By Kshetez Vinayak, founder of SupaSidebar. Last updated May 19, 2026.
TL;DR:
Switching browsers on Mac in 2026 takes about ten minutes if all that needs to move is bookmarks and history. Bookmarks transfer cleanly between every major browser via the built-in import tools. Passwords are the harder problem: Safari, Chrome, and Firefox each have their own password manager and none of them export to each other natively, so a third-party password manager (1Password, Bitwarden) is the only clean path. Extensions do not migrate at all - the Chrome Web Store and Firefox AMO are separate ecosystems, and Safari extensions are a third one. Open tabs do not migrate unless the new browser's import tool offers it. The full step-by-step for the four most common Mac switches is below, with a side note: every Mac user does not have to pick one browser. A sidebar like SupaSidebar keeps tabs and bookmarks from every browser accessible in one place, so two-browser workflows (Safari for personal, Chrome for work) stop feeling like context-switching.
Looking for something specific?
- One-time bookmark transfer between two browsers? -> How to Import Bookmarks Between Browsers on Mac
- Bookmarks live in both Chrome and Safari, always in sync? -> How to Sync Bookmarks Between Chrome, Safari, and Firefox on Mac
- Comparing every Mac browser before you switch? -> Best Browser for Mac in 2026
- Looking for a Chrome replacement specifically? -> Chrome Alternatives 2026
- Switching browsers on Mac? -> You are in the right place. Keep reading.
What "switching browsers on Mac" actually involves
Switching browsers on Mac is five separate jobs that people lump into one. Doing them out of order is what makes the move feel painful.
The first job is bookmarks and reading list. This is the easiest. Every major browser on Mac (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi, Opera) imports bookmarks from every other major browser via HTML file or direct import. The bookmark folder structure usually transfers intact.
The second job is history. Some browsers import history during the initial setup wizard (Safari, Firefox, Brave). Some do not (Chrome from another browser is hit-or-miss). History is rarely critical - it rebuilds in a few days of normal use.
The third job is passwords. This is the hardest by far. Safari uses iCloud Keychain. Chrome uses Google Password Manager. Firefox uses Firefox Sync. None of them export to each other in a clean format, and importing from a CSV export is risky because each browser handles the CSV columns differently. The actual fix is a third-party password manager that lives outside any browser.
The fourth job is extensions. Extensions do not migrate. Chrome extensions only run in Chromium browsers (Chrome, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi, Opera, Arc). Firefox extensions only run in Firefox. Safari extensions only run in Safari and are a smaller catalog. Switching browsers usually means rebuilding the extension lineup from scratch, or finding the new browser's equivalent.
The fifth job is open tabs. Browsers do not transfer live sessions to other browsers. The closest thing is exporting bookmarks first, then loading the bookmarks page in the new browser. Some users save tab sets to a session manager extension and replay them in the new browser - but that lands inside the same browser's session manager, not the new one.
This guide walks through each of the four most common Mac browser switches in 2026 and what to expect for each job. There is also a short section at the end on what to do if the answer is "I do not want to pick one."
Before you start: the three-step prep
These three steps make every switch below smoother. Do them once before doing the switch itself.
Step 1: Sign in to a third-party password manager.
1Password, Bitwarden, or Dashlane all work on Mac. The free Bitwarden tier covers everything most users need. Once passwords live in a third-party manager, the browser switch becomes irrelevant for password handling.
Step 2: Export bookmarks from the current browser to an HTML file.
This is a safety net. Even if the new browser's import tool works perfectly, having a clean HTML export means the bookmarks are not lost if something breaks mid-switch.
- Chrome:
chrome://bookmarks/-> three-dot menu -> Export bookmarks - Safari: File -> Export -> Bookmarks
- Firefox: Bookmarks (⌘⇧O) -> Import and Backup -> Export Bookmarks to HTML
- Brave:
brave://bookmarks/-> three-dot menu -> Export bookmarks
Step 3: Note which extensions are critical.
Open the current browser's extensions page and screenshot or list the ones that matter. For each, search whether an equivalent exists in the new browser. Some examples: 1Password works in every browser. Grammarly works in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge. uBlock Origin works in Firefox and Brave; for Chromium-based browsers in 2026 the alternative is uBlock Origin Lite (Manifest V3) or AdGuard.
How to switch from Chrome to Safari on Mac
This is the most common Mac browser switch. Chrome to Safari saves battery, reduces RAM, and unlocks Handoff between iPhone and Mac. The cost is extension catalog (Safari has fewer) and tab management (Safari's sidebar is a flat list, no spaces, no command palette).
Step 1: Import Chrome data into Safari.
