Backing up your Mac is simple and important. We recommend it for everyone.
Thunderbird 45 will continue to work with Mac OS X 10.6, 10.7 and 10.8 but will not receive any further updates or security fixes. Thunderbird 45 can be downloaded from here. First pick the folder for your locale and then download the package. In the Library window, click the Import and Backup button and then select Restore. Select the backup from which you want to restore: The dated entries are automatic backups. Choose File lets you restore from a manual backup (see above). After choosing a backup, your bookmarks from that file will be restored. Close the Library window.
Back up with Time Machine
Time Machine is the built-in backup feature of your Mac. It’s a complete backup solution, but you can use other backup methods as well.
Create a backup
Store files in iCloud
You can also use iCloud and iCloud Drive to store files, such as your photos, documents, and music.
Set up iCloud and iCloud Drive
Restore your Mac from a backup
When you have a backup, you can use it to restore your files at any time, including after the original files are deleted from your Mac.
Restore from a backup
Prepare your Mac for service
Making a backup is an important part of preparing your Mac for service, especially because some types of repair might require erasing or replacing your hard drive.
Get your Mac ready for service
How much space do I need for a backup?
To see the size of a specific file or folder, click it once and then press Command-I. To see storage information about your Mac, click the Apple menu in the top-left of your screen. Choose About This Mac and click the Storage tab. For Time Machine backups, it's good to use a drive that has at least twice the storage capacity of your Mac.
Related topics
Free up storage on your Mac
Firefox For Mac Pro
macOS can save space by storing your content in the cloud. This isn't a backup, but it includes new tools to make it easier to find and remove large or unwanted files before you make a backup.
Use Optimized Storage in macOS
Erase or format a storage device
You can use Disk Utility if you need to erase or format a storage device.
Learn how to use Disk Utility
macOS Community
If you can't back up your Mac
Mozilla Backup Download
We'll find the best support options for you.
Firefox automatically creates backups of your bookmarks and saves the last 15 backups for safekeeping. This article describes how to restore your bookmarks from the automatic backups that Firefox creates, how to save and restore your own bookmark backup files, and how to move your bookmarks to another computer.
If your bookmarks suddenly become unavailable in Firefox, see Recover lost or missing Bookmarks for troubleshooting information.
For more information about using bookmarks, see Bookmarks in Firefox.
Table of Contents
1Backup and restore
2Moving bookmarks to another computer
Manual backup
Click the Library button on your toolbar. (If you don't see it there, click the menu button then click Library.) Click Bookmarks and then click the Show All Bookmarks bar at the bottom.
In the Library window, click the button and then select Backup….
In the Bookmarks backup filename window that opens, choose a location to save the file, which is named bookmarks-'date'.json by default. The desktop is usually a good spot, but any place that is easy to remember will work.
Save the bookmarks json file. The Bookmarks backup filename window will close and then you can close the Library window.
Restoring from backups
Caution: Restoring bookmarks from a backup will overwrite your current set of bookmarks with the ones in the backup file.
Click the Library button on your toolbar. (If you don't see it there, click the menu button then click Library.) Click Bookmarks and then click the Show All Bookmarks bar at the bottom.
In the Library window, click the button and then select Restore.
Select the backup from which you want to restore:
The dated entries are automatic backups.
Choose File… lets you restore from a manual backup (see above).
After choosing a backup, your bookmarks from that file will be restored. Close the Library window.
Using Firefox Sync
You can use Firefox Sync to move your bookmarks from one computer to another.
Important: Firefox Sync continuously updates itself as you change bookmarks, so it does not provide a true backup service, nor is it intended to be used as one.
Firefox Sync is the best way to keep your bookmarks (and other profile data) synchronized between all of the computers you use. See How do I set up Sync on my computer? for more information and instructions on setting it up.
Using a bookmark backup file
You can also use a bookmark backup file from one computer and restore it on another computer. This is useful if you can't synchronize the two computers' bookmarks using Sync, for some reason.
The bookmark backup file can either be a manual backup (see above) or one of the automatic dated backups located inside the Firefox profile folder named bookmarkbackups folder. Place the bookmark backup file on your transfer media (for example a Flash drive) and copy it to the desktop (or any location) of the other computer. You can then restore the backup from the Firefox Library window, using the Choose File… option, as described in the Restoring from backups section above.
After upgrading or downgrading your Windows 10 operating system, a directory named Windows.old is created, and most of the data erased from the upgrade or downgrade is stored there. One especially useful item is the Bookmarks from Firefox. Follow the instructions in Restoring from backups above, and when you select Choose File…, follow the path C:Windows.oldUsers<UserName>AppDataRoamingMozillaFirefoxProfiles<filename.default>bookmarkbackups to your previous bookmarks. Check the file date for information when the backup was created. Be aware using a backup bookmark folder will replace all the bookmarks in Firefox with the bookmarks in the backup file.