How to Import Bookmarks From Chrome to Safari on Mac and iPhone

Nov. 16, 2021

While there is no denying the fact that Google Chrome is the most popular browser across platforms, it’s also got an unwanted reputation of being a resource hog. And if you fail to take control of the browser, it could turn out to be the biggest culprit for therapid battery drain on your device. So, what’s the better way to prevent Chrome from hogging a ton of resources or eating into a large chunk of battery. For a long-term solution, I’d recommend you switch to Safari, which is undoubtedly more efficient and faster. To get started on the right note, follow along to import bookmarks from Chrome to Safari on your Mac and iPhone.

Import Bookmarks from Chrome to Safari on Mac, iPhone, iPad

Apart from getting a plethora of security and privacy features including the ability tohide IP addressesand prevent cross-site tracking, Safari has also vastly improved in terms of customization. For a change, the stock web browser for Mac can now let youset a custom backgroundand evenorganize tabs in line with your preference. Add to that the seamless iCloud tabs and Safari seems to be better equipped to deliver a smooth and snappier browsing experience across iDevices. And that too without hogging too many resources.

As for the process of importing bookmarks and saved passwords from Google Chrome to Apple Safari on macOS, it’s as simple as it can ever get. Moreover, you have multiple options to import all the items from the Chrome browser. It’s worth noting that the process of importing bookmarks from Mozilla Firefox to Safari is pretty similar on Mac. So, you can easily switch from Firefox to Safari by following this same guide.

For a hassle-free experience, Safari lets you automatically bring all your bookmarks and saved passwords from Chrome/Firefox when you use it for the first time. Here’s how.

Note:Your imported bookmarks will appear after your existing bookmarks. And the imported history will appear alongside your existing Safari history.As for the imported passwords, they will be stored in the iCloud Keychain. Hence, you can autofill login information on websites.

If you aren’t a first time user and need to start importing bookmarks and passwords from Chrome to Safari on macOS, follow these steps:

Note:The Import option will be grayed out if Google Chrome is open in the background. Make sure to quit it to continue the process.

Unfortunately, neither Safari nor Chrome allows you to import bookmarks from another browser on iOS or iPadOS. But worry not. If you are using an iPhone/iPad along with a Mac, you can automatically sync the imported Chrome bookmarks with Safari on your iOS device. One thing to note is that the Apple IDs on both the devices should be same. Here’s how to enable syncing:

Alternatively, you can enable syncing via iTunes. Just connect your iPhone or iPad to the Mac device via USB and run iTunes. Following this, select Device -> Info -> Sync Bookmarks from Safari -> Apply.

There is also a reliable workaround for importing Chrome bookmarks from Windows to iOS. You can use the iCloud Bookmarks Chrome extension to sync your bookmarks over to Safari. While this process does require a bit of a setup initially, it works like a charm just like the iCloud passwords extension for Chrome.

Note:By default, the iCloud Bookmarks extension syncs bookmarks from Chrome. However, you can also use this extension to sync bookmarks from Firefox.

From now on, Chrome bookmarks will automatically sync with Safari on your iPhone and iPad via iCloud.

You also have the option to import bookmarks that were exported in HTML format from Google Chrome to Safari on macOS. Make sure you have already exported the bookmarks HTML file from Chrome. For this,

After you have exported the bookmarks file, here’s how to import it to Safari,

Note:You can also import exported bookmarks HTML file from Microsoft Edge, Netscape Navigator, OmniWeb, Mozilla Firefox, and even Safari by following the same aforementioned steps.

So, that’s how you can import all your bookmarks and passwords from Google Chrome to Safari. As I said above the process is pretty straightforward and works reliably on Mac. And if you are an iOS user, you can bring your imported Chrome bookmarks into Safari on your iPhone and iPad without any pain.

Thanks to the super handy iCloud bookmarks Chrome extension for Windows, importing Chrome bookmarks from Windows to iPhone and iPad is not tedious either. That said, what do you have to say about the redesigned Safari in macOS Monterey, and which are the things that you have liked/disliked in the stock browser for Mac? Do share your thoughts with us.

An old school bibliophile who turned a tech nerd out of obsession. When he is not digging into hacks and tracking down stories that are breaking the internet, you may find him reciting poems.