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10 Tech How-To

Import Safari Data to Edge on Mac

Guide 10-15017 · Updated · Step by step

This guide shows you how to move your bookmarks, passwords, history, and other data from Safari to Microsoft Edge on your Mac. You only need both browsers installed and a few minutes—no extra tools or technical know-how required.

What You’ll Need

  • A Mac running macOS with Safari installed (comes with the system).
  • Microsoft Edge for Mac installed (free from Microsoft’s website).
  • Your Mac’s login password if you use iCloud Keychain or have Edge set to require a password for autofill.

Step-by-Step

  1. Open Microsoft Edge on your Mac. If you haven’t installed it yet, download it from Microsoft’s official site and drag it to your Applications folder.
  2. Look at the top-left corner of the Edge window. Click the three-dot menu (⋯) icon—it’s the button with three horizontal dots, usually near the top-right of the browser window on Mac.
  3. From the dropdown menu, select Settings. This opens a new tab with Edge’s configuration options.
  4. In the left sidebar of the Settings page, click Profiles. If you don’t see a sidebar, make sure the window is wide enough or click the hamburger icon at the top-left to expand it.
  5. Under the profile you’re using (usually “Profile 1” or your name), click Import browser data. This option might also appear as a button labeled “Import” directly on the profile page.
  6. In the “Import from” dropdown, select Safari. If you don’t see Safari listed, make sure Safari is closed and try again—Edge sometimes can’t read Safari’s data while Safari is running.
  7. Check the boxes next to the items you want to import. You can choose any combination of:
    • Favorites/Bookmarks – your saved websites
    • History – the list of sites you’ve visited
    • Passwords – saved login credentials (requires your Mac password or Touch ID)
    • Autofill data – addresses, credit card info (if saved in Safari)
    • Extensions – Safari extensions (only those that have Edge equivalents)
    • Settings – some preferences like search engine defaults
  8. Click the blue Import button. Wait a few seconds—Edge will show a progress bar and then a summary like “Import complete!”
  9. Click Done to finish. Your Safari data is now in Edge.
  10. To verify, check your bookmarks by clicking the star icon or pressing Cmd+Shift+B to show the bookmarks bar. Your Safari favorites should appear in a folder named “Imported from Safari” or directly in the bookmarks bar.

Common Mistakes

  • Safari still running: If Safari is open, Edge may not be able to access its data. Close Safari completely (Cmd+Q) before importing.
  • Wrong profile: You might be importing into a different Edge profile than the one you use. Check the profile name at the top of the Settings page before importing.
  • Not selecting all items: By default, Edge may only import bookmarks and history. Make sure you tick the boxes for passwords and autofill if you want them.
  • Ignoring the password prompt: Importing passwords requires your macOS password or Touch ID. If you skip it, passwords won’t be imported.
  • Looking for imported data in the wrong place: Imported bookmarks often go into a folder called “Imported from Safari” in the bookmarks bar, not directly on the bar itself.

Tips

  • Import again after changes: If you add new bookmarks or history in Safari after importing, you can repeat the process—it won’t duplicate existing items; it merges them.
  • Use iCloud for continuous sync: If you prefer, you can keep Safari and Edge in sync by enabling iCloud Passwords in System Settings and using the iCloud for Windows tool (if you also use a PC). But the manual import is a one-time, direct transfer.
  • Export Safari bookmarks as HTML first: If Edge doesn’t detect Safari automatically, you can export bookmarks from Safari (File > Export > Bookmarks) as an HTML file, then in Edge go to Settings > Profiles > Import browser data > choose “Bookmarks HTML file”.
  • Check passwords in Edge: After importing, go to Edge’s password manager (edge://settings/passwords) to verify your logins are there. You may need to re-enter your Mac password to view them.
  • Set Edge as default browser: Once you’re happy with the import, go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Default web browser and select Microsoft Edge to make the switch permanent.

Troubleshooting

Safari doesn’t appear in the “Import from” dropdown.
Make sure Safari is fully closed (Cmd+Q, not just the red button). If it still doesn’t show, restart your Mac and try again. Alternatively, use the HTML export method described in Tips.

Import button is grayed out.
This usually means no items are selected. Check at least one checkbox (e.g., Favorites). If all boxes are already checked and the button is still gray, close Edge and reopen it, then try again.

Passwords didn’t import.
You likely didn’t authenticate with your Mac password or Touch ID when prompted. Repeat the import and make sure you approve the security prompt. Also, if you use iCloud Keychain, some passwords may be stored in the cloud and not in Safari’s local database—import those separately via iCloud Passwords in Edge.

Bookmarks imported but in a weird folder.
Edge places imported bookmarks in a folder named “Imported from Safari” (or “From Safari”). You can drag them to your bookmarks bar or another folder. To keep them organized, create a new folder in Edge’s bookmarks manager (Cmd+Shift+O) and move them there.

History is incomplete.
Edge imports only the browsing history that Safari has stored locally. If you use Private Browsing often, those sessions won’t appear. Also, if you have a very large history (thousands of entries), Edge might take a while—wait a few minutes before assuming it failed.

Extensions didn’t come over.
Safari extensions are built with different technology (Safari App Extensions) and can’t be directly converted. You’ll need to find equivalent extensions in the Edge Add-ons store. The import only brings over extensions that have a direct Edge version, which is rare.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will importing from Safari delete my Safari data?
No. The import copies data from Safari to Edge; your Safari bookmarks, history, and passwords remain untouched. You can continue using Safari as before.

Can I import only bookmarks and not history?
Yes. In the import dialog, uncheck the boxes for History and any other items you don’t want. You can select just Favorites/Bookmarks.

Does this work with Safari Technology Preview?
Edge’s import tool looks for the standard Safari data. If you use Safari Technology Preview, its data is stored separately and may not be detected. You can export bookmarks from Tech Preview as HTML and import that file into Edge.

Will my saved passwords be visible to anyone?
No. Imported passwords are stored in Edge’s password manager, which is encrypted and requires your Mac login to view. They are not visible in plain text.

Can I import data from Edge back to Safari later?
Yes, but it’s less straightforward. Safari doesn’t have a built-in import from Edge. You can export Edge bookmarks as HTML (Edge menu > Favorites > Export) and import that into Safari (File > Import > Bookmarks HTML file). Passwords and history are harder to move back.

Why doesn’t Edge import my Safari extensions?
Safari extensions are separate apps or bundled code that rely on Safari’s extension API. Edge uses Chromium extensions, which are incompatible. You’ll need to search the Edge Add-ons store for similar extensions.

Related

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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