Quickly Back Up, Restore, And Organize Internet Explorer Favorites With My Computer/Windows Explorer

An Internet Explorer (IE) Favorite is an Internet shortcut that loads a URL into Internet Explorer. Each IE Favorite exists as a single file that, like other data files (e.g., .doc Word files and .xls Excel files), can be created, deleted, moved, copied, renamed, and edited.

Neither Windows nor Internet Explorer provides a method for backing up and restoring IE Favorites. Internet Explorer provides a method for organizing IE Favorites which uses a button driven interface that is cumbersome:

A far more efficient method for organizing IE Favorites is to access and modify the IE Favorites files and folders directly with My Computer and/or Windows Explorer:

Using My Computer and/or Windows Explorer to access and modify the IE Favorites files and folders, IE Favorites and folders can be created, deleted, moved, copied, renamed, and edited like other data files, and the changes immediately appear in IE. Moreover, once you know how to access the IE Favorites files and folders, backing up and restoring IE Favorites is as simple as copying them to and from removable media like other data files.

The IE Favorites files and folders are located in the Favorites folder. The Favorites folder is located as follows:

• Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME: C:\WINDOWS\Favorites\
• Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Favorites\
• Windows Vista: C:\Users\<username>\Favorites\

3.1.  Quickly Back Up IE Favorites With My Computer Or Windows Explorer

1. Open My Computer or Windows Explorer and go to the Favorites folder (above).
2. Copy the Favorites folder to removable media.

3.2.  Quickly Restore IE Favorites With My Computer Or Windows Explorer

1. Open My Computer or Windows Explorer and go to the Favorites folder on removable media.
2. Copy the contents of the Favorites folder on removable media to the Favorites folder (above).

1. Open My Computer or Windows Explorer and go to the Favorites folder (above).
2. Create, delete, move, copy, rename, and edit the IE Favorites files and folders as desired.
3. To create an IE Favorite:
   1. Right click an empty area of the right pane of My Computer or Windows Explorer and select New | Shortcut.
   2. The Create Shortcut dialog appears. In the Type the location of the item field, type a URL. Click Next:
      
   3. The Select a Title for the Program dialog appears. In the Type a name for this shortcut field, type a name. Click Finish:
      
4. To edit an IE Favorite URL:
   1. Right click the Favorite and select Properties | Web Document.
   2. The URL field contains the IE Favorites URL. Edit the URL. Click OK: