How to Synchronize Internet Explorer Favorites with OneDrive in Windows

Internet Explorer may be retired, but many older Windows computers and business environments still contain valuable bookmarks—known as Favorites—that users do not want to lose. If you have an existing Internet Explorer Favorites collection, storing a copy in OneDrive can provide a convenient way to protect those links and make them available across devices.

However, there is an important distinction: OneDrive does not provide a built-in Internet Explorer Favorites synchronization feature. Instead, you can synchronize the Favorites folder by moving or redirecting it into your OneDrive folder, or by periodically backing it up there.

This guide explains practical ways to synchronize Internet Explorer Favorites with OneDrive in Windows.

What Are Internet Explorer Favorites?

Internet Explorer Favorites are saved website shortcuts that allow you to quickly return to frequently visited pages. Unlike modern browser bookmark systems, Internet Explorer stores these Favorites as files and folders within your Windows user profile.

The typical Favorites location is:

C:\Users\YourUserName\Favorites

Because Favorites are stored as files, they can potentially be copied into a cloud-storage folder such as OneDrive.

Why Sync Internet Explorer Favorites with OneDrive?

Keeping a cloud-based copy of your Favorites can be useful for several reasons.

1. Protect Your Bookmarks

If Windows is reinstalled, a hard drive fails, or your user profile becomes damaged, a OneDrive copy can help preserve your saved website shortcuts.

2. Access Favorites from Another Computer

A synchronized Favorites folder can make your saved links available on another Windows computer using the same OneDrive account.

3. Simplify Backup

Instead of manually copying Favorites to a USB drive, you can place them inside a folder that OneDrive automatically synchronizes.

4. Preserve Older Browser Data

Organizations and individuals sometimes maintain legacy browser configurations for older applications. Backing up Favorites separately can help preserve useful historical links.

Important: Internet Explorer Is No Longer a Modern Browser

Before configuring synchronization, keep in mind that Internet Explorer 11 has been retired on many versions of Windows, and Microsoft recommends Microsoft Edge for modern browsing.

That means this technique is primarily useful for legacy Favorites, older Windows installations, migration, and backup purposes rather than maintaining Internet Explorer as a primary browser.

Method 1: Copy Internet Explorer Favorites to OneDrive

The simplest and safest approach is to create a backup copy.

Step 1: Open the Favorites Folder

Press:

Windows + R

Enter:

%USERPROFILE%\Favorites

Then press Enter.

Windows should open the folder containing your Internet Explorer Favorites.

Step 2: Open OneDrive

Open File Explorer and navigate to your OneDrive folder, usually found under:

C:\Users\YourUserName\OneDrive

The exact location may vary depending on your Windows and OneDrive configuration.

Step 3: Create a Favorites Backup Folder

Create a folder such as:

Internet Explorer Favorites

Step 4: Copy Your Favorites

Select the Favorites folders and shortcuts you want to preserve.

Copy them into the OneDrive backup folder.

OneDrive will then synchronize those files with your cloud storage.

Why Copy Instead of Move?

Copying is preferable when you simply want a backup. Your original Internet Explorer Favorites remain in their normal Windows location, while OneDrive maintains a separate copy.

This minimizes the risk of accidentally disrupting an older application or browser configuration.

Method 2: Export Internet Explorer Favorites

Another useful approach is to export your Favorites rather than synchronizing the original folder.

Internet Explorer historically provided an Import and Export Wizard that could create an HTML file containing your Favorites.

The exported file can then be stored in OneDrive.

Step 1: Open Internet Explorer

If Internet Explorer is available on the legacy Windows installation, open it.

Step 2: Open Import and Export

Look for the browser’s Favorites or File menu and locate the Import and Export functionality.

Step 3: Choose Export

Select the option to export Favorites.

Follow the wizard and choose the Favorites folders you want to save.

Step 4: Save the Export to OneDrive

When Windows asks where to save the exported file, select a folder inside OneDrive.

For example:

OneDrive\Internet Explorer Favorites\Favorites.htm

OneDrive can then synchronize the exported file.

Why Use an HTML Export?

An HTML export is useful when your main goal is backup or migration.

It provides a portable representation of your bookmarks that can potentially be imported into another browser.

This is often more practical than attempting to make two computers directly share the same live Internet Explorer Favorites folder.

Method 3: Redirect the Favorites Folder to OneDrive

Advanced Windows users can go a step further by changing the location of the Favorites folder so that it resides inside OneDrive.

This can make the Favorites data itself part of the OneDrive synchronization system.

