Adding a favorite in Safari takes one click

To add a favorite in Safari, open the website you want to save, then tap or click the Share button (the square with an arrow pointing out of it). A menu appears. Select Add Bookmark, choose where you want it saved, and confirm. The site is now in your Bookmarks menu or Favorites bar, depending on where you placed it.

On iPhone and iPad, the Share button is at the bottom of the screen. On Mac, it's in the top-right corner of the Safari window. The process is identical on all three devices — the location of the button is the only difference.

Key Takeaways

  • The Share button (square with arrow) opens a menu where you can select Add Bookmark in one tap or click.
  • You can save bookmarks to your Bookmarks menu, Bookmarks bar, or a custom folder you create yourself.
  • The Favorites bar at the top of Safari shows your most-visited sites and can display bookmarks you choose to pin there.
  • Syncing bookmarks across your devices happens automatically if you use the same iCloud account on all of them.

Where your bookmarks appear after you save them

When you add a bookmark, Safari asks you to choose a location. The default options are Bookmarks Menu (hidden until you click the Bookmarks menu at the top) or Favorites (shown on the Favorites bar below the address bar). You can also create a new folder and save the bookmark inside it, which is useful if you're collecting sites about a specific topic.

The Favorites bar displays up to about six or seven sites at once, depending on your screen size. If you save more bookmarks than fit, Safari hides the extras behind a folder icon on the right side of the bar. You can rearrange bookmarks on the Favorites bar by dragging them left or right.

Editing or moving a bookmark after you save it

To change where a bookmark is stored or rename it, open the Bookmarks menu at the top of Safari, then select Edit Bookmarks. A sidebar appears showing all your bookmarks organized by folder. Click any bookmark to select it, then edit its name in the field at the top or drag it to a different folder.

On iPhone and iPad, tap the Bookmarks icon (the open book) at the bottom of the screen, then tap Edit in the top-right corner. You can then delete bookmarks by swiping left on them or move them by tapping and dragging.

Creating folders to organize bookmarks by topic

If you bookmark many sites, folders keep them organized. On Mac, open Bookmarks > Edit Bookmarks, then click the plus sign (+) at the bottom of the sidebar to create a new folder. Name it, then drag bookmarks into it. On iPhone and iPad, tap Edit in the Bookmarks view, then tap the folder icon with a plus sign to create a new folder.

Common folder names include "Work," "Shopping," "Travel," or "Recipes" — whatever matches how you actually search for sites. You can create folders inside folders too, though keeping it to one or two levels makes bookmarks easier to find.

Syncing bookmarks across your devices

If you use the same iCloud account on your Mac, iPhone, and iPad, Safari syncs your bookmarks automatically. Any bookmark you add on one device appears on the others within a few seconds. This happens in the background without any action from you.

To check that syncing is turned on, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud on iPhone or iPad, or System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud on Mac, and make sure Safari is toggled on. If you use different iCloud accounts on different devices, bookmarks won't sync between them.

The difference between bookmarks and reading list

Safari has two separate features that can look similar: Bookmarks and Reading List. Bookmarks are permanent links you want to return to often. Reading List is a temporary holding area for articles you want to read later but may not need forever. You add to Reading List using the same Share menu, but selecting Add to Reading List instead of Add Bookmark.

Reading List items sync across your devices if you use iCloud, but they're meant to be temporary — you can mark them as read and they fade visually, or delete them when you're done. Bookmarks stay until you remove them. Use Bookmarks for sites you visit regularly, and Reading List for articles you're collecting for later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a bookmark without using the Share button?

Yes. On Mac, use the keyboard shortcut Command+D, or go to Bookmarks > Add Bookmark in the menu bar. On iPhone and iPad, you can also tap the Bookmarks icon (open book) at the bottom, then tap Edit and the plus sign to add a bookmark manually. The Share button method is fastest, but these alternatives work too.

What if I want a bookmark on my Favorites bar but it's in my Bookmarks menu?

Open Bookmarks > Edit Bookmarks on Mac, find the bookmark in the sidebar, and drag it to the Favorites folder at the top. On iPhone and iPad, tap the Bookmarks icon, then Edit, find the bookmark, and drag it to Favorites. You can also delete it from its current location and re-add it, choosing Favorites when prompted.

Do bookmarks take up storage space on my device?

No. Bookmarks are just links — they're tiny files that use almost no storage. You can save hundreds or thousands of bookmarks without affecting your device's available space. The only limit is how many you can reasonably organize and find when you need them.

Can I export my Safari bookmarks to another browser?

Yes. On Mac, go to File > Export Bookmarks and save them as an HTML file. You can then import that file into Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. On iPhone and iPad, you'll need to use a Mac or PC to export bookmarks — Safari on mobile doesn't have an export option built in.