How to Export Firefox Bookmarks to a File (HTML vs. JSON)

Need a copy of your Firefox bookmarks for a backup or to move them to another browser? In Firefox on desktop, open the Bookmarks Library, choose Import and Backup, select Export Bookmarks to HTML, then save the file somewhere you can find it. This creates a single HTML file with your bookmarks and folder structure.

If you need to save only a particular folder or a few links, Bookmark Llama’s export bookmarks firefox extension lets you search, preview, and export a selected set instead of the whole library.

How to export Firefox bookmarks to an HTML file

The built-in HTML export is usually the simplest choice when you want a portable backup or need to move bookmarks to another browser. Firefox saves the collection and its folder organization into one file that other browsers can import.

1. Open Firefox on a desktop computer.
2. Click the three-line menu button in the top-right corner of the window.
3. Choose Bookmarks, then select Manage bookmarks. The Library window opens. On Windows or Linux, you can also press Ctrl+Shift+O; on macOS, try Command+Shift+O if available. Menu wording can vary by Firefox version.
4. In the Library window, click Import and Backup. On some macOS setups, this may appear only as up-and-down arrows.
5. Select Export Bookmarks to HTML.
6. Pick a save location you can find again, such as Desktop or Documents.
7. Keep the suggested filename, often bookmarks.html, or choose a more descriptive name such as firefox-bookmarks-2026.html.
8. Click Save, then close the Library window.

After saving, it is worth opening the folder and confirming the file is actually there before you rely on it as a backup.

HTML export or Firefox backup: which should you choose?

Firefox offers two nearby options in the same Import and Backup menu, but they serve different purposes.

• Export Bookmarks to HTML produces a portable HTML-format bookmark file. This is the better default when you want to transfer bookmarks to Chrome, Edge, another Firefox profile, or another browser that supports HTML bookmark imports. It creates a single file that preserves your bookmarks and folders.
• Backup is the separate Firefox-native backup option in the same menu. Instead of an HTML file, it creates a JSON-format backup intended mainly for restoring bookmarks into Firefox. Some Firefox builds may save this as a compressed .jsonlz4 file; either way, it is not the same workflow as an HTML export.

Choose HTML when your goal is portability or a readable file that can be imported by multiple browsers. Choose Backup when you specifically want a Firefox-native backup-and-restore route and do not need cross-browser portability.

Quick comparison

Where to save the file and how to use it

A bookmark export is useful only if you can find it later and know how to import it.

Save the HTML file to a memorable location such as your Desktop, a dedicated Bookmarks backups folder, or a cloud-synced folder if you want an off-device copy. Name it with a date if you expect to keep multiple versions, for example firefox-bookmarks-2026-03-08.html.

After the export, open the folder and check that the file is present. Saving an HTML file does not automatically move or sync the bookmarks; importing is a separate step.

• To bring the file back into Firefox later: open the Library, choose Import and Backup, then select Import Bookmarks from HTML, and choose the saved file.
• To use the file in another browser: open that browser’s bookmark manager or settings and look for an import option that accepts an HTML bookmark file. The exact label varies, but terms such as Import bookmarks, Import favorites, or Bookmarks HTML file are common.
• To move bookmarks between browsers directly, you can export from Firefox as HTML and import that file into the other browser.

Need to export only a folder or a few bookmarks?

Firefox’s built-in HTML export is designed to save the full bookmark library, including its folders. That can be more than you need if you only want one project folder, a set of research links, or a subset of bookmarks to share.

Bookmark Llama’s export bookmarks firefox extension addresses that case. It can export all bookmarks, a single bookmark folder, selected folders, or only specific links. The extension also lets you search your bookmarks, preview what will be included, and download the result in a clean format.

You can use Bookmark Llama to export bookmarks as JSON for backup or data work, or as browser-import HTML for transfer back into Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and other browsers that support bookmark HTML imports. This is useful when you want more control than Firefox’s default export tool offers.

The add-on page describes the tool as working client-side in your browser, with bookmark data not uploaded to its servers. Still, Firefox’s built-in HTML export is a fine starting point for a basic full-library backup.

Quick checks before you finish

• These instructions apply to Firefox on desktop. Firefox’s mobile app does not offer the same built-in bookmark export workflow, so check current mobile options before assuming you can export from a phone or tablet.
• Use Export Bookmarks to HTML for a portable, browser-importable file.
• Use Firefox’s Backup option only when you want its native backup-and-restore route.
• Confirm the saved file exists in your chosen location before treating the export as a completed backup.
• If you only need selected folders or links, a selective export tool such as Bookmark Llama may be more practical than exporting the entire library.

Conclusion

For a straightforward backup or browser transfer, Firefox’s built-in Export Bookmarks to HTML option is usually the simplest route. Save the file somewhere easy to find and confirm it is there before relying on it. Use Firefox’s Backup option when you specifically want a Firefox-native backup, and use a selective export tool such as Bookmark Llama when you need to save particular folders or links rather than your full bookmark library.