If you’re tempted to switch from Chrome to another browser, the thought of losing all your bookmarks and other settings might put you off. Thankfully, today’s major browsers make it easier than ever to switch by importing settings like bookmarks, browser histories, saved passwords, and more from Chrome.
Why Would You Want to Switch from Chrome?
After liberating us from the dark times of Internet Explorer, Chrome faced little competition in the browser market for many years. Times are changing, though. Competition in the browser market is hotter than ever, and the list of reasons people seek out Chrome alternatives is growing all the time:
If privacy is your priority, now is the perfect time to try out some Chrome alternatives. Things get a little more complicated when it comes to performance, particularly with RAM and CPU. For the most part, Chrome has resolved its RAM and CPU issues, but the damage to its reputation persists.
If you’re using a Windows laptop with limited RAM and processing power, you might get a performance boost by switching. You should see the biggest improvements with Edge and Opera on Windows, but the difference is smaller than you’d imagine from the narrative surrounding Chrome.
On Mac devices, Safari is the only major browser that offers a meaningful performance boost, while tests findOpera and Firefox both use more resources than Chromeon MacBooks.
Besides, even if Chrome is your favorite browser, there are plenty of reasons to have multiple browser apps on your devices. In this case, you might not be switching, but you can still import your bookmarks and other settings from Chrome for a more seamless experience.
How to Keep Your Chrome Bookmarks, History, Passwords, and Settings When You Switch
Whatever reasons you might have for switching from Chrome to another browser, losing your bookmarks and other settings is always an inconvenience. Luckily, major browsers want to make it as easy as possible for you to switch and most allow you to import bookmarks, browser histories, and more.
Switching from Chrome to Edge
To import your bookmarks, passwords, history, and other browser data from Chrome into Edge, follow these steps:
On the next page, you should see a tab labeledImport data from Google Chrome.
Click theImportbutton, and this will open a box listing the types of browser data you may import from Chrome.
Check that you’re importing browser data from the correct Chrome profile, and select the types of browser data you want to import to Edge. Once you’re happy with your selection, clickImportand Edge will take care of the rest for you.
Switching from Chrome to Firefox
To import your Chrome browser data into Firefox, follow these steps:
You should seeImport Browser Dataunder theGeneraltab, which is showing as soon as you open the mainSettingspage in Firefox. If you have any problems, search “import browser data” using the search bar at the top-right of the page.
ClickImport Dataand this will trigger a pop-up asking you which browser you want to import data from.
SelectChromefrom the list of options (if it isn’t already selected) and, then, clickContinue. The following pop-up will ask you which items you want to import from your Chrome browser data.
Deselect anything you don’t want to import and, once you’re happy with your selection, clickContinue.
Switching from Chrome to Safari
To import your bookmarks and other Chrome browser data to Safari, follow these steps:
After another short delay, a pop-up should appear showing the items you can import from Google Chrome.
You can import bookmarks, your browser history, and saved passwords from Chrome to Safari. Deselect any items you don’t want to import and, once you’re happy, click theImportbutton.
Switching from Chrome to Brave
To import your Chrome browser data into Brave, follow these steps:
When you open Brave for the first time, you should see a prompt asking you to import your settings from other browsers. All you need to do is select the browser(s) you want to import from, click theImportbutton, and Brave will take care of the rest.
If you accidentally press theSkipbutton, or you’re not opening Brave for the first time, you can import manually by clicking thethree-line iconat the top-right of the window and selectingSettings > Import bookmarks and settings.
This triggers a pop-up for you to select the browser you wish to import from and the items you want to import.
From Chrome, you’re able to import your browsing history, bookmarks, saved passwords, and compatible extensions. You can deselect anything you don’t want to import and click theImportbutton once you’re done.
What Can’t You Keep If You Switch from Chrome to Another Browser?
Depending on which browser you’re switching to, you might not be able to import everything you want to from Chrome. Among the major browsers, Microsoft Edge is capable of importing the most data from Chrome–by a long shot:
Now, you might not want Edge to import all of that data from Chrome, especially if you’re switching over privacy concerns. Consider which features you plan to use in Edge and only import the data you need. For example, if you don’t want to use autofill for personal info and payment details, deselect these items before importing.
Most browsers can only import bookmarks, browser histories, and saved passwords, while some can also import compatible extensions. For most use cases, this will provide a seamless enough switch to your new browser, saving you from typing full URLs to revisit sites.
You’ll need to log in to your accounts and online services again, although importing saved passwords can make this easier. This includes your Google Account if you’re used to moving between Google Search, Maps, YouTube, and other services.
Time to Try Some Chrome Alternatives
Whether you’re looking to switch from Chrome to another browser or you want to use multiple apps for browsing, now is the perfect time to try out some Chrome alternatives. The browser market is more competitive than ever, and Google’s reliance on ad revenue could be Chrome’s undoing. So, even if Chrome is your go-to browser, it’s probably a good idea to start looking at some backup options.
