Safari has tons of features that make browsing the web easier, including options to keep important links within easy reach using Bookmarks and the Reading List. But what’s the difference between these two?
In this post we’ll look at these two features to explore the subtle differences between them, so you’ll know what to save to as a Bookmark and what to save to your Reading List.
Bookmarks vs. Reading List: Similarities
Bookmarks and the Reading List have very similar features. They both allow you to save webpages for easy and instant access down the line. Both are built-in Safari features that can be accessed on your Safari sidebar or Start Page. They also both sync over iCloud, allowing you to Bookmarks and the Reading List from your other Apple devices.
Bookmarks vs. Reading List: Differences
As the name implies, the Reading List is intended as a list of articles that you want to save for later reading. It serves as a dedicated list of webpages that you can go back to when you have the time to read them, at which point you can work your way through the list.
When you add a new link to your Reading List, it falls under the Unread category. Links remain on your Reading List even after you’ve read them. To remove a webpage from your list, simply Control-click or two-finger tap the list item and select Remove Item.
In contrast, Bookmarks act like a library of websites that you frequently visit. Because of their nature, Bookmarks are often kept indefinitely and link to a site home page, rather than a specific post.
Unlike Bookmarks, your Reading List links are also available for offline reading. Head to your Reading List, Control-click the page you want to save for offline reading, then click Save Offline to download it.
You can also make Safari automatically save articles for offline reading, instead of saving them manually. To do so:
- Go to Safari > Preferences.
- Click Advanced, then tick Save articles for offline reading automatically.
While Reading Lists are useful for saving articles for offline reading, you can do more with Bookmarks because Safari lets you group websites together in folders and even bookmark all your tabs at once.
Choosing Where to Save a Link Boils Down to Your Needs
Bookmarks and the Reading List offer such similar features that you can actually interchange them if you want to. However, since the subtle differences give them different strengths, it’s best to use the Reading List for individual artists you plan to read once and to use Bookmarks for sites you plan to revisit again and again.