I want to make it easier for a user to import bookmarks to my server. Is there anyway to automate this process using javascript to obtain the user's bookmarks? I'm assuming the browser has to have this feature - and I'm not sure if any browser does due to the inherent security risk.

I want to make it easier for a user to import bookmarks to my server. Is there anyway to automate this process using javascript to obtain the user's bookmarks? I'm assuming the browser has to have this feature - and I'm not sure if any browser does due to the inherent security risk.

• javascript
• ajax
• browser
• bookmarks

Share Improve this question Follow edited Aug 5, 2010 at 15:12 Robusto 31.9k88 gold badges5959 silver badges7878 bronze badges asked Aug 5, 2010 at 15:09 FinDevFinDev 4,83777 gold badges3131 silver badges2929 bronze badges

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Sorted by: Reset to default 4

Nope, that's not possible for security/privacy reasons. The only way is to ask them explicitly through form input to give you but I don't think you want to do that.

The browser is obviously aware of their bookmarks, but no, JS cannot access this information - it would be leaking private data as you yourself have noted.

Anything you can do in JS with the user's permission can be done without their permission. The only manual control they have is "Run scripts" or "Don't".

As yourself and others have noted, it's not possible because of privacy and security implications.

What you can do however is to import bookmarks from a source (XML, JSON, HTML...). Most browsers have an export bookmarks feature that generates a file. You can parse that to get what you want.

What Sarfraz said, and thank God for it. I don't think users want people on the web to be able to access their bookmarks for any reason.

im a 100 % sure there is no way to do this in js due to the securtity risk, however its probably possible with activex but thats only available on internet explorer