Open Safari, click File -> Import From -> Google Chrome. Check Bookmarks, History, and Passwords. Click Import. Safari pulls everything from the Chrome profile directly via the macOS file system - no Chrome export step needed. Per Apple's documentation, this works as long as Chrome and Safari are signed in on the same Mac.
Step 2: Set Safari as the default browser.
System Settings -> Desktop & Dock -> Default web browser -> Safari. Per Apple Support, this changes which browser opens when a link is clicked from Mail, Messages, or any other app.
Step 3: Enable iCloud Keychain.
System Settings -> [your Apple Account] -> iCloud -> Passwords & Keychain. Safari uses iCloud Keychain to store passwords. If a third-party password manager (1Password, Bitwarden) is already in use, skip this.
Step 4: Set up Safari extensions.
The Safari extension catalog is smaller than Chrome's. Common picks for Chrome refugees: 1Password for Safari, AdGuard for Safari, Stop the Madness, Vinegar (for YouTube). The Safari extension catalog on the App Store lists what is current.
What gets lost in this switch:
- Chrome extensions that have no Safari equivalent (most niche developer tools, some workflow extensions)
- Chrome Profiles (Safari does not have built-in profiles - it has Tab Groups and the Distraction Control feature, which are not the same thing)
- Open tabs (Safari does not import live tabs from Chrome, only bookmarks and history)
- Sync to Windows or Linux Macs (Safari is macOS, iPadOS, iOS only)
How to switch from Safari to Chrome on Mac
This is the second most common switch. Safari to Chrome unlocks the larger Chrome Web Store extension catalog and Google Workspace integration, at the cost of battery life and RAM. According to Apple's published specs, Safari delivers up to 24 hours of video streaming on an M4 MacBook; Chrome on the same hardware typically delivers 4-6 hours less.
Step 1: Sign in to Chrome with a Google account.
Open Chrome, click the profile icon top-right, sign in. This is what enables sync across devices.
Step 2: Import Safari data into Chrome.
Chrome Settings -> You and Google -> Import bookmarks and settings -> Safari. Chrome reads Safari's bookmarks file directly from ~/Library/Safari/Bookmarks.plist. Bookmarks come over; history is hit-or-miss; passwords do not transfer cleanly because Safari's keychain entries are encrypted by macOS in a way Chrome cannot read.
Step 3: For passwords, export from Safari first.
Safari -> Settings -> Passwords -> three-dot menu -> Export Passwords. This produces a CSV. Then in Chrome: chrome://password-manager/passwords -> three-dot menu -> Import passwords -> Select File. This works but the CSV is a security risk while it sits on disk - delete it after import.
Step 4: Set Chrome as the default browser.
System Settings -> Desktop & Dock -> Default web browser -> Google Chrome.
Step 5: Install Chrome extensions.
The Chrome Web Store is the largest extension catalog of any browser. Common picks for Safari refugees: 1Password, uBlock Origin Lite (the Manifest V3 version), Bitwarden, Loom, Notion Web Clipper.
What gets lost in this switch:
- iCloud Keychain integration (passwords no longer auto-fill on iPhone Safari)
- Handoff between Mac Safari and iPhone Safari
- Reading List sync to iOS (Chrome has a Reading List but it does not sync to iOS Safari)
- Some Safari-specific features (Distraction Control, the Translate button, full-page screenshots)
How to switch from Chrome to Firefox on Mac
Chrome to Firefox is a privacy-driven switch. Firefox uses a non-Chromium engine (Gecko), runs uBlock Origin natively (not the Manifest V3 lite version), and supports the broadest extension catalog after Chrome. The cost is some web compatibility - a small set of enterprise apps only test against Chromium.
Step 1: Open Firefox and run the import wizard.
Firefox's setup wizard prompts for an import on first launch. Choose Chrome, check Bookmarks, History, Passwords, and Autofill data. Click Import. Per Mozilla's documentation, this works as long as Chrome is installed on the same Mac.
Step 2: Sign in to Firefox Sync.
Settings -> Sync and save data. Firefox Sync is end-to-end encrypted and works across Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. This is the most cross-platform sync of any browser.
Step 3: Install Firefox extensions.
Firefox Add-ons (AMO) is the catalog. uBlock Origin is the highest-rated. Tree Style Tab is the Firefox-only vertical-tabs power-user pick.
Step 4: Set Firefox as the default.
System Settings -> Desktop & Dock -> Default web browser -> Firefox.
What gets lost in this switch:
- Chrome extensions with no Firefox equivalent (decreasing every year, but still a real list)
- Google account integration for some Workspace features (Firefox handles Gmail and Docs fine, but the sign-in flow is slightly more friction)
- Chrome's Memory Saver feature (Firefox has its own tab-hibernation behavior but works differently)
How to switch from Chrome to Brave on Mac
Chrome to Brave is the easiest switch on the list. Brave is built on Chromium, so it runs every Chrome extension and renders every Chrome-compatible site identically. The differences are Shields (default-on ad and tracker blocking), Brave's privacy features, and an option for the BAT crypto rewards program (which can be disabled entirely).
