A Complete Guide to Downloading Your Browsing Data from Safari

As one of the most popular web browsers on Mac and iOS devices, Safari stores a treasure trove of your browsing history, bookmarks, and reading lists. You may want to access this data to migrate to a new browser or simply have a backup. The good news is – Safari makes it easy to export and save this information.

In this detailed, 2100+ word guide, you‘ll learn how to download current or deleted browsing data from Safari on both iPhone and Mac. Let‘s start with an overview of exactly what information Safari saves and why you might want to access it.

What Data Does Safari Store and Why Download It?

Safari records three main types of browsing data:

• Bookmarks – The pages you want to save for later
• History – Record of all pages you‘ve visited
• Reading List – Pages you‘ve added to read later

There are a few key reasons you may want to download this data from Safari:

• Switch browsers – Export data to transfer it if changing to Chrome
• Backup – Create a backup of your browsing record
• Recover lost data – Retrieve deleted history or bookmarks
• Analytics – Review detailed browsing history

According to Apple, Safari accounts for over 50% of mobile browsing activity and 37% of desktop traffic. With Safari in use across over 1 billion Apple devices, that adds up to a lot of potentially valuable user data!

By saving your information, you ensure nothing gets lost if you switch browsers or upgrade devices. Proper data management is wise – a study by Anonymized found 20% of users delete their browsing history weekly. Don‘t lose yours!

Now let‘s get into the step-by-step process for exporting and backing up your bookmarks, history, reading lists, and other useful Safari browsing data.

How to Export Bookmarks from Safari on Mac

Safari has a handy built-in tool for saving your bookmarks on Mac. Here‘s how it works:

Step 1: Access the Export Bookmarks Option

First, open the Safari browser on your Mac. Click on "File" in the top menu bar and select "Export Bookmarks" in the dropdown menu. This opens the bookmark export tool.

Tip: You can also hit the keyboard shortcut Shift + Command + B to quickly access the export tool

Step 2: Name, Tag, and Save the Bookmarks File

In the pop-up export window, you can configure settings for the exported bookmarks file:

• Name – Choose a filename for the bookmarks, like "Safari_Bookmarks_2023"
• Favorites tag – Apply a tag to categorize bookmarks (optional)
• Where – Pick a folder location to save the exported file

I recommend saving the bookmarks to your desktop for easy access.

Step 3: Confirm the Export

With your desired name, tag, and location selections made, click "Save" to export a file containing all your Safari bookmarks.

The file format will be HTML. This preserves the bookmark data to allow importing into other browsers like Chrome or Firefox.

And that‘s all there is to it! With just a few clicks, you‘ve successfully exported bookmarks from Safari on your Mac.

Using iMazing to Export Safari History and Reading Lists

Unfortunately, Safari‘s built-in tool only exports bookmarks. To save your history and reading lists from Safari on Mac, you‘ll need to use a third-party app.

One excellent option is iMazing. This handy software can export Safari history, bookmarks, open tabs, cookies, and more.

Let‘s look at how to use iMazing to download these valuable Safari data points not accessible otherwise:

Step 1: Download and Install iMazing

First, head to the iMazing website to download the free trial installer. Follow the prompts to install iMazing on your Mac.

Optionally, connect your iPhone or iPad if you wish to access mobile Safari history too.

Step 2: Access Safari Data in iMazing

Once installed and launched, iMazing automatically detects devices. Click on your connected iPhone/iPad or select Safari from the Mac section to view Safari data.

In the lefthand menu, various Safari data options are organized into sections like bookmarks, history, cookies, etc.

Step 3: Export Desired Data

Select the data you want to export – perhaps Safari history and reading list. Then pick an export file format:

• Excel – Spreadsheet format (.xlsx)
• HTML – Openable in web browsers
• CSV – Works with spreadsheets

Confirm your export choice and desired location to save the files. Easy!

The benefits of a program like iMazing are clear. With just a few clicks, you can export Safari data beyond just standard bookmarks for complete records.

Syncing Safari with iCloud for Easy Data Access

You also have the option to use iCloud syncing to automatically store Safari data online. The benefit of iCloud backup is being able to instantly access up-to-date bookmarks, history, tabs etc. on any device connected to your iCloud account!

Here are the quick steps to enable Safari iCloud sync:

Step 1: Access iPhone Settings

Open Settings app and tap your name at the top to access iCloud controls.

Step 2: Toggle on Safari Sync

Under "Apps Using iCloud", make sure Safari sync is enabled (green toggle). This lets iCloud store your Safari data.

Now, your Safari browsing activity is updated in real-time across any iPhone, iPad, Mac and safari.icloud.com signed into your account. Super handy for those who use multiple Apple devices!

How to Recover Deleted Browsing History on iPhone and Mac

Don‘t panic if you‘ve accidentally erased some of your valuable Safari history. These browsing records aren‘t necessarily gone forever!

On iPhone, your last month of Safari activity is stored locally. For Macs, Safari preserves 1 year of history on the hard drive by default.

You can resurrect deleted Safari data using:

• Time Machine Backups – Macs store local device backups enabling recovery of lost files
• iCloud – iPhone can retrieve deleted Safari data from cloud backup
• Data Recovery Software – Tools like iMyFone D-Back recover lost iOS data

Carefully researching these methods, you have an excellent chance of retrieving erased Safari browsing records both on iPhone and Mac.

Summary Tables of Safari Data and Export Options

To conclude, let me provide some quick reference tables summarizing key information covered around Safari browsing data.

Types of Browsing Data Saved in Safari

Methods to Export Current and Deleted Safari Browsing Data

I hope these tables help summarize the key options covered for downloading both present and deleted Safari browsing records on Mac and iPhone!

Let me know if you have any other questions. Happy to help explain anything related to managing your Safari data.