--- title: "How to password-protect bookmarks in Brave | VaultForYou" description: "Brave has no password for bookmarks: anyone using the profile can open brave://bookmarks and read them, and a second profile only hides them." url: https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/password-protect-bookmarks/brave lang: en published: 2026-11-03 updated: 2026-11-03 author: "VaultForYou Editorial Team" publisher: VaultForYou --- # How to password-protect bookmarks in Brave > Brave has no lock for bookmarks. Here is what a profile does, what it doesn't, and the extension that adds a real one. Published 2026-11-03 - Updated 2026-11-03 - By VaultForYou Editorial Team - Checked against each browser's help pages, November 2026 ## Quick answer Brave has no password for bookmarks: anyone using the profile can open `brave://bookmarks` and read them, and a second profile only hides them. To lock bookmarks in Brave, install Private Bookmarks: it keeps them in an encrypted vault (AES-256-GCM) that opens only with your password and locks itself after a few minutes. - **Built into Brave:** Nothing: no password, no lock, no hidden folder - **With Private Bookmarks:** Password-locked, AES-256-GCM, auto-lock, no sync, no account - **Install:** Chrome Web Store -> Add ## Password-protect bookmarks in Brave 1. **Install Private Bookmarks** Open the [Chrome Web Store listing](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/private-bookmarks-by-vaul/laonjbpehlabehhllohfaffbcpholdho) in Brave and add it. Pin it from the extensions menu so the icon stays in the toolbar. 2. **Set a password** Brave opens the welcome page. Choose a password of at least 8 characters. It is the only key; there is no reset. 3. **Save pages into the vault** On any page, click the icon or press Alt+Shift+B and choose a folder. The page goes into the vault, not into Brave's bookmarks. 4. **Move existing bookmarks** Open each bookmark you want locked, save it to the vault, then delete it from `brave://bookmarks`. 5. **Keep a backup** In the extension's Settings, export an encrypted backup (.pvb) and store the file somewhere safe. ## What Brave offers on its own | Option | Locks the bookmarks? | Notes | |---|---|---| | A second Brave profile | No | One click switches to it; its Bookmarks file is readable on disk | | A separate operating-system user | Only if that user has a password | Locks the whole computer account, not Brave; sync still copies the bookmarks | | Hiding the bookmarks bar | No | Everything stays in `brave://bookmarks` | | Private Bookmarks | Yes | Encrypted vault, password required, auto-lock, never synced | ## How the lock works The vault is encrypted on this computer with a key derived from your password (PBKDF2, 600,000 iterations), and the extension has no network permission, so nothing leaves the machine. It locks after 5 minutes of inactivity by default (1, 15 or 60 minutes, or only when Brave closes, in Settings), and always when the screen locks or Brave quits. Forget the password and the vault can't be opened; there is no server with a copy. > **Add Private Bookmarks to Brave.** Free. No account, no sync, no tracking. [Add to Chrome](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/private-bookmarks-by-vaul/laonjbpehlabehhllohfaffbcpholdho) ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I put a password on bookmarks in Brave without an extension? No. None of the Chromium browsers has one. The nearest built-in options, a second profile or a separate computer account, don't lock the bookmarks themselves. ### Does Private Bookmarks work in Brave? Yes. It installs from the Chrome Web Store like any other extension and needs Brave on a desktop computer. ### Can I still sync locked bookmarks? No, by design. The vault never syncs or connects to the network. Move it between computers with its encrypted backup file and your password. ### What if I forget the password? The vault can't be opened; your password is the only key. You can erase the vault and start again, then import a backup if you have one. ## Sources - [Brave Help Center: How do I import bookmarks and settings?](https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/articles/360019782291) - [Brave Help Center: How do I set up Sync?](https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/articles/360021218111) - [Brave Help Center: Keyboard shortcuts](https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/articles/360057714351) ## Password-protect bookmarks in other browsers - [How to password-protect favorites in Microsoft Edge](https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/password-protect-bookmarks/edge) - [How to password-protect bookmarks in Chrome on a Chromebook](https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/password-protect-bookmarks/chromebook) - [How to password-protect bookmarks in Opera](https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/password-protect-bookmarks/opera) - [How to password-protect bookmarks in Vivaldi](https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/password-protect-bookmarks/vivaldi) - [How to password protect bookmarks in Chrome](https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/password-protect-bookmarks-chrome) - [All browsers: password-protect bookmarks](https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/password-protect-bookmarks) ## More for Brave - [How to show the bookmarks bar in Brave](https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/show-bookmarks-bar/brave) - [How to bookmark a page in Brave](https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/add-bookmark/brave) - [How to delete bookmarks in Brave](https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/delete-bookmarks/brave) - [How to export bookmarks in Brave](https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/export-bookmarks/brave) - [How to import bookmarks in Brave](https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/import-bookmarks/brave) - [How to find where bookmarks are stored in Brave](https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/where-bookmarks-are-stored/brave) - [How to restore lost bookmarks in Brave](https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/restore-bookmarks/brave) - [How to organize bookmarks in Brave](https://www.vaultforyou.app/bookmarks/organize-bookmarks/brave) --- Private Bookmarks by VaultForYou is a Chrome extension made by VaultForYou. Add to Chrome: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/private-bookmarks-by-vaul/laonjbpehlabehhllohfaffbcpholdho