How to Bookmark a Website in Any Browser

The fastest way to bookmark a website on a computer is to press Ctrl+D on Windows or Cmd+D on a Mac while the page is open. That shortcut works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari alike. On a phone, the option lives in the browser menu or the Share sheet. Below are the details for each browser, followed by ways to keep a growing collection usable.

Where the bookmark button lives

Bookmarking on a computer, step by step

1. Open the page you want to keep.
2. Click the star icon at the right end of the address bar, or use the keyboard shortcut.
3. Edit the name if it is long or vague. "Bank login" is easier to spot than the page's full title.
4. Choose a folder, or leave it in the default location, and click Done.

Show the bookmarks bar

The bar under the address field keeps your most-used sites one click away. Press Ctrl+Shift+B on Windows or Cmd+Shift+B on a Mac to show or hide it in Chrome, Edge and Firefox; in Safari the same Mac shortcut toggles the Favorites bar. In Chrome you can delete a bookmark's name completely so only the site icon shows, which fits far more onto the bar.

Save every open tab at once

Researching something across a dozen tabs? Press Ctrl+Shift+D or Cmd+Shift+D in Chrome, Edge or Firefox to bookmark all of them into a new folder. In Safari, use Bookmarks > Add Bookmarks for These Tabs.

Bookmarking on a phone

• Chrome on Android or iPhone: tap the three-dot menu and use the star or the add-to-bookmarks option.
• Safari on iPhone and iPad: tap the Share button and choose Add Bookmark, or Add to Favorites for sites you want on the start page.
• Firefox and Edge on mobile: open the menu and look for Bookmark or Add to favorites.

For a site you open every day, adding it to the home screen can be even quicker. In Safari it is in the Share sheet; in Chrome for Android it is in the menu.

Keep bookmarks organised

A long unsorted list is barely better than none. A few habits keep things findable:

• Folders by purpose, not by website: "Bills", "Recipes to try", "Work tools", "Trip planning".
• The bar for daily sites only. Everything else goes into folders.
• Short, clear names. Rename as you save rather than tidying later.
• A clear-out twice a year. Remove dead links and projects that are finished.

Every browser has a bookmark manager for bulk changes. In Chrome, Edge and Firefox, Ctrl+Shift+O or Cmd+Shift+O opens it; in Safari, choose Bookmarks > Edit Bookmarks. Drag items between folders, search, and delete in batches.

Sync them between devices

Sign in to the same browser on your computer and phone and switch on sync for bookmarks. A page saved at your desk then appears on the phone a moment later. Using one browser across devices keeps this simple; mixing browsers means separate collections.

Back them up or move them

Bookmarks can be exported as a single HTML file from the bookmark manager, usually through a menu labelled Export. Every major browser can import that file, which makes switching browsers painless. It is worth keeping a copy with your other backups; the routine in our guide to backing up photos works just as well for small files like this.

Bookmark, reading list or screenshot?

For that last case, a full-length capture beats a bookmark, because pages change; see how to take a scrolling screenshot.

Quick answers

Does clearing history delete bookmarks?

No. Bookmarks are stored separately, so following the steps to delete your Google search history or clear browsing data leaves them untouched.

Why did my bookmarks disappear?

Most often you are signed in to a different browser profile, or sync was switched off. Check the profile icon in the corner of the browser before assuming they are lost.