Script to export IE bookmark / browsing data and import to other browsers

Question

Now we have 2 platforms:

• Windows 7 with IE, Edge, Chrome
• Windows 10 with IE, Edge, Chrome

Now I want to transfer the bookmark / browsing data in IE to other browser through script, how can I do this?
Or any simple way to achieve?

Answer 1

Hi @Ralf Leung ,

There's a simple way to achieve this without script:

For Edge, if you're using Edge Chromium, you can open Edge and navigate to edge://settings/importData. Then choose Microsoft Internet Explorer and choose what you want to import. Click Import to complete the operation.

For Chrome, you can open Chrome and navigate to chrome://settings/importData. Then choose Microsoft Internet Explorer and choose what you want to import. Click Import to complete the operation.

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Regards,
Yu Zhou

Answer 2

Hi @Ralf Leung , if you'll run the Edge browser for the first time, you can easily set this policy AutoImportAtFirstRun to import IE browser settings to Edge at the first run. You can enable this policy and choose Automatically imports all supported datatypes and settings from Internet Explorer in the options.

If you're not running the Edge browser for the first time, there's no easy way to import IE browser data to Edge using script as IE and Edge use different ways to manage data. For example, IE stores the favorites as shortcut links in the computer but Edge stores them as json data in a file.
In this situation, you can refer to this article to export IE favorites using powershell script first and then set this policy ManagedFavorites to configure Edge favorites. You need to enable this policy and put the exported json data in the options value. If you also want to configure the Edge favorites using script, you can refer to this article about how to edit registry key with powershell because editing the policy also means editing the registry key.

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Regards,
Yu Zhou

Answer 3

Hi @Ralf Leung

Where should I set the "AutoImportAtFirstRun" registry?

You can open the Registry Editor and add it under path Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge. Under this path, right click and New a DWORD value which name is AutoImportAtFirstRun. Then double click the value name and set the Value data to 1, click OK.

When I installed the Chromium Edge, the browser will start-up when installation complete. How can I import the IE favorite to Edge?

From the doc, it says If you enable this policy, all supported datatypes and settings from the specified browser will be silently and automatically imported at first run. So I think we don't need to do anything, IE favorites will be imported to Edge automatically if you have applied the policy before you install and run Edge Chromium for the first time.

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If the response is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.
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Regards,
Yu Zhou

Answer 4

hi @Yu Zhou-MSFT , I tried your method for few PCs and seems work, thank you for your advise!!

But I still need your some recommendation:
"AutoImportAtFirstRun" should be just work for first run, and I am trying to migrate the bookmark from "IE to Edge" / "Chrome to Edge";
After testing for the case "IE to Edge", and I want to test "Chrome to Edge" in the same PC but seems not work, whatever I re-add the registry or reinstall the Edge.

According to the below test case, does "AutoImportAtFirstRun" only work 1 time for every device?