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unable to import bookmarks

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  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by cor-el

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"Unable to import backup file" My computer was undergoing, we'll call it surgery, so I opted to make a backup file for my bookmarks. No reason why it shouldn't work from what I could tell. I got the .json tag and tried to import it. Then that message appeared.

I've checked out all of these suggestions, which always boil back down to Bookmarks> show all bookmarks>Import & Backup>Restore>Choose file. Unfortunately, nothing has worked, to include having my computer restarted between attempts. I didn't have a "sync" account or a Firefox account although WAY back in time before they switched up their saving bookmarks method, I had an account with some add-on or something that went under and was then taken over by Mozilla. I'm not sure how it's changed since then, but does anyone have a suggestion that doesn't end in me doing the same thing and expecting different results? Also, I may have now unintentionally created a new Firefox profile. I still have the old one saved, but yeah... I'm pretty sure I'm hurting more than helping at this point...

"Unable to import backup file" My computer was undergoing, we'll call it surgery, so I opted to make a backup file for my bookmarks. No reason why it shouldn't work from what I could tell. I got the .json tag and tried to import it. Then that message appeared. I've checked out all of these suggestions, which always boil back down to Bookmarks> show all bookmarks>Import & Backup>Restore>Choose file. Unfortunately, nothing has worked, to include having my computer restarted between attempts. I didn't have a "sync" account or a Firefox account although WAY back in time before they switched up their saving bookmarks method, I had an account with some add-on or something that went under and was then taken over by Mozilla. I'm not sure how it's changed since then, but does anyone have a suggestion that doesn't end in me doing the same thing and expecting different results? Also, I may have now unintentionally created a new Firefox profile. I still have the old one saved, but yeah... I'm pretty sure I'm hurting more than helping at this point...

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Can you confirm that you have a valid JSON backup?

You can open the file in a Firefox tab and Firefox should use the builtin SON viewer to format the file for readability.


Such error usually indicate that the places.sqlite database is damaged and need to be repaired.

You can check for problems with the places.sqlite database (bookmarks and history) in the Firefox profile folder.

See also:

If "Verify Integrity" on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page or Places Maintenance can't repair the places.sqlite database then remove all places.sqlite file(s) in the Firefox profile folder to make Firefox rebuild the places.sqlite database from the most recent JSON backup in the bookmarkbackups folder.

You can use the button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page.