[Alex from GA]

Windows 10 lost bookmarks.  I did a restore yesterday thinking that would bring my bookmarks back, not.  I've read a bunch of stuff and tried to find the bookmarks and bookmarks.bak files and failed.  Thanks for any help you can offer.  I haven't needed to use your expertise for a few years but in the past you've helped.

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What usually happens if there is a problem reading the default profile so Chrome creates a new one.

Your profiles are stored in a hidden location so you need to first tell Windows to let you see the hidden locations:

 

http://www.howtogeek...-windows-vista/

 

Now open File Explorer and navigate to This PC => C: => Users => YOUR USUAL USER NAME => AppData => Local =>Google => Chrome => User Data.  The Default profile is kept in the folder called Default but if you have more than one profile the others are usually called Profile 1, Profile 2 etc.

 

https://www.howtogee...-mac-and-linux/

 

Look for a file called Bookmarks.  You can open it with notepad. 

 

The official way to backup and import your bookmarks is:

 

https://ccm.net/faq/...hrome-bookmarks

 

 

 

Mine starts out:

 

{
   "checksum": "0e5b6bcc1b06bf56929f1e2adb0256f3",
   "roots": {
      "bookmark_bar": {
         "children": [ {
            "date_added": "13011561155751000",
            "id": "7",
            "meta_info": {
               "last_visited_desktop": "13200877160998355"
            },
            "name": "G",
            "sync_transaction_version": "216",
            "type": "url",
            "url": "https://mail.google..../?tab=wm#inbox"
         }, {
            "date_added": "13031351351033000",
            "id": "420",
            "meta_info": {
               "last_visited_desktop": "13193087279417671"
            },
            "name": "F",
            "sync_transaction_version": "168",
            "type": "url",
            "url": "https://www.facebook.com/"
         }, {
            "date_added": "13031346767167804",
            "id": "406",
            "meta_info": {
               "last_visited_desktop": "13182618287694528"
            },
            "name": "G",
            "sync_transaction_version": "90",
            "type": "url",
            "url": "http://www.geekstogo...e&do=noReplies"
         }, {
            "date_added": "12991875662000000",
            "id": "13",
            "meta_info": {
               "last_visited_desktop": "13147096157100679"
            },
            "name": "BVS",
            "sync_transaction_version": "90",
            "type": "url",
            "url": "http://www.blackvipe...dows-services/"
         },

 

 

I've highlighted the URLs for the bookmarks.  I use shortened names to fit more on the bookmarks bar.    Anyway if you have more than one profile you need to try to switch to the other profile(s)

https://www.pcworld....-in-chrome.html

 

If the profile is defective it probably won't work.  I've seen where the profile folder loses its permissions so it can't be opened.  You can right click on it and select properties then Security.  Your user login should have Full Control.  If not you need to edit the permissions.  Sometimes you will need to change owner first:

 

https://www.laptopma...g-file-explorer

 

 

Another possibility is you are not logged in.  Make sure that you are logged in to Chrome as the same user.   (three dash icon in the upper corner, Settings, People will tell you who it thinks you are.  Same area will tell you if Sync is on or not.  If Sync is on most of the settings are stored in the cloud and can be accessed from any PC by logging in to the same Chrome account)

[RKinner]

What usually happens if there is a problem reading the default profile so Chrome creates a new one.

Your profiles are stored in a hidden location so you need to first tell Windows to let you see the hidden locations:

 

http://www.howtogeek...-windows-vista/

 

Now open File Explorer and navigate to This PC => C: => Users => YOUR USUAL USER NAME => AppData => Local =>Google => Chrome => User Data.  The Default profile is kept in the folder called Default but if you have more than one profile the others are usually called Profile 1, Profile 2 etc.

 

https://www.howtogee...-mac-and-linux/

 

Look for a file called Bookmarks.  You can open it with notepad. 

 

The official way to backup and import your bookmarks is:

 

https://ccm.net/faq/...hrome-bookmarks

 

 

 

Mine starts out:

 

{
   "checksum": "0e5b6bcc1b06bf56929f1e2adb0256f3",
   "roots": {
      "bookmark_bar": {
         "children": [ {
            "date_added": "13011561155751000",
            "id": "7",
            "meta_info": {
               "last_visited_desktop": "13200877160998355"
            },
            "name": "G",
            "sync_transaction_version": "216",
            "type": "url",
            "url": "https://mail.google..../?tab=wm#inbox"
         }, {
            "date_added": "13031351351033000",
            "id": "420",
            "meta_info": {
               "last_visited_desktop": "13193087279417671"
            },
            "name": "F",
            "sync_transaction_version": "168",
            "type": "url",
            "url": "https://www.facebook.com/"
         }, {
            "date_added": "13031346767167804",
            "id": "406",
            "meta_info": {
               "last_visited_desktop": "13182618287694528"
            },
            "name": "G",
            "sync_transaction_version": "90",
            "type": "url",
            "url": "http://www.geekstogo...e&do=noReplies"
         }, {
            "date_added": "12991875662000000",
            "id": "13",
            "meta_info": {
               "last_visited_desktop": "13147096157100679"
            },
            "name": "BVS",
            "sync_transaction_version": "90",
            "type": "url",
            "url": "http://www.blackvipe...dows-services/"
         },

 

 

I've highlighted the URLs for the bookmarks.  I use shortened names to fit more on the bookmarks bar.    Anyway if you have more than one profile you need to try to switch to the other profile(s)

https://www.pcworld....-in-chrome.html

 

If the profile is defective it probably won't work.  I've seen where the profile folder loses its permissions so it can't be opened.  You can right click on it and select properties then Security.  Your user login should have Full Control.  If not you need to edit the permissions.  Sometimes you will need to change owner first:

 

https://www.laptopma...g-file-explorer

 

 

Another possibility is you are not logged in.  Make sure that you are logged in to Chrome as the same user.   (three dash icon in the upper corner, Settings, People will tell you who it thinks you are.  Same area will tell you if Sync is on or not.  If Sync is on most of the settings are stored in the cloud and can be accessed from any PC by logging in to the same Chrome account)

[Alex from GA]

I followed the path you said and when I got to Chrome user data there wasn't a "bookmark" file.  I've never gotten this far though, thanks.

[RKinner]

Did you see the folder Default?  Bookmark should be in there.  Also look for folders called  Profile 1, 2 ,..

[Alex from GA]

I found the "bookmarks" and "bookmarks.bak" files, now what do I do with them?

[Alex from GA]

However they are dated yesterday and today when I added a couple of bookmarks.

[Alex from GA]

I don't know what I did besides find the bookmarks and bookmarks.bak files but my bookmarks are back.  Thanks for helping.

[RKinner]

Probably a good time to make a copy of the bookmarks file and store it somewhere safe.  Also consider turning on Sync so that they get stored in the cloud.