How Do I Move Internet Explorer Favorites

Hi all,
Just got a new laptop and want to copy my Internet Explorer 'Favorites' from my Desktop (Vista Ultimate64) to the new lappy (Windows 7 Home Premium 64). What is the easiest way, and do I need to burn any files to a cd to accomplish this?
Thanks,
Jakeman97

Here's a tutorial on how to do it: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/86795-internet-explorer-import-export-favorites.html




The tutorial should work, if not then try this next: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Import-or-export-favorites-in-Internet-Explorer

I put mine in a folder then copied to a usb drive... from there I copied the folder to my desktop (You will need to take ownership because they came from another machine)

Jakeman97 said:

Hi all,
Just got a new laptop and want to copy my Internet Explorer 'Favorites' from my Desktop (Vista Ultimate64) to the new lappy (Windows 7 Home Premium 64). What is the easiest way, and do I need to burn any files to a cd to accomplish this?
Thanks,
Jakeman97

Click to expand...

Hello Jake,

IE favorites are stored in your C:\Users\(user-name)\Favorites folder. You could just simply copy them to a USB drive or CD/DVD from this location, then paste them in the same location on your laptop.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

I'm puzzled about something relating to this subject.

I'm including my C:\Users\(user-name)\Favorites folder in a daily backup tool in case I need to restore all of my IE Favorites at some time in the future.

I wanted to verify that this folder is the location where IE stores and makes the IE locations available when I'm in the browser and I display the Favorites toolbar ( <ctrl> c) .

I renamed this folder to another name and launched my IE browser. All of my Favorites are still present when I display the Favorites Toolbar list. They are all functional.

I also moved the Favorites folder from its default location to my Desktop and I'm still able to access the Favorites list in IE.

Is IE running from some sort of cache memory or is it accessing my Favorites from another location on my PC?

I'm running Windows 7 64 bit with IE10 .

There is a service (maybe more than one service involved) that keeps track of certain folder locations. That path is written to the registry.

You might want to watch this in the full screen mode and at 720p.

UsernameIssues said:

There is a service (maybe more than one service involved) that keeps track of certain folder locations. That path is written to the registry.

Click to expand...

Before posting, I deleted that folder to the Recycle Bin and the Favorites bar in IE was blank. I restored it back from the Recycle Bin and the Favorites re-appeared.

I noticed that IE re-creates that folder when the browser is launched or exits. I'd expected that to happen so I replaced the newly-created empty folder with the original from the Recycle Bin.

I wanted to verify that I was backing up that folder in my daily backup tool.

I just copy the Favorites folder on my desktop to a thumb drive and copy the contents from there to the Favorites folder on my notebook. Easy-peasy.

@Scoop,
It is very wise of you to test your backup scheme before you actually need it someday. I wish more people would do that.

I added a video to the post - in case you want to see this registry key being changed. I did not think to test deleting the favorites folder to the recycle bin

Lady Fitzgerald said:

I just copy the Favorites folder on my desktop to a thumb drive and copy the contents from there to the Favorites folder on my note. Easy-peasy.

Click to expand...

My favorites folder is automatically backed up every few hours to a cloud based backup system... except I don't actually have any favorites within IE

Lady Fitzgerald said:

I just copy the Favorites folder on my desktop to a thumb drive and copy the contents from there to the Favorites folder on my note. Easy-peasy.

Click to expand...

Good idea I have that folder included in a nightly specific-item backup along with some of my "must-saves", *.PST Outlook, things like that.

I had a little of the old-day jitters when I deleted that Favorites folder even though I knew it was going to the Recycle Bin

I'm not brave though. I just cloned my HDD earlier today, my monthly backup practice. There's nothing like having that complete spare HDD to remove any doubts when doing something in Windows that's new for me.

BTW, I like reading your posts at this forum

UsernameIssues said:

@Scoop,
It is very wise of you to test your backup scheme before you actually need it someday. I wish more people would do that.

I added a video to the post - in case you want to see this registry key being changed. I did not think to test deleting the favorites folder to the recycle bin

My favorites folder is automatically backed up every few hours to a cloud based backup system... except I don't actually have any favorites within IE

Click to expand...

Thanks. I guess it's sort of like test-driving a car. After I clone every 4 weeks, I boot up on my Target HDD and give it a workout, launch IE, Outlook, a couple of apps, to insure that it's a working spare HDD before returning it to the shelf.

