see Resources).

References

• Mozilla: Firefox Help: Exporting Bookmarks To an HTML File
• Mozilla: Firefox Help: Importing Bookmarks From an HTML File

Resources

• Mozilla: Firefox Help: Moving Your Firefox Bookmarks and Settings
• Mozilla: Firefox Help: Managing Profiles
• Mozilla: Firefox Help: Backing Up and Restoring Bookmarks
• Mozilla: Add-Ons For Firefox: Firefox Sync
• All Things Digital; Synchronizing Your Bookmarks On All Your PCs; Walt Mossberg; Feb. 4, 2009