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How do I create a bookmarks folder in Safari?

I'm trying to organize the million bookmarks I have on my "Bookmarks" menu in Apple's Safari 4 but can't figure it out. I see "Show All Bookmarks" and various ways to add a bookmark on the menu, but no way to "manage" or "organize" bookmarks. Surely there's a way to do so in Safari?


Dave's Answer:

Ah, the joys of different Web browsers with different ways for you to accomplish specific tasks...

You're right. There is no menu option that immediately suggests it's how you can create subfolders, move bookmarks around, delete unused bookmarks, etc. Further, unlike Windows, Mac OS X doesn't let you "right-click" on a menu item and them delete that item from the menu (a nice, though little used feature of Windows XP and Vista!)

Instead, if you're using Mac OS X and you're running Safari 4 as your Web browser, what you need to do is either choose "Show All Bookmarks" (do it in a new tab so you can flip back to this page for reference, if you'd like) or click on the handy little "book" icon on the leftmost edge of the Bookmarks Bar, as I've circled here:

mac safari 4 bookmarks bar

Once you click on it (or choose the menu item) you'll find that your browser window has changed rather dramatically:

mac safari organize bookmarks

This is the main bookmark organizational window you'll want to work with.

For example, to delete or copy a bookmark, just Ctrl-Click on it:

mac safari organize bookmarks delete

To add a bookmark folder, we're back to the "Bookmarks" menu:

mac safari organize bookmarks add folder

The new folder shows up in the organize bookmarks view as you'd expect, on the lower left:

mac safari organize bookmarks folder added

At this point simply type in the name you'd like the folder to have (I choose "Cool Stuff" for this demonstration), then click on the Bookmarks menu or Bookmarks Bar option and drag the folder from the left to the spot you'd like it to reside:

mac safari organize bookmarks draggingfolder

Once that's set, you can simply drag and drop any bookmarks you want into the folder and everything will be neatly organized. If it's on the Bookmarks Bar, you'll find that it shows up with a small black triangle adjacent to the name, letting you know it's a folder. Click on it and:

mac safari organize bookmarks folder

Neat and simple. When you're done, just click on the little "book" icon again or just double-click any of the bookmarks.









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Comments

I prefer an alternate method. On the "Bookmarks" page, make sure you have the "Bookmarks Bar" selected in the left column. Now click the "+" button in the Bookmark Bar scrolling list (the list is the bottom right section of the window, the "+" button is in the middle of the very bottom of the window). It's visible in the 2nd and 3rd picture of your post.

Posted by: DeadParrot at June 13, 2009 10:43 AM

Thanks for your note, Mr. Pining for the Fjords. :-)

When I wrote this entry I was thinking about the different ways you can edit and move bookmarks around too: since I have the Bookmarks Bar always showing, I drag and move things around directly without ever going to the bookmarks organizational view. In fact, when I was done with the screen shots, I simply right-clicked (uh, Ctrl-clicked) on the "Cool Stuff" folder and chose "Delete" from the contextual menu.

Posted by: Dave Taylor at June 13, 2009 11:06 AM

Thanks Dead Parrot-- your explanation is the ONLY one that worked for me and I read 4 different sites so far... :)

Posted by: Ion Rage at December 9, 2011 6:44 AM

I have something to say, now that you mention it, but ...
Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!











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