How to bookmark a file in your web browser

Do yDo you have a PDF, a cheat sheet, or a text file that you refer to every day? Instead of digging through your folders, you can bookmark a local file directly in your web browser. This allows you to open your most important offline documents with a single click, right next to your favorite websites.

Whether you use Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, or Brave, this guide will show you three incredibly easy ways to add any local file to your bookmarks bar for instant access.

What types of files can you bookmark?

Here are a few examples of files you can add to your browser’s bookmarks bar.

File type Browser support Best for...
PDF (.pdf) ✅ Full support Manuals, e-books, worksheets
Images (.jpg, .png, .gif, .webp) ✅ Full support Infographics, reference photos
Text (.txt) ✅ Full support Quick Notes, to-do lists
HTML (.html) ✅ Full support Offline webpages, reports
Word/Excel ⚠️ Limited Usually requires an extension/upload

Method 1: Drag and drop the file into your browser

  1. Open your web browser.
  2. Open your file manager (e.g., File Explorer).
  3. Go to the file you want to bookmark.
  4. Minimize the browser and the file manager window, and make sure both are visible side by side.
  5. Drag the file from the file manager window to the browser window.
    Drag file from File Explorer to web browser
  6. Once the file is open in your browser, just press Ctrl + D (Windows or Linux) or Cmd + D (Mac) on your keyboard to instantly add it to your bookmarks bar.

Method 2: Enter the local file path in the address bar

  1. Open your web browser.
  2. Enter the location of the file in your browser’s address (URL) bar, as shown in the example, but replace YourUsername with your own username.
    file:///C:/Users/YourUsername/Documents/file.pdf
    Enter the location of the file in your browser’s address (URL) bar
  3. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  4. Once the file is open in your browser, just press Ctrl + D (Windows or Linux) or Cmd + D (Mac) on your keyboard to instantly add it to your bookmarks bar.

Method 3: Use the right-click 'Open with' menu

  1. Open your file manager (e.g., File Explorer).
  2. Go to the file you want to bookmark.
  3. Right-click the file.
  4. Hover over Open with.
  5. Select your web browser (e.g., Google Chrome).
    Open a file with your web browser
  6. Once the file is open in your browser, just press Ctrl + D (Windows or Linux) or Cmd + D (Mac) on your keyboard to instantly add it to your bookmarks bar.

Related:

How to bookmark all open tabs in Chrome, Edge, Firefox & Brave

Find bookmark file locations: Chrome, Edge, Brave & Firefox

How to export bookmarks to an HTML file (all major browsers)

Internet