How do I seriously organize links accumulated in the Reading List feature of Safari Bookmarks?

Question

Level 1

26 points

How do I seriously organize links accumulated in the Reading List feature of Safari Bookmarks?

I don’t want to delete them all, I instead want to know how (if possible) to organize them into more specific and suitable Bookmarks/Favorites locations without having to painstakingly reopen each one and re-save it, nor simply start anew by deleting them all (via iCloud sync wiping).

As you can see, it is quite an unmanageably long list because it’s difficult to clean up.

Please help, Apple. This is severely frustrating. I sincerely suggest developers create a “Select all” option to copy/save elsewhere, something like when you save all open tabs simultaneously, or alternatively, creating a different dump folder that is a part of Bookmarks instead of this separate feature, that can be installed via updates. Please do something to fix this frustrating function.

iPad Air 2

Posted on Dec 3, 2025 12:34 AM

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Answer 1

Phil0124

Level 10

216,686 points

Dec 3, 2025 10:32 AM in response to ActualHelp

Sorry, there is no way to currently do what you want. The Reading List is designed as a quick list of for things you want o "read" in a moment. Not for storage of link and references for long in the future. That's what Bookmarks is for.

If you want a lot of organization a control, then add the links to Bookmarks directly instead of the Reading list. Bookmarks already does everything you need. Shoehorning more functionality into a list that is designed for quick reference and not much else seems like tis missing the entire point of it. Replicating the functionality of Bookmarks n the reading is just making a new Bookmarks section entirely which kind of defeats the entire purpose of the Reading List.

Unfortunately, there is currently no way of moving Reading list items to Bookmarks without opening them ne by one and saving them as a Bookmark.

Regardless, you can offer Apple Feedback on the feedback website, as there are no Apple engineers or devs in this user to user forum.

click here ➜ Feedback - Safari - Apple

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Answer 2

ActualHelp Author

Level 1

26 points

Dec 3, 2025 6:08 PM in response to Phil0124

I totally agree here, which reiterates the the whole reason WHY I want to get it cleaned up in the first place: to restore it to its intended function, and yes, I am aware of the differing intended uses of both tools, but, as some of us know, life get in the way sometimes, and my frustration is that it can and has become quite difficult to chip away at that stagnant, ‘shoehorned storage’ bank, however, no amount of the correct course of action (habit) can apparently fix this preexisting issue, now accumulating for years from multiple people with a large volume of professional research tasks; and that is what would relieve me and clear up my time if there were tips to easier fix this then move forward the easier way;

Phil0124 wrote:

Sorry, there is no way to currently do what you want. The Reading List is designed as a quick list of for things you want to "read" in a moment. Not for storage of link and references for long in the future. That's what Bookmarks is for.

If you want a lot of organization a control, then add the links to Bookmarks directly instead of the Reading list. Bookmarks already does everything you need. Shoehorning more functionality into a list that is designed for quick reference and not much else seems like tis missing the entire point of it. Replicating the functionality of Bookmarks n the reading is just making a new Bookmarks section entirely which kind of defeats the entire purpose of the Reading List.

But I will definitely be offering my formal feedback.

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