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Migrating Your Digital Treasures: Importing Chrome Bookmarks to Opera GX

So, you’re making the jump to Opera GX, huh? Excellent choice! You’re about to unlock a browser experience built for gamers, packed with features that’ll make your digital life smoother and more engaging. But before you dive headfirst into customizing your GX corner of the internet, let’s get those precious bookmarks migrated from Chrome. It’s simpler than conquering a final boss, I assure you.

Here’s the straightforward answer: Importing your bookmarks from Chrome to Opera GX is a breeze. Opera GX directly supports importing data from other browsers, including Chrome, during the initial setup and at any time later. This means you can bring over your bookmarks, browsing history, saved passwords (use with caution and a strong password manager!), and even cookies with just a few clicks. Let’s break down how to do it.

Importing Bookmarks During Initial Setup

This method is ideal if you’re setting up Opera GX for the first time.

Launch Opera GX: Upon the first launch, Opera GX usually presents a setup screen. If you’re already using Opera GX, skip to the next section.
Look for the Import Option: One of the initial setup steps will likely involve importing data from another browser. Look for a prompt that says something like “Import bookmarks and settings” or “Import data from…”.
Select Chrome: In the dropdown menu of browsers to import from, choose Google Chrome.
Choose What to Import: A list of data types will appear: Bookmarks, History, Passwords (again, be cautious!), Cookies, and more. Make sure Bookmarks is checked. You can choose to import other data too, depending on your needs.
Click Import: Click the Import button. Opera GX will handle the rest, migrating your bookmarks from Chrome to its own system.

Importing Bookmarks After Initial Setup

Don’t worry if you skipped the import during setup. You can always import your bookmarks later.

Open Opera GX Settings: Click on the Opera Menu (the red “O” in the top-left corner) and navigate to Settings (or type opera://settings in the address bar and press Enter).
Go to Synchronization (You may not need to enable sync): In the Settings menu, look for the “Synchronization” or “You and Opera” section. Sometimes, the import feature is nestled within the synchronization settings, even if you don’t intend to synchronize anything else.
Find the “Import Bookmarks and Settings” Option: You may see a button labelled like “Import bookmarks and settings”. If you can’t find it here, navigate to the Browser section in Settings. You should find the option to “Import Bookmarks and Settings”
Select Chrome: Again, in the dropdown menu, select Google Chrome.
Choose Data and Import: Choose what you want to import (at least Bookmarks!) and click Import.

Locating Your Imported Bookmarks

Once the import is complete, your bookmarks should appear in the Bookmarks Bar (if you have it enabled) and the Bookmarks Manager (accessed by pressing Ctrl+Shift+B or through the Opera menu). You might find them organized in a folder named after your Chrome profile or under the “Imported Bookmarks” folder.

Troubleshooting Import Issues

Sometimes, things don’t go perfectly smoothly. Here are a few common issues and their solutions:

Bookmarks Not Showing Up: Make sure the Bookmarks Bar is enabled (View > Show Bookmarks Bar). Also, check the Bookmarks Manager to see if they’re in a folder you’re not aware of.
Import Process Freezes: Close Opera GX and Chrome completely. Restart your computer and try the import again. Sometimes a simple reboot is all it takes.
Incorrect Chrome Profile: If you have multiple Chrome profiles, make sure Opera GX is importing from the correct one. You might need to close all instances of Chrome and re-open it under the desired profile before importing.
Corrupted Chrome Profile: In rare cases, a corrupted Chrome profile can prevent successful import. Try creating a new Chrome profile, exporting your bookmarks to an HTML file from the old profile, and then importing the HTML file into Opera GX (explained below).

Importing Bookmarks Using an HTML File (The Backup Plan)

If the direct import method isn’t working for you, exporting your bookmarks from Chrome to an HTML file and then importing that file into Opera GX is a reliable alternative.

Exporting Bookmarks from Chrome to HTML

Open Chrome’s Bookmarks Manager: Press Ctrl+Shift+O in Chrome or go to the Chrome menu > Bookmarks > Bookmarks Manager.
Export to HTML: Click the three dots (…) in the top-right corner of the Bookmarks Manager and select Export bookmarks.
Save the HTML File: Choose a location to save the HTML file (e.g., your Desktop) and name it something descriptive (e.g., “Chrome Bookmarks”).

Importing HTML Bookmarks into Opera GX

Open Opera GX’s Bookmarks Manager: Press Ctrl+Shift+B in Opera GX or go to the Opera menu > Bookmarks > Bookmarks Manager.
Import Bookmarks File: Click the three dots (…) in the top-right corner of the Bookmarks Manager and select Import bookmarks.
Select the HTML File: Navigate to the location where you saved the HTML file and select it.

Why Switch to Opera GX?

Before we dive into FAQs, let me just say: Welcome aboard! Opera GX is more than just a browser; it’s a hub for gamers. With features like GX Control (limiting RAM and CPU usage), Twitch integration, GX Cleaner (getting rid of unnecessary files), and customizable themes, it’s designed to enhance your gaming experience. You’ve made a wise choice!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some common questions that might arise during the import process:

Q1: Can I import only some of my bookmarks from Chrome?

A: Not directly during the automatic import. However, you can export all your Chrome bookmarks to an HTML file, then selectively import them into Opera GX. This involves manually importing from the HTML file and then deleting the bookmarks you don’t want.

Q2: Will my bookmark folders and organization be preserved?

A: Yes, the import process should preserve your bookmark folders and their organization. However, in some rare cases, the folder structure might be slightly altered.

Q3: What happens to bookmarks that exist in both Chrome and Opera GX?

A: Opera GX usually handles duplicates intelligently. It might skip importing them or create a new instance. It is usually the user’s responsibility to delete the duplicates.

Q4: Can I import bookmarks from other browsers besides Chrome?

A: Yes, Opera GX supports importing from other browsers like Firefox, Edge, and even older versions of Opera. The process is similar to importing from Chrome.

Q5: Does importing bookmarks also import my reading list from Chrome?

A: No, the reading list is usually handled separately. You might need to manually copy the links from your Chrome reading list to Opera GX bookmarks.

Q6: Is it safe to import my passwords from Chrome?

A: While Opera GX offers to import passwords, I strongly recommend using a dedicated password manager (like Bitwarden, LastPass, or 1Password). Password managers offer better security and cross-platform compatibility. If you do choose to import passwords, use a strong master password for your Opera GX account and enable two-factor authentication.

Q7: How do I enable the Bookmarks Bar in Opera GX?

A: Go to View > Show Bookmarks Bar (or press Ctrl+Shift+B). Make sure the option is checked.

Q8: Can I import my Chrome extensions to Opera GX?

A: Yes! Opera GX supports Chrome extensions. You can install them directly from the Chrome Web Store.

Q9: I accidentally imported the wrong bookmarks. How do I undo it?

A: Unfortunately, there’s no simple “undo” button. You’ll have to manually delete the unwanted bookmarks from the Bookmarks Manager.

Q10: My Chrome profile is password-protected. Will Opera GX be able to import my bookmarks?

A: Yes, Opera GX should prompt you to enter your Chrome profile password during the import process.

Q11: Will importing bookmarks affect my Chrome browser in any way?

A: No, importing bookmarks into Opera GX will not affect your Chrome browser or its bookmarks. It’s a one-way transfer of data.

Q12: What if the “Import Bookmarks” option is greyed out or disabled?

A: This usually indicates that Chrome is currently running in the background. Close all instances of Chrome (including those in the system tray) and try again.