Are you trying to figure out how to change the color of bookmark folders in Chrome for better organization? Perhaps you just miss the old blue folder icons and want to get them back. While Google Chrome doesn’t have a built-in feature for this, the good news is it’s incredibly easy to achieve with a simple browser extension. This guide will walk you through the best extension for the job and the exact steps to set custom colors for your folders in under a minute.
Why Color-Code Your Chrome Bookmark Folders?
Before we get to the “how,” let’s quickly cover the “why.” A small visual change can have a big impact on your productivity. By coloring your folders, you can:
- Find Folders Instantly: Our brains process color faster than text. Assigning a color (e.g., blue for work, green for personal) allows you to spot what you need in a fraction of a second.
- Reduce Digital Clutter: A customized color scheme makes your bookmarks bar look neater and more personalized, reducing the feeling of chaos from a long list of identical folders.
- Improve Workflow: Grouping projects or subjects by color minimizes the mental effort required to navigate your saved links, keeping you focused on your work.
Step 1: Install the ‘Bookmark Favicon Changer’ Extension
The first step is to add a small, free tool from the Chrome Web Store. After testing several options, my top recommendation is Bookmark Favicon Changer. It’s lightweight, easy to use, and reliable.
- Navigate to the Chrome Web Store.
- In the search bar, type “Bookmark Favicon Changer” and press Enter.
- Find the extension in the search results and click the “Add to Chrome” button.
- A pop-up will ask for permissions. Click “Add extension” to complete the installation.
Step 2: Set Your Custom Folder Color
With the extension installed, you’re ready to start coloring. The entire process takes place in Chrome’s Bookmark Manager.
- Open the Chrome Bookmark Manager. The fastest way is to use the keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+O (on Windows/ChromeOS) or Cmd+Shift+O (on Mac).
- Find the bookmark folder you want to change and right-click on it.
- From the context menu that appears, hover over “Change Favicon” and then select “Color”.
- A color picker will appear. Choose the color you want to assign to the folder.
- The folder’s icon will instantly update to the new color. The change is saved automatically.
Take Your Organization Further
Coloring your folders is a great first step. But if you’re serious about managing your bookmarks, a dedicated tool can make a huge difference. I designed my own free Chrome extension, Easy Bookmark Viewer, to give you a cleaner interface and more powerful search than Chrome’s default manager. It’s a perfect next step for anyone looking to truly organize their digital library.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Sometimes things don’t work perfectly. Here are a couple of common issues and how to fix them:
- Colors Not Saving: If a color doesn’t stick, it might be a temporary cache issue. Try right-clicking the folder and applying the color again. If it still fails, you can try temporarily disabling and re-enabling the extension via the `chrome://extensions` page.
- Colors Not Syncing to Other Computers: For your colors to appear on your other devices, you must have Chrome Sync enabled on all of them. Also, keep in mind that this specific extension’s changes are local and may not sync perfectly across all devices, though it does work well with synced bookmarks in general.
Conclusion
Color-coding your bookmark folders is a simple but surprisingly powerful way to organize your browser. By using a lightweight extension, you can create a more intuitive and visually appealing system that saves you time and makes finding your favorite sites effortless. If you want to take your bookmark organization to the next level, I encourage you to try my free extension, Easy Bookmark Viewer, to see all your bookmarks in a much cleaner and more powerful interface.