Step 1: Install Brave from brave.com.
On first launch, Brave detects Chrome and prompts to import.
Step 2: Import everything.
Brave's import covers bookmarks, history, passwords, autofill, and extensions in one step. This is the cleanest browser-switch import on Mac.
Step 3: Configure Shields.
Brave's default settings block trackers, third-party cookies, and fingerprinting. The Shields panel shows what is being blocked per site.
Step 4: Disable BAT if not needed.
Settings -> Brave Rewards -> turn off. This removes the wallet, ads, and any crypto UI.
Step 5: Install extensions.
Brave runs every Chrome extension from the Chrome Web Store - including extensions that were already installed in Chrome, which get imported automatically in Step 2.
What gets lost in this switch:
- Almost nothing. Brave is the closest like-for-like Chrome replacement on Mac.
- Some Chrome Sync features tied to a Google account work less smoothly (Brave has its own Sync system that is end-to-end encrypted and does not require an account, which is more private but slightly less convenient).
Side-by-side: what each switch preserves
| Switch | Bookmarks | History | Passwords | Extensions | Open tabs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome -> Safari | Yes (direct import) | Yes (direct import) | Yes (direct import) | No (different catalog) | No |
| Safari -> Chrome | Yes (direct import) | Partial | CSV export step needed | No (different catalog) | No |
| Chrome -> Firefox | Yes (direct import) | Yes (direct import) | Yes (direct import) | No (different catalog) | No |
| Chrome -> Brave | Yes (direct import) | Yes (direct import) | Yes (direct import) | Yes (same Chrome Web Store) | No |
Brave is the only Mac browser switch in 2026 where extensions transfer cleanly. For Safari and Firefox, the extension rebuild is the time cost most users underestimate.
What none of these switches solve
Switching browsers solves one browser's problems by taking on the new browser's problems. Safari is faster and more efficient, but tab management is stuck in 2015. Chrome has every extension, but RAM use is brutal. Firefox is the privacy pick, but some enterprise apps misbehave. Brave is Chrome without the weight, but it is still Chromium and the per-tab memory floor is the same as Chrome's.
There is a different question hidden inside "how do I switch browsers" - which is: why is the switch needed at all? Most multi-context Mac users do not actually want one browser. They want Safari for personal browsing (battery, Handoff, iCloud), Chrome for work (Google Workspace, enterprise SSO), and maybe Firefox for testing or privacy-sensitive sessions. The painful part of "switching" is usually that bookmarks, tabs, and saved links end up scattered across browsers, and finding the right one means hunting through three Dock icons.
That is the gap a Mac sidebar app closes. SupaSidebar is a native macOS app that adds a persistent sidebar to every browser - Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Arc, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi, Zen, Dia, Helium, and 15+ more (25+ browsers in total). Bookmarks and saved links live in the sidebar, not in any browser. Live Tabs shows currently open tabs from every browser at once. The Command Panel (⌘⌃K) searches across all of them with fuzzy matching. The result: switching from "all-in on Chrome" to "Safari for personal, Chrome for work" stops requiring a browser switch at all.
A real user on r/mac in 2026 described the multi-browser problem and how the sidebar solved it:
"SupaSidebar - sidebar for managing tabs across Chrome and Safari. Sounds dumb until you're switching between 4 projects and can't find the right tab. Only works on Mac though, so if you're cross-platform this won't help."
For users who specifically left Arc and were trying to find a replacement, the sidebar is what they were actually missing:
"I would love to try to wean myself off Arc and switch to Safari for full macos integration. But without Arc sidebar that will never happen. But... is there a solution for that? SupaSidebar?"
- Reddit user, r/macapps
Conclusion: Picking what to do
Switching from one Mac browser to another is mostly a ten-minute job in 2026 if the order is right: third-party password manager first, bookmark HTML export second, browser switch third. Bookmarks transfer cleanly between every major Mac browser. Passwords transfer cleanly only into Brave; every other switch needs a third-party password manager or a CSV import step. Extensions only transfer cleanly between Chromium browsers (Chrome to Brave). Open tabs do not transfer in any direction.
Different reader segments get different answers. Users who want the lightest, longest-battery setup: switch to Safari and rebuild the extension lineup from the Safari catalog. Users who want Chrome's extensions without Chrome's weight: switch to Brave - it is the closest like-for-like replacement. Users on enterprise Macs with Chrome-only web apps: stay on Chrome for those apps; do not force the switch. Users who want privacy and a non-Chromium engine: switch to Firefox. Users with multiple contexts (work, personal, side project): the better answer is usually not to switch at all - keep two or three browsers and unify them with a Mac sidebar.
