How do I export my Safari Reading List?

There is no Export button for it. Share each article you want to keep into another app, or test whether File → Export → Bookmarks on a Mac includes your Reading List by searching the exported file for one of its addresses.

Does File → Export → Bookmarks include the Reading List?

Apple does not say so and online reports disagree. Export the file, search it for the address of one Reading List article, and you will know for your version.

Can I export the Reading List from my iPhone?

Not in one step. On iPhone you can share articles one at a time. A bookmarks file comes from Safari on a Mac.

Will I lose my Reading List if I turn off iCloud for Safari?

It may stop syncing between devices, so keep a copy of anything important before you change the setting.

Can Linkeeper import my Reading List?

Linkeeper imports a Safari bookmarks file if the items are in it. Otherwise, share each article to Linkeeper from the Share button.

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How to export your Safari Reading List (and what to do instead)

Published October 18, 2026 · 5 min read

Safari's Reading List has no Export button on iPhone, iPad or Mac. The only built-in way to get a link out is to open the article and share it, one item at a time. Safari's File → Export → Bookmarks is meant for bookmarks, and whether it also writes your Reading List items is something you can check yourself in a minute.

Below is that check, a realistic way to move the articles you still care about, and a note on why most of a long Reading List is better left behind.

Can you export the Safari Reading List?

Not with a button. Safari shows the list in the sidebar on Mac and under the book icon on iPhone and iPad, but none of those screens offers an export or a share-all option. Items sync between your devices through iCloud when Safari is turned on in iCloud settings, which is syncing, not a copy you hold.

That matters if you want to leave Safari, if you are worried about losing the list, or if you simply want to search it. If the list stops syncing, see Safari Reading List not syncing between iPhone and Mac.

Does Safari's bookmark export include the Reading List?

On a Mac, Safari can write your bookmarks to an HTML file: File → Export → Bookmarks. Apple does not say that this file includes Reading List items, and write-ups online disagree, so check your own file instead of assuming.

1In Safari on the Mac, choose File → Export → Bookmarks and save the HTML file.
2Open one article from your Reading List and copy its address.
3Open the exported file in a text editor (TextEdit set to plain text is fine) and search for a distinctive part of that address.
4If it is there, the file contains your Reading List. If not, it does not, and you need the next section.

If the items are in the file, any bookmark app that reads Safari's export can import them. Linkeeper does: see how to move your bookmarks to your iPhone for the file and import steps.

How do I move the articles I still want?

If the file does not contain them, the dependable route is slower but works on any version of iOS and macOS: share each article you want to keep into a link app.

1Open Reading List in Safari (the book icon, then the glasses tab on iPhone; the sidebar on Mac).
2Open an article and tap Share. On a Mac, use the Share button in the toolbar.
3Choose Linkeeper. It saves the link without opening the app. If Linkeeper is not in the row of apps, add it to the share sheet first.
4Repeat for the articles worth keeping, then remove them from Reading List if you want it empty.

Linkeeper stores the link with a title, tags and a reading state, and its search looks inside the saved text as well as titles. The links live on your device, and syncing is optional.

Is a long Reading List worth moving at all?

Often not. A list of hundreds of items is usually a backlog, not a library: if you have not opened an article in a year, copying it to a new place just moves the pile. Scan the list, move what you would honestly read or need again, and let the rest go.

If the backlog is the real problem, how to actually read the articles you save covers a way to shrink it. To compare the two tools, see Linkeeper vs Safari Reading List.

Frequently asked questions

How do I export my Safari Reading List?: There is no Export button for it. Share each article you want to keep into another app, or test whether File → Export → Bookmarks on a Mac includes your Reading List by searching the exported file for one of its addresses.
Does File → Export → Bookmarks include the Reading List?: Apple does not say so and online reports disagree. Export the file, search it for the address of one Reading List article, and you will know for your version.
Can I export the Reading List from my iPhone?: Not in one step. On iPhone you can share articles one at a time. A bookmarks file comes from Safari on a Mac.
Will I lose my Reading List if I turn off iCloud for Safari?: It may stop syncing between devices, so keep a copy of anything important before you change the setting.
Can Linkeeper import my Reading List?: Linkeeper imports a Safari bookmarks file if the items are in it. Otherwise, share each article to Linkeeper from the Share button.