Passwords are used to prevent an intruder from breaking into an account or record. We can put access codes on social networks like Facebook or Twitter, in the mail, to enter the computer… In this article we are going to explain what you must do to put a password on Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox bookmarks. In this way you can improve security and prevent them from entering the pages you have stored.
Why encrypt browser bookmarks
Bookmarks or favorites are websites that we save in the browser to see later or that we usually visit. It’s basically a folder where those sites are stored. We click on the folder and the links appear to enter the corresponding web page. It is something very useful when we usually enter many websites. We can use it in the main browsers, such as Chrome or Firefox.
Now, why put a password on the browser’s favorites ? This is useful if you use a shared computer. For example in a workplace, at home, etc. Maybe you save web pages that are important for your work, studies or you just don’t want someone to modify or delete them by mistake.
By putting in a passkey , someone else who can get into that computer and open Chrome or Firefox would not be able to see the content of the browser’s bookmarks. It could not know which pages you have saved, nor could it modify or delete them. One more guarantee to avoid problems.
This is something that you will be able to do in both Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. However, the browser itself does not have a native option for this. You will have to use an extension , although the process is simple and fast. You can configure a password and thus avoid problems.
These add-ons work in both Windows 10 and Windows 11. In both operating systems we can install them without problems in the browsers and thus be able to encrypt the folders with bookmarks.
How to put a key to the favorites of Chrome
First of all, we will explain how to encrypt bookmarks with a password in the Google browser. The process is simple, although you will have to install a plugin. We recommend that you always download these types of extensions from official sources. The Chrome store is a good option to download software of this type without risk.
You can use the Secure Bookmarks extension. As its name suggests, the purpose of this plugin is to secure the bookmarks that we have in the Google Chrome browser. It allows you to add any page to the list of bookmarks and all of them will be protected by a password that you choose.
The first thing you have to do is add it to the browser. When you have done so, you will automatically see the Secure Bookmarks icon appear in the top bar of the browser. The first time you open it, a window like the one you see in the image below will appear, where you will have to enter a password.
From there, all you have to do is go to the extension icon and click on the New Bookmark button and you will start saving pages there. You only have to do that when you are inside a website. When you put the password you will see that you are logged in and in this way you can access all the bookmarks that you are creating and putting in that protected folder.
If you log out, you will not be able to enter those bookmarks you have created. Therefore, if someone has physical access to your computer and enters the browser, they would not be able to see which pages you have bookmarked. You could click on the extension, but it would ask you for a password to get in.
You will also see the New Folder button. In this case what you do is create a new folder. You can create as many as you want. In this way you can order all the pages that you save in favorites. You will be able to have greater control and create lists according to your preferences. Likewise, all those folders will be protected thanks to Secure Bookmarks.
Therefore, as you can see, it is a simple way to encrypt the web pages that you save in favorites in Google Chrome with passwords. You just have to install it, put a master key and start saving websites.
Steps to put a password on Firefox bookmarks
You can do something similar in Mozilla Firefox as well. In this case we have tested the Private Bookmarks extension. It works very well in both Windows 10 and Windows 11 and you can save your favorite pages with a password and thus prevent them from being available to anyone who has access to your computer.
This time you have to go to the official Mozilla Firefox store and download the extension there. Once you install it, you will see the icon appear in the top bar. At first you will only be able to use it in a private Firefox window, but you can modify it. You open the application and a button will appear to choose the password.
Once inside, you have to go to the button below to enter Settings . You will access a new window where you can change some parameters of this extension, such as making it work beyond just the private window.
From there, you can start saving web pages in Firefox bookmarks and encrypting them with a password thanks to Private Bookmarks. It is an interesting add-on for the Mozilla browser with which you can increase your security and privacy.
Conclusions
In short, as you have seen, it is simple and fast to encrypt bookmarks with a password in both Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. In both cases you will have to install extensions, since they do not have native functions. They are free, safe and work well in both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Of course, our advice is that you always download these add-ons from the browser’s official store.
Should I put a password on browser bookmarks? This will depend on what type of user you are, if you share the computer with other people or if it is your own. If you want to prevent third parties who have access from seeing the pages you save, modifying them or even deleting them, then it is a good option to use this type of extension that you will find on the Internet.
