Adding Favorites to Internet Explorer 11

Create bookmarks in IE 11

Internet Explorer allows you to bookmark links to web pages as Favorites. When you know how to make a Favorite in IE 11, you can quickly access your frequently visited sites and keep those sites organized in subfolders.

Instructions in this article apply to Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

Microsoft no longer supports Internet Explorer and recommends that you update to the newer Edge browser. Head to their site to download the newest version.

How to Add the Favorites Bar to Internet Explorer 11

The Favorites bar gives you one-click access to your favorite websites. It is hidden by default in IE 11. To reveal the Favorites bar, right-click the settings gear and select Favorites Bar. To add the active web page to the Favorites bar, select the star with a green arrow on the left side of the Favorites bar.

Show Favorites bar

Make sure you update Internet Explorer to the latest version so that you have access to the latest features.

How to Add Favorites in Internet Explorer 11

To add the active page to your Favorites in Internet Explorer:

  1. Select the star in the upper-right corner of the browser window, or use the keyboard shortcut Alt+C.

    Favorites icon
  2. Select Add to favorites in the pop-up window, or use the shortcut Alt+Z.

    Add to Favorites button
  3. The default name for the page appears in the Name text box. Change the name to anything you want, or leave it as the default.

    Name in Add a Favorite dialog box
  4. The default location for the bookmark is the root level of the Favorites folder. If you wish to save the page in another location, select the Create in drop-down menu and choose a folder, or select New folder to make a new one.

    The Create In menu and New Folder button
  5. If you selected New Folder, enter a name for the sub-folder in the Folder Name text box.

    Naming a new Favorites folder
  6. Select the Create in drop-down menu, choose the location where you want the folder saved, then select Create.

    Choosing Favorites folder location
  7. Select Add. The window closes, and your new Favorite is saved.

    Add button

How to See Favorites in IE 11

Select the star in the upper-right corner of Internet Explorer to access your Favorites. You can change the order of the links or organize links in folders by clicking and dragging a link you want to move.

Favorites star icon
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