I'm surprised at the # of PC users that don't have a backup routine. I read some of that at the Norton forum and I feel bummed out for other members there that routinely post about intrusion headaches, malware, virus, etc.

I learned a few years ago that it's hard to beat having a complete bootable spare HDD when that happens. It's bailed me out a couple of times during the last couple of years.

The bummer to me is seeing others going through that hassle, downloading cleanup tools, paying online techs to help them recover their systems.

Once one learns some of the basics about cloning or imaging, it's a great way to be prepared and to have that peace of mind on the shelf.

I'm not in the class of you guys here at this forum. I'm still a rookie when it comes to a lot of this PC world, but I've learned a lot from the members here

I can't see your video in the post. That may be due to my IE settings or something similar.

How odd that the video will not play, perhaps a direct link will play for you:
user shell folders - YouTube
or try another browser.

UsernameIssues said:

How odd that the video will not play, perhaps a direct link will play for you:
user shell folders - YouTube
or try another browser.

Click to expand...

I'd guess that it's IE10. I don't have another browser at present. I've thought about loading another one, Chrome, etc, but I guess I've been an IE guy for too long. I've used Firefox at a friend's house but I'm too hooked on IE's shortcut keys . I don't use a mouse that much on my PC.

The YT link worked great. That's pretty cool, Windows keeps track of the Favorites folder so the user can move it where they want it to reside.

You don't have to use your second browser - just keep one installed in case IE gets so barfed that it will not go online.

You can use Firefox (or Pale Moon 64bit), Chrome, Opera, Safari or pick another flavor.

It would be your backup browser

If you install one, just watch the options so that it does not become the default browser. Also, the first time the browser starts, it might ask again to become your default browser.

UsernameIssues said:

You don't have to use your second browser - just keep one installed in case IE gets so barfed that it will not go online.

You can use Firefox (or Pale Moon 64bit), Chrome, Opera, Safari or pick another flavor.

It would be your backup browser

If you install one, just watch the options so that it does not become the default browser. Also, the first time the browser starts, it might ask again to become your default browser.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip. I've been in the IE cocoon for a long time . It's probably time to try another browser, mainly to have an alternative ready to use as you mentioned.

Over the years, I've had fairly good experiences with IE, particularly after IE8 became available. I see occasional bugs but when they occur, which has been rare for me since IE9, I close the browser and re-launch.

Since I use the keyboard most of the time, it's fast for me to close the browser with <ctrl> w . My IE launch hotkey is <ctrl> i .

I recall the old saying on the 'net was mostly that the IE browsers were less secure than Firefox. I wonder if that's true in the present environment or if that (supposed) gap has closed in recent years.

Chrome sounds like it may be the one that I load as an alternate since I've used Firefox and would like to try a different choice. I wonder how many shortcut keys were ported over in Chrome, ie, <ctrl> t = open a new tab, <ctrl> k = open duplicate tab, etc.

I use shortcuts all the time in IE which saves me time vs the mouse. I think my Kensington Trackball gets lonely

Scoop said:

~~~
I recall the old saying on the 'net was mostly that the IE browsers were less secure than Firefox. I wonder if that's true in the present environment or if that (supposed) gap has closed in recent years.
~~~

Click to expand...

You might want to read this:
http://www.sevenforums.com/news/294816-internet-explorer-10-provides-safer-browsing.html

UsernameIssues said:

Scoop said:

~~~
I recall the old saying on the 'net was mostly that the IE browsers were less secure than Firefox. I wonder if that's true in the present environment or if that (supposed) gap has closed in recent years.
~~~

Click to expand...

You might want to read this:
http://www.sevenforums.com/news/294816-internet-explorer-10-provides-safer-browsing.html

Click to expand...

Thanks for that link. Talk about brain-fade , I posted in that thread a while back after reading Shawn's posted article.

IE has come a long way back from those days when its reputation wasn't as good with security issues vs Firefox.

When 'net security is the subject, it seems to me to be challenging since 'net users' experiences are so diverse.

Over the years, I have averaged about 1 intrusion (where my previous AV's detected the parent threat but weren't able to block all effects) per year. I have friends that surf as much as me, and one has always used IE browsers. To date, he's yet to experience a virus/malware intrusion that got past his AV (MacAfee).

We're both careful surfers but I was running another AV product.

It's like shopping for AV's; there's so much diversity among opinions and customer experiences when it comes to that subject.

That's why I settled on backup protection as the solution a few years ago so that I can enjoy my surfing without being concerned about intrusions getting past the frontline AV protection.