How to Import Chrome Bookmarks into Safari for iOS
Safari has been a real treat for iOS 13 and iPadOS. It's loaded with amazing features like always-on desktop mode, full support for downloads, and custom site settings. I'm starting to use it more and more, which is surprising considering my past as a fanatic of Chrome.
But going from one browser to another is not easy. Although I do not mind copying passwords from Chrome to Safari as needed, I can not work without my favorites. However, neither Safari nor Chrome for iOS allow you to import or export bookmarks. It's infuriating.
Fortunately, there are workarounds. As long as you have access to a PC or Mac, your Chrome bookmarks can be imported quickly enough into Safari. Let me show you how.
Windows: Sync with Safari with iCloud bookmark extension
On Windows, you can easily use the iCloud bookmarks extension for Chrome to sync your bookmarks to Safari via iCloud. Yeah, it's that easy. But in return, you must also install the iCloud application on your computer: it measures about 200 MB. You can choose to keep it once your bookmarks have been synced to Safari or delete it afterwards.
iCloud for Windows is available in two versions: a traditional desktop application and a Windows Store application. However, I recommend installing it because it has far fewer bugs than the desktop version. If you are interested, you can also read my comparison of the two versions.
And one more thing – this procedure goes both ways. Do not forget that I said "sync", not "import". Thus, all the bookmarks already present in Safari will also be synchronized with Chrome.
Since you now know what this entails, let's review the steps needed to sync your bookmarks to Safari.
Note: I hope that Chrome is installed on your computer and that you are logged in with the same Google account as the one used on Chrome for iOS. Otherwise, the Chrome bookmarks on your iOS device will not be available on your desktop for Safari syncing.
Step 1: Open Chrome, and then install the iCloud Bookmarks extension through the Chrome Web Store.
Once the extension is installed, exit Chrome.
S2nd step: Install the iCloud Windows Store app.
You can also install the iCloud desktop app by downloading the iCloud installer from the Apple website.
SStep 3: Once the installation of the iCloud application is complete, log in with your Apple ID when prompted.
In the iCloud window that appears next, click Options next to Bookmarks, and then select Chrome. Finally, click Apply, and then restart your computer.
Note: You can also choose to sync your iCloud files and photos to your PC by checking the boxes next to iCloud Drive and Photos if you wish.
Step 4: Open Chrome after rebooting, and then click the iCloud Bookmarks extension next to the address bar. The message "Your Chrome Favorites are synced with iCloud" should indicate that your Chrome Favorites are now available in iCloud.
SStep 5: Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. Then, tap your profile, tap iCloud, and make sure the switch next to Safari is turned on. This ensures that iCloud synchronization is active for Safari.
Launch Safari. Go to the bookmarks screen, and your Google Chrome bookmarks should appear in the list. It was not difficult at all.
You can now choose to keep the iCloud Bookmarks extension on Chrome or just delete it. The same applies to the iCloud application. If you keep them, both browsers will sync your bookmarks each time you launch Chrome on your PC. It would be nice to have if you intend to continue to switch between the two browsers on your iPhone or iPad.
Mac: import into Safari and sync via iCloud
On a Mac, things are much simpler than Windows. It's all about importing your Chrome bookmarks into Safari (which is very easy), then syncing them via iCloud. Let's check the steps.
Step 1: If Chrome is not installed on your Mac, do it now. You can delete it once you have finished importing your bookmarks into Safari if you wish.
Then open Chrome, then sign in with your Google Account credentials to download your favorites.
2nd step: Open Safari, and then click File in the menu bar. Point to Import from, and then click Google Chrome.
S2nd step: In the dialog box that appears, select the check box next to Bookmarks, and then click Import. You can also import your Chrome history if you want.
Step 3: Check that iCloud sync is enabled for Safari. To do this, open the Apple menu, click System Preferences, and then click iCloud. The box next to Safari should be checked.
SStep 4: The same goes for your iOS device. In the Settings app, tap your profile, tap iCloud, and then make sure the switch next to Safari is turned on.
Now, just launch Safari on your iPhone or iPad and see your Chrome bookmarks in all their splendor.
Chrome Bookmarked!
It's just ridiculous that the major browsers on iPhone and iPad do not have any export / import features for bookmarks. It's just basic stuff, right? But at least you quickly import bookmarks into Safari using the methods above.
Then: On iPadOS, Safari is a force to be reckoned with. Here are seven tips and tips you can try to improve your browsing experience even more.