Unlike bookmarks, YouTube favorites are dynamic. A saved video not only reminds you to watch it but also signals the algorithm. By rigorously using “Save” and “Like,” you train YouTube’s recommendation engine to show you more of what you genuinely enjoy, reducing the noise of clickbait.

Bookmarks are for things you know you’ll need again: your bank, your work dashboard, your favorite weather site. But they often become a neglected dump. The key is curation: delete old bookmarks monthly, use folders, and periodically use Chrome’s Bookmark Manager to deduplicate.

Time-based favorites. You can “follow” a place and get future updates, but more importantly, your favorites help Google’s algorithm suggest similar spots you might love. Each favorite refines your local discovery engine. 3. Google Drive: Stars and Priority In Google Drive, the concept of “favorites” is handled via the star feature. Star a file or folder, and it appears in the “Starred” section of the left sidebar. Recently, Google introduced Priority (for Workspace users), which uses machine learning to surface files it thinks you need, but starring remains the most direct, user-controlled method.

Right-click a bookmark → “Edit” → add a short nickname. Then, type that nickname into the omnibox and press enter to go directly there. That’s a true favorite shortcut. The Psychology of Favorites Why do these tiny icons—hearts, stars, pins—matter so much? Because they offload cognitive work. Every time you see a link, place, or file and think, “I’ll want this later,” you are creating a mental burden. By instantly marking it as a favorite, you free your working memory. You also create a trust signal: this is not just any item; this is my item.

Use the “Archive” feature alongside favorites. Archive clutter (receipts, screenshots) and heart only what you truly love. Then, use “Free up space” knowing your favorites are safe in the cloud. 5. YouTube: The Playlist of Hearts YouTube’s favorite system is multi-layered. The primary method is clicking the “Save” button below a video, which adds it to a default “Watch later” or a custom playlist. But there’s also the “Like” (thumbs up) button, which functions as a semi-public favorite—affecting recommendations and appearing in your “Liked videos” playlist (which can be made private).

Your favorites in Maps become a personal geographic memory bank. That little Italian restaurant you loved on vacation? Heart it. The parking garage near the stadium? Star it. When you open Maps, your favorites appear as distinct markers, making future navigation effortless. You can also share lists with friends—perfect for planning trips.

Combine stars with Workspace’s “Workspaces” (custom groups of Drive, Docs, and Calendar items). A workspace acts as a project hub, where you can pin multiple favorites together. 4. Google Photos: The Heart of Memories In Google Photos, favorites are called “Favorites” (the heart icon). When you heart a photo or video, it is added to a special album called “Favorites” that is automatically generated. But more than that, hearting a photo tells Google’s AI that this image matters to you—influencing what appears in automatically created collages, animations, and “Rediscover this day” notifications.