How to save links in Chrome without cluttering your bookmarks bar
You find a useful page, save it "for later", and a week on you can't find it anywhere. Here's how to save a link fast and get it back in seconds.
A client's dashboard, an article you want to read, a supplier's page. Every day you come across links you'll need again. Most of us click the star and move on. The trouble comes later: the bookmarks bar is full, folders pile up, and finding that link takes longer than searching Google again.
This guide isn't about tidying all your bookmarks (for that, see how to organize your bookmarks). It's about the everyday move: saving one link in a second and getting it back when you need it. First with what Chrome offers, then with NexoPad.
1. A bookmark that stays off the bar
Click the star in the address bar or press Ctrl+D (Cmd+D on Mac). Chrome saves the page as a bookmark and lets you pick the name and folder.
The trick to a clean bar is that folder: instead of Bookmarks bar, choose Other bookmarks or one of your own folders. That way the bar only holds the four or five sites you open every day, and everything else is saved out of the way.
2. Reading List, for things to read later
If the link is an article you want to read later, it doesn't need to be a bookmark. Right-click the tab and choose Add tab to reading list. You'll find it in Chrome's side panel under Reading list, split into read and unread.
It's handy for articles, but not for work links you'll open again and again: it's built for reading and moving on.
Where it gets messy
Saving is easy. Finding it later is the hard part. With bookmarks, three things happen: everything ends up on the bar or in a pile of folders; to find a link you open folder after folder; and a bookmark can't hold notes, so the port, the username or what that page was for stays in your head.
If you also save lots of tabs at once, the mess grows. There's a separate guide for that: how to save all open tabs.
3. Saving links with NexoPad
Right-click and you're done
On any page, or on any link, right-click and choose NexoPad > ⭐ Save link/page. It's saved in one click to the General folder. The name is the text you have selected or the page title (up to 50 characters). If you've already saved that link, it isn't added twice.
From the popup, with more detail
Press Ctrl+Space, tap + and choose to save the current page: the form fills in with the title and address, and you click Save. You can also add a link by hand.
Add a note, tags and a folder
Each link has a name, an address, notes (say, the port or username), tags and a folder. You can pin it so it always shows at the top. If you try to save an address you already have, NexoPad warns you.
Finding a link in seconds
This is where it makes a difference. In the popup, type two or three letters in the search box, move with the arrow keys and press Enter. You can also filter by folder, such as Clients, to see only those links.
If you're on another site, press Ctrl+K (Cmd+K on Mac) and search for your link without opening the popup. And if you prefer the address bar, type sys and a tag: we explain it in how to open your sites with a keyword.
One click opens it. Ctrl+click opens several at once, and you can also open it in an incognito window.
Bringing your bookmarks into NexoPad
You don't have to start from scratch. In the popup, open the menu and go to Settings > Import Bookmarks. NexoPad asks you to confirm that you want to import your browser bookmarks as NexoPad links. Once you accept, your bookmarks become links and your Chrome folders become NexoPad folders.
If you have more folders than your plan allows, the links that don't fit go to General. Your links sync with your account, so you have them in any browser where you sign in.
Which option should you pick?
| How you save | How you find it | Notes | Sync | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome bookmark (Ctrl+D) | Star or Ctrl+D, then pick a folder | Opening folders or searching the bookmark manager | No | Yes, with your Google account |
| Reading List | Right-click the tab | In the side panel, read and unread | No | Yes, with your Google account |
| NexoPad link | Right-click > Save link/page, or from the popup | Popup search, folder filter, Ctrl+K or sys + tag | Yes | Yes, with your NexoPad account |
FAQ
How do I save a bookmark without it showing on the bar?
Press Ctrl+D and, under Folder, choose Other bookmarks or one of your own folders instead of Bookmarks bar.
Can I add a note to a saved link?
Not with Chrome bookmarks. In NexoPad, every link has a notes field where you can jot down, for example, the username or port.
Will I lose my bookmarks if I move them to NexoPad?
No. Import Bookmarks copies your bookmarks as NexoPad links; the ones in Chrome stay where they are.
How many links can I save for free?
The free plan includes 20 links and 2 folders of your own besides General. The Pro plan goes up to 1,000 items and 50 folders.
Which link manager is right for me?
It depends on how many you save and how you work. We compare them in the best bookmark managers.
Published on October 20, 20266 min read
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