Why have my Google Chrome bookmarks disappeared?

Check your Google Account sync settings to ensure you're signed into the correct account and that bookmarks are enabled in sync; toggle sync off and on if needed. 2. Verify the bookmarks bar is visible by pressing Ctrl Shift B and check the Bookmark Manager for misplaced bookmarks. 3. Restore from Chrome’s automatic backup by navigating to the Chrome user data folder, renaming "Bookmarks" to "Bookmarks.old", and renaming "Bookmarks.bak" to "Bookmarks". 4. Use the Google Data Dashboard or sign into Chrome on another device to confirm synced bookmarks exist, then sign out and back in to restore them. 5. Remove suspicious extensions and run Chrome’s cleanup tool or an antivirus scan to rule out malware. Always manually export bookmarks as HTML for safekeeping, ensure consistent sync across devices, and avoid guest or incognito modes to prevent future loss—most bookmarks can be recovered if sync was active or the deletion was recent.

If your Google Chrome bookmarks have suddenly disappeared, you're not alone — it's a common issue many users face. The good news is that they likely aren't gone for good. Here are the most common reasons and what you can do to recover them.

1. Check Your Google Account Sync Settings

One of the most frequent causes is a sync issue between Chrome and your Google account.

• Make sure you're still signed into the correct Google account in Chrome.
  • Click the profile icon in the top-right corner of Chrome.
  • Confirm the email shown is the one where your bookmarks were saved.
• If you recently signed out or switched accounts, your bookmarks may have been replaced with those from another account.

Fix it:

• Go to Settings > Sync and Google Services.
• Ensure "Sync" is turned on and that Bookmarks are included in what's being synced.
• Try turning sync off and back on (this can sometimes refresh the connection).

2. Look for Hidden or Moved Bookmarks

Sometimes bookmarks don’t actually disappear — they just become hidden or get moved.

• Check if the Bookmarks bar is hidden:
  • Press Ctrl Shift B (or Cmd Shift B on Mac) to toggle the bookmarks bar visibility.
• Open the Bookmark Manager:
  • Press Ctrl Shift O (or go to chrome://bookmarks).
  • Look through the folders to see if your bookmarks are just reorganized or in "Other Bookmarks."

3. Restore from a Previous Backup (Yes, Chrome Backs Them Up)

Chrome automatically saves a backup of your bookmarks in a file called "Bookmarks.bak".

To restore from backup:

1. Close Chrome completely.
2. Navigate to your Chrome user data folder:
   • Windows:
     C:\Users$$YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default
   • Mac:
     ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Default
   • Linux:
     ~/.config/google-chrome/Default
3. Look for files named:
   • Bookmarks
   • Bookmarks.bak
4. Rename the current Bookmarks file to Bookmarks.old (as a backup).
5. Rename Bookmarks.bak to Bookmarks.
6. Reopen Chrome — your old bookmarks should be back.

Note: Chrome may overwrite .bak occasionally, so this only works if the disappearance was recent.

4. Recover Using Google Dashboard (Sync History)

If sync was active, Google keeps your bookmarks stored on their servers.

• Visit: //m.sbmmt.com/link/866e6279baf83a10e3bf47d194d80a3d (though this is deprecated, your data may still exist).
• Better option: Go to your Google Data Dashboard > Chrome > Synced data to see if bookmarks are listed.
• Or, sign into Chrome on another device — your bookmarks might still be there, confirming they’re in your sync data.

If they appear on another device:

• Sign out of Chrome on your current device.
• Delete local profile data (optional, for a clean slate).
• Sign back in and re-enable sync.

5. Check for Malware or Unauthorized Extensions

Rarely, malicious extensions or malware can delete or hide bookmarks.

• Go to Settings > Extensions and remove any unfamiliar or suspicious ones.
• Run Chrome’s built-in cleanup tool:
  • Settings > Privacy and Security > Clean up computer.
• Consider running a malware scan with a trusted antivirus.

Final Tips

• Always back up bookmarks manually: Export them via Bookmark Manager > Organize > Export to HTML. Save the file somewhere safe.
• If you use multiple devices, ensure sync is consistent across all of them.
• Avoid using Chrome in guest mode or incognito, as bookmarks won’t save.

Most of the time, bookmarks are recoverable — especially if sync was on or the loss was recent. Start with checking sync and the .bak file, and you’ll likely get them back.
Basically, don’t panic — they’re probably still there or backed up somewhere.

The above is the detailed content of Why have my Google Chrome bookmarks disappeared?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!