How'd I get my Windows 7/8 IE Favorites into WP8.1 IE?

[RobHalligan]

I clicked on my WP8.1 (Dev Preview) IE Favorites and saw a folder button at the bottom of the screen of Favorites. Woot! We now have folder within folder capability. When I clicked on it, it contained my IE Favorites updated from about 6 months ago. I think I tried to sync or install my IE Favorites to a previous WP7 or WP8 phone and wish I remember what I did to result in them now showing up in this later phone. Or perhaps they are syncing from Windows 8 Metro IE which I haven't used in about 6 months.

So, my fellow WP fans, do any of you know how those Favorites got in there, how I could update them, and/or if I can sync them? I need the folders...I know W8 "Metro" IE Favorites sync. I don't or didn't think W8 "Metro" IE sync folders. Or do they?

I'm excited to have my IE Favorites in WP8.1. I'd love for my custom dictionary to sync between Windows and WP.

 

[David P2]

If you log into Windows 8.1 with your Microsoft ID, it backs up your favourites for IE and enables them to sync with WP8.1, and as an added bonus, you can open up a tab in Windows, and you will have the option to open that same tab in IE on your phone.

 

[RobHalligan]

I thought that just synced Favorites and open tabs. Does that capability sync Favorites folders? (I don't have access to W8.1 right now.)

 

[David P2]

Go into favourites next time you're on your phone, and hit the button at the bottom labelled 'Folders'. There's a link in there for 'favourites bar' and 'phone'. Not in Windows 8 at the moment so can't test lol.

Also, I'm in the UK, hence the extra 'u' in favorite. Not a dig at your spelling

 

[JaiMento]

Yes. Folders in your favorites in IE11 on W8.1 devices will sync with WP8.1 devices, if the sync option is enabled. I actually had to move my favorites into a folder, cause for some reason, they weren't syncing when placed in the favorites bar of my desktop IE11.

 

[RobHalligan]

Excellent. Thanks all! I guess it wasn't my effort to hack my Favorites folder into WP7 that made them show up in WP8.1, they come from my W8 Favorites folders. When W8 Metro IE didn't support folders (at least in the beginning), I was afraid MS was deprecating the whole Favs folders thing.

I had a list of things I wanted for WP and it's shrunk to a couple apps and synced custom dictionaries.