However, this approach requires more caution.

General Process

1. Create a dedicated Favorites folder inside OneDrive.
2. Open your Windows user-profile folder.
3. Locate the existing Favorites folder.
4. Open its Properties.
5. Look for the Location tab.
6. Use Move to select the new OneDrive-based Favorites folder.
7. Allow Windows to move the existing contents.
8. Confirm that the Favorites are accessible afterward.

A resulting location might look like:

C:\Users\YourUserName\OneDrive\Favorites

The exact interface and behavior can vary depending on the Windows version.

Is Redirecting Favorites Better?

Not necessarily.

For most users, a backup copy or export is safer than relocating a system-linked folder.

Folder redirection can also introduce complications if OneDrive is paused, disconnected, files are unavailable offline, or multiple computers attempt to modify the same data.

Can OneDrive Automatically Sync Internet Explorer Favorites?

Not directly.

OneDrive synchronizes files and folders within its configured synchronization location. Internet Explorer does not have a modern OneDrive integration that continuously synchronizes its Favorites.

Therefore, you generally need to use one of these approaches:

For most people, copying or exporting Favorites to OneDrive is the safest choice.

How to Use the Favorites on Another Computer

If you’ve saved your Favorites in OneDrive, you can access the synchronized files from another Windows computer.

However, simply having the files in OneDrive does not necessarily make them the active Favorites for another browser.

You may need to:

1. Open your OneDrive folder.
2. Locate the Internet Explorer Favorites backup.
3. Copy or import the saved Favorites.
4. Configure the destination browser to use them.

If you’re migrating to Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or another modern browser, importing the Favorites is generally preferable to trying to reproduce the old Internet Explorer folder structure.

Troubleshooting OneDrive Favorites Synchronization

Favorites Are Not Appearing in OneDrive

Check that you copied the correct folder.

Press Windows + R and enter:

%USERPROFILE%\Favorites

Verify that your expected Favorites are actually present.

Then check your OneDrive folder.

OneDrive Shows a Sync Error

A OneDrive synchronization problem can prevent changes from appearing in the cloud.

Check the OneDrive icon in the Windows notification area and look for warnings or synchronization errors.

Make sure you also have enough available OneDrive storage.

Favorites Are Missing on Another Computer

Confirm that the OneDrive files have finished synchronizing.

Files may also be configured as online-only. If necessary, make the required folder available locally before attempting to import or copy the Favorites.

Duplicate Favorites Appear

This can happen when Favorites are copied repeatedly or when different computers modify the same collection.

A good organizational structure can help:

OneDrive
└── Browser Backups
    └── Internet Explorer Favorites
        └── Favorites.htm

Keeping a clearly labeled backup separate from the active browser configuration reduces confusion.

A Safer Strategy for Modern Windows

If you’re moving from an old Internet Explorer installation to a current Windows computer, don’t make Internet Explorer Favorites synchronization the long-term goal.

Instead, use OneDrive as a backup and migration location.

A sensible workflow is:

Internet Explorer Favorites → Export/Copy → OneDrive → Import into a modern browser

This gives you a preserved copy while allowing your everyday browsing to move to a supported browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sync Internet Explorer Favorites directly through OneDrive?

Not through a dedicated Internet Explorer-OneDrive synchronization feature. You can, however, copy or relocate the Favorites files into a OneDrive-synchronized folder.

Where are Internet Explorer Favorites stored?

Typically:

%USERPROFILE%\Favorites

Will OneDrive automatically update a backup copy?

Only if the files are actually located inside a OneDrive-synchronized directory. A separate copy outside OneDrive will not automatically stay synchronized.

Is moving Favorites into OneDrive safe?

It can work on compatible Windows configurations, but it is more advanced than simply backing up the Favorites. For important data, create a backup before changing the folder location.

Can I import the Favorites into Microsoft Edge?

Yes. For a migration from Internet Explorer, exporting or preserving the Favorites and then importing them into a modern browser is generally a better long-term approach.

Final Thoughts

Synchronizing Internet Explorer Favorites with OneDrive is less about a special browser feature and more about using OneDrive to protect the files that contain your Favorites. For a straightforward backup, copying the Favorites folder to OneDrive is usually the easiest option. For migration, an HTML Favorites export is often more convenient.

If you’re working with a legacy Windows computer, make a backup before changing the original Favorites location. Once your bookmarks are safely stored in OneDrive, you can migrate them to a modern browser without relying on Internet Explorer indefinitely.