To restore Chrome bookmarks from backup, first identify whether you have an HTML export or a local BAK file. Follow the matching procedure, verify the restored folders, and explore alternatives if neither copy is usable.
Your Chrome bookmarks are missing, but a saved copy may still contain your folders and links. An exported HTML file needs importing, while Bookmarks.bak needs replacement in the correct Chrome profile folder.
To restore Chrome bookmarks from backup, identify your file before changing anything. You don’t need to reinstall Chrome, and profile files should only be replaced with the browser fully closed.
Start with the backup types below. If neither copy is usable, the later methods explain what you can try without a working backup.
| 📁 Available copy | 📃 What it contains | 🎯 Matching method |
|---|---|---|
| A .html or .htm file | A previously exported bookmark collection | Method 1 |
| Bookmarks.bak | A local backup from a Chrome profile | Method 2 |
| Neither copy is usable | No working backup is currently available | Method 3 or 4 |
An HTML export can have almost any filename. Bookmarks.bak uses a specific name and belongs to a particular browser profile.
Before restoring anything, open chrome://bookmarks and search for a familiar page title. Confirm you’re using the expected profile. A hidden bookmarks bar doesn’t mean the bookmarks were deleted.
For other disappearance symptoms, see: recover Google Chrome bookmarks.
👍 Best for: Restoring a collection exported before the bookmarks disappeared.
An HTML export stores the links and folders saved when you created it. Chrome can import that collection without replacing its internal profile files. You can use the export on the original computer or transfer it to another one.
Step 1. Locate your exported .html or .htm file and open it in a browser to confirm the missing links are included.
Step 2. Switch to the Chrome profile where you want the bookmarks restored. Click the three-dot menu and select Bookmarks and lists > Import bookmarks and settings.
Step 3. Select Bookmarks HTML File from the drop-down menu.
Step 4. Click Choose file, select your backup and click Open > Done.
Step 5. Open chrome://bookmarks and search for a distinctive bookmark name. Check imported folders and Other bookmarks if the links aren’t immediately visible.
The export only contains bookmarks saved at its creation time. A June backup won’t include links first bookmarked in September.
👍 Best for: Loading an earlier bookmark collection from an existing local BAK copy.
You may have a local backup even if you never exported your bookmarks. Chrome can keep a file named Bookmarks.bak inside its profile folder. A usable earlier copy can replace the current bookmark file, but it must belong to the correct profile.
Step 1. Locate your Chrome bookmark files. If your Chrome is open, go to chrome://version in the profile with the missing bookmarks. If not, open LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data and look inside folders like Default or Profile 1. Or directly search bookmarks in File Explorer.
Step 2. From the profile folder, copy Bookmarks and Bookmarks.bak to a separate drive. Keep files from different profiles in separate folders.
Step 3. Disconnect from the internet temporarily and close Chrome completely.
Step 4. Open the identified profile folder and Rename the current Bookmarks file to Bookmarks.old. You can enable File name extensions in File Explorer to distinguish Bookmarks.bak and Bookmarks.
Step 5. Copy the matching Bookmarks.bak into the profile folder. Replace the existing BAK file if prompted, then rename the copied file to Bookmarks by removing .bak.
Step 6. Start Chrome while still offline. Open chrome://bookmarks and check the expected folders and several links. You can also export bookmarks html for a duplicate copy.
👍 Best for: Retrieving a deleted Bookmarks file when no usable backup remains.
AOMEI FastRecovery is easy-to-use Windows file recovery software that can scan the original drive for deleted Chrome bookmark files.
Step 1. Download and install AOMEI FastRecovery on a different drive, not the one containing deleted Bookmarks file. Prepare another drive to save the recovered files. Then, launch AOMEI FastRecovery and select Deleted Files Recovery.
Step 2. Choose the drive containing your Chrome profile, then click Scan.
Step 3. Search the Quick Scan results for Bookmarks. Or switch to Path view and go straight to your original profile folder.
Step 4. Select the Bookmarks file and click Recover. Save them to a separate drive. This siginificantly reduces the risk of overwritting data you are trying to recover.
After recovery, you still need to restore the recovered bookmarks in Chrome before you can use it. The overal steps:
👍 Best for: Recreating a small set of bookmarks from pages still available in browsing history.
Chrome’s history can help you find previously visited pages when no usable bookmark copy remains. You can reopen those pages and save them as new bookmarks. This rebuilds selected links manually; it doesn’t restore the original folder structure.
Step 1. Open the relevant Chrome profile and press Ctrl+H. Search for a website name, page title, or recognizable topic.
Step 2. Open a matching page and press Ctrl+D.
Step 3. Choose its bookmark name and destination folder, then click Done. Repeat for the remaining links.
For a short list, manual rebuilding may be enough. A large collection with nested folders takes considerably more work.
Check these points before deleting preserved files or repeating restoration:
| ❓ What happened | ✅ What to check |
|---|---|
| HTML import finished, but links seem missing | Search Bookmark manager and check imported folders |
| BAK replacement made no difference | Confirm Profile Path and that Chrome was fully closed |
| Older folders returned, but recent links didn’t | Compare the backup date with when those links were saved |
| Chrome won’t import the BAK file | Use Method 2; renaming it to .html doesn’t convert it |
Synchronization also needs care. It shares bookmark changes between devices and doesn’t provide a selectable archive of every earlier collection.
Keep a separate HTML export before reconnecting or changing account settings. This preserves a copy outside the active profile.
Once you restore Chrome bookmarks from backup, open several links and check their addresses. Review folder nesting before removing duplicates or deleting preserved files.
Export the verified collection to another drive. Use a dated filename and retain older useful exports.
For future recovery, an HTML export is easier to identify and import than an internal profile file. Keep it separate from Chrome’s active collection.