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Accidentally renamed "Unsorted Bookmarks" folder, how do I change it back!?

  • 2 cavab
  • 2 have this problem
  • 15 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

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I was trying to add a folder and I opened the bookmarks menu (Show all bookmarks). I added new folder and when the box opened I typed in the new name "Presentation". When I clicked okay, it had changed my Unsorted Bookmarks folder into "Presentation"!! The Unsorted Bookmarks folder is supposed to be non-removable and non-renameable. But for some reason that's what happened and there's no way to change it back. I have been researching non stop and have exhausted my options so I need a better and new solution. I have tried to rename it in the bookmarks toolbar dialog box, but it will not let me type. So I hit Ctrl+I and opened the side bar (which I found from researching). In the side box, it appears as Presentation. So I right click, click properties. Here, it says Name: Unsorted Bookmarks. However, the space does not actually let you type. I try but it does not allow me to, and the save option is not enabled (clickable). It is driving me crazy and I need a new solution and an efficient one. I don't understand if it's not supposed to be renamed how I accidentally did it and cannot change it back.

I was trying to add a folder and I opened the bookmarks menu (Show all bookmarks). I added new folder and when the box opened I typed in the new name "Presentation". When I clicked okay, it had changed my Unsorted Bookmarks folder into "Presentation"!! The Unsorted Bookmarks folder is supposed to be non-removable and non-renameable. But for some reason that's what happened and there's no way to change it back. I have been researching non stop and have exhausted my options so I need a better and new solution. I have tried to rename it in the bookmarks toolbar dialog box, but it will not let me type. So I hit Ctrl+I and opened the side bar (which I found from researching). In the side box, it appears as Presentation. So I right click, click properties. Here, it says Name: Unsorted Bookmarks. However, the space does not actually let you type. I try but it does not allow me to, and the save option is not enabled (clickable). It is driving me crazy and I need a new solution and an efficient one. I don't understand if it's not supposed to be renamed how I accidentally did it and cannot change it back.

All Replies (2)

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So the suggestions in this thread didn't work: "Unsorted bookmarks" got renamed when trying to create a new folder?

I wonder whether it would help to restore a bookmark backup? Firefox creates those daily, and they do contain the data necessary to re-create the Unsorted Bookmarks folder, but I definitely consider it experimental.

If you want to try it, here's one possible procedure. When you restore a bookmark backup file, it will completely replace any new bookmarks you might have created since the backup, so if those are important, please export them first. Those steps are designated (optional) in the following list.

(1) (Optional) Export your new/current bookmarks to an HTML format file;
(2) Restore the old .json backup file;
(3) (Optional) Open the HTML file you created in step 1 in Firefox and confirm that it does NOT contain an Unsorted Bookmarks folder under any name (if it does, you might need to edit that out using a text editor);
(4) (Optional) Import the HTML file you examined in step 3; then
(5) (Optional) Organize the imported bookmarks (back) into the desired location among the restored bookmarks.

For #1, see Export Firefox bookmarks to an HTML file to back up or transfer bookmarks.

For #2, see: Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer. You will need the "Restore File" item at the bottom of the Restore menu in order to get at your old .json file.

For #4, see: Import Bookmarks from an HTML file.

For #5, see: Bookmarks in Firefox.

Any luck?

The other possible procedure would be to create a fresh backup and hand-edit the folder name in a text editor, then restore that. It seems the risk of corruption would be considerably higher in that scenario, so you would first want to test it in a separate Firefox profile. If you like to tinker, I'll explain my thinking further.

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