Try SupaSidebar (free tier) if the answer is "two browsers, one sidebar." For the one-time bookmark transfer between specific browsers, see How to Import Bookmarks Between Browsers on Mac. For a deeper comparison of which Mac browser fits which use case, see Best Browser for Mac in 2026.
Why we recommend SupaSidebar for multi-browser Mac users
SupaSidebar is a macOS app that brings Arc's sidebar to every browser - one sidebar for tabs, bookmarks, files, and apps across 25+ browsers including Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Arc, Zen, Vivaldi, Brave, Helium, and Dia. The Command Panel (⌘⌃K) searches across every saved link, recent page, and live tab from every browser in one fuzzy-search overlay. Bookmarks live in the sidebar instead of in any single browser, so they are accessible from Safari, Chrome, and Firefox without manual sync. Spaces (workspaces) separate work links from personal links - switching between Spaces is one click, not a browser switch. The free tier includes 3 Spaces and works with every supported browser. For Mac users who genuinely need two or more browsers, SupaSidebar is the layer that makes the multi-browser workflow stop feeling like context switching.
By Kshetez Vinayak, founder of SupaSidebar.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I switch browsers on my Mac without losing my bookmarks?
Export bookmarks from the current browser to an HTML file first (every major Mac browser supports this via File -> Export or the bookmark manager's menu). Then in the new browser, use the built-in import tool, which reads either the HTML file or pulls directly from the source browser's profile. Bookmarks transfer cleanly between Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Brave, Edge, and every other major Mac browser in 2026.
Can I move my passwords from Safari to Chrome on Mac?
Not directly. Safari's iCloud Keychain entries are encrypted in a way Chrome cannot read. The workaround is to export Safari passwords as a CSV (Safari -> Settings -> Passwords -> Export), then import that CSV into Chrome's password manager (chrome://password-manager/passwords -> Import). Delete the CSV file after import because it stores passwords in plain text. The cleaner long-term fix is a third-party password manager like 1Password or Bitwarden that works in every browser.
Will my Chrome extensions work after I switch to Safari?
No. Chrome extensions only run in Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi, Opera, Arc). Safari has its own extension catalog on the App Store, which is smaller but covers most common needs - 1Password, AdGuard, Vinegar, Stop the Madness. The exception is switching from Chrome to Brave, where Brave runs every Chrome extension from the Chrome Web Store with no rebuild.
Can I keep my open tabs when switching browsers?
Browsers do not transfer live sessions to other browsers. The closest workaround is to save the current tab set as a bookmark folder (most browsers offer this via right-clicking a tab and choosing "Bookmark all tabs"), then open the bookmark folder in the new browser. For users who routinely move tabs between browsers, a Mac sidebar app like SupaSidebar holds tabs at the OS level instead of inside any browser, so the "switch" becomes irrelevant.
How do I change the default browser on a Mac?
On macOS Sonoma and Tahoe (macOS 14 and 15+), go to System Settings -> Desktop & Dock -> Default web browser, and pick the new browser from the dropdown. This changes which browser opens when a link is clicked from Mail, Messages, Slack, or any other app. Older versions of macOS use System Preferences -> General -> Default web browser instead.
Should I switch from Chrome to Safari on Mac in 2026?
For battery life and RAM, yes - Safari uses roughly half the RAM of Chrome on the same tab count, and lasts 4-6 hours longer on a video-streaming workload on an M4 MacBook. For extension catalog and Google Workspace integration, no - Chrome has more extensions and tighter Workspace integration. The middle path is switching to Brave (Chromium engine, Chrome extensions, lower memory than Chrome) or running both Safari and Chrome with a Mac sidebar to unify them.
Do I lose my browser history when I switch browsers on Mac?
Most Mac browser switches preserve history. Safari's import-from-Chrome includes history. Firefox's import-from-Chrome includes history. Brave's import-from-Chrome includes history. The exception is Safari to Chrome - Chrome's import from Safari is partial because Safari's history database format does not always parse cleanly. History rebuilds within a few days of normal use, so it is rarely worth the friction.
Is there a way to use two browsers on Mac without it being painful?
Yes. The painful parts of multi-browser workflows on Mac are bookmark scatter (the same site bookmarked in two browsers) and tab scatter (the tab is open in Chrome but the user is looking at Safari). A Mac sidebar app like SupaSidebar holds bookmarks and live tabs at the macOS level across 25+ browsers, so the same bookmark is accessible from any browser and the Command Panel searches tabs from every browser in one fuzzy-search overlay. Safari for personal, Chrome for work, no switching cost.