What Is the Difference Between Favorites & Bookmarks?

So you're surfing the Web one day when you come across a website you like and want to be able to easily find again later. Depending on the Web browser you're using, you decide to add it to either your "favorites" or your "bookmarks." Despite the name difference, favorites and bookmarks are essentially the same thing. The term used depends entirely on the browser.

A "favorite" or "bookmark" is a website address that you manually save to your Web browser of choice for easy retrieval. "Favorites" and "bookmarks" have identical functions, but the name of the one you're using depends on the browser. Windows Internet Explorer is the only major Web browser that uses the term "favorites." A URL saved for future browsing in Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Apple Safari is called a "bookmark."

To view or add a website to your favorites list in Windows Internet Explorer 9, the latest version of Microsoft's Web browser, click on the star-shaped icon on the top right of the browser window. You should see a list of stored favorites. To add a new favorite, click "Add To Favorites." This will add the website you are currently browsing to your favorites list.

To add a new bookmark in Firefox 4, the latest version of Mozilla's Web browser, click on the star-shaped icon next to the website URL, located in the address bar at the top of the browser window. This adds the website currently opened to the list of bookmarks. To view bookmarks, click on the book-shaped icon with the star on it, located on the top right of the browser window.

To add a bookmark in Google Chrome, click on the star-shaped icon located in the address bar at the top of the browser window. A dialogue box appears to confirm the new bookmark. Click "Done." This adds the website currently opened to the list of bookmarks. To view bookmarks, click on the wrench-shaped icon at the top right of the browser window (next to the star-shaped icon). Select "Bookmark Manager" from the drop-down menu.

To add a bookmark in Apple Safari, click the "Bookmarks" menu at the top of the browser window, then select "Add Bookmark" from the drop-down menu. Click the "Add" button. This adds the website you're currently browsing to your bookmarks. To view a list of saved bookmarks, click the "Bookmarks" menu at the top of the browser window and select "Show All Bookmarks."

Import your favorites or bookmarks from one browser to another if you're switching browsers or would like to use more than one. To import bookmarks or favorites into Firefox 4, open Firefox and press the "Alt" key to temporarily bring up the "File" menu. Click the "File" menu and select "Import." An "Import Wizard" is then displayed. Select the browser from which you wish to import bookmarks or favorites and click "Next." Select which items to import and click "Next."

To import bookmarks as favorites in Internet Explorer 9, click on the star-shaped icon on the top right of the browser window. Click on the down-pointing arrow next to "Add To Favorites" and select "Import And Export." Select "Import From Another Browser" and click "Next." Tick the box next to the name of the browser from which you wish to import bookmarks and click "Import."

To import bookmarks or favorites from another browser into Google Chrome, click the wrench-shaped icon on the top right of the browser window. Select "Options" (or "Preferences" if you're using a Mac). Click the "Personal Stuff" tab and select "Import Data From Another Browser." In the drop-down menu, select which browser you would like to import data from. Make sure the box next to "Favorites/Bookmarks" is ticked, then click "Import."

Apple Safari does not support automatic importing of bookmarks or favorites. To import favorites or bookmarks into Safari, you will first have to export them from another browser (see Resources; the instructions also work for the newest version, Apple Safari 5).