Disable Bookmarks Bar in Chrome: Is It Possible?

Managing the Persistent Bookmarks Bar in Chrome

Users have the ability to hide the bookmarks bar within Google Chrome during regular browsing sessions. However, it frustratingly reappears whenever a new tab page is opened, irrespective of configured settings.

This behavior can be disruptive. A reader sought assistance in permanently concealing the bookmarks bar, and today we'll explore potential solutions.

The Issue Explained

Despite deactivating the bookmarks bar through Chrome’s settings, its automatic reappearance on new tabs presents a common challenge for many users.

The standard method of disabling the bar doesn't seem to fully resolve the issue, leading to a need for alternative approaches.

Potential Solutions

Several options can be considered to address this persistent display. These methods aim to prevent the bookmarks bar from automatically showing on new tab pages.

Exploring extensions or advanced configuration tweaks may provide the desired outcome of a consistently hidden bookmarks bar.

Where to Find Further Assistance

This question and its answers originate from SuperUser, a dedicated question-and-answer website.

SuperUser is part of the Stack Exchange network, a collection of community-driven Q&A sites covering a wide range of topics.

• You can find the original discussion and further insights here.

The Inquiry

A SuperUser user, nowox, has posed a question regarding the complete removal of the bookmarks bar within the Google Chrome browser.

My goal is to entirely disable the bookmarks bar in Google Chrome, however, a comprehensive search of online resources has yielded no definitive solution. Even when the bookmarks bar is disabled through the view menu, it persists as an integrated element on the "new tab" and search pages.

Selecting "Show bookmarks bar" via a right-click menu reveals the following state:

Furthermore, even after removing all bookmarks from the bookmarks manager, the bar remains visible:

What method can be employed to achieve complete disabling of the bookmarks bar?

The core question centers on the feasibility of fully removing the bookmarks bar from Google Chrome.

Understanding the Problem

The user has attempted standard methods, such as unchecking "Show bookmarks bar" in the view menu.

Despite this action, the bar continues to display on new tab pages and search results.

Deleting all saved bookmarks also fails to eliminate the bar’s presence.

Possible Solutions

• It appears standard Chrome settings do not offer a complete disable option.
• Further investigation into Chrome flags or extensions may reveal a solution.
• The persistent display on new tab pages suggests a deeper integration within the browser's interface.

The user is seeking a way to completely eliminate the bookmarks bar, not merely hide it.

This requires a solution that goes beyond the standard user interface options provided by Google Chrome.

Addressing the Persistent Bookmarks Bar in Chrome

Insights from SuperUser community members CustomX and deltab provide clarity on managing the bookmarks bar's visibility within Google Chrome.

CustomX initially explains that complete removal of the embedded bookmarks bar from the new tab/search page is not feasible.

CustomX's Explanation

Even with the "Show bookmarks bar" option disabled in Chrome settings, an integrated version of the bar remains present on the new tab/search page.

However, two workarounds are available to mitigate this:

• Relocate your bookmarks from the bookmarks bar itself to a dedicated folder within the Bookmark Manager (Bookmarks > Bookmark manager).
• Configure a custom home page to load upon Chrome's launch, bypassing the new tab/search page and its associated bookmarks bar.

Deltab further elaborates on the behavior and potential solutions.

Deltab's Perspective

Google Chrome's new tab/search page (NTP) inherently displays the bookmarks bar, irrespective of global settings controlling its visibility on other webpages.

A viable solution involves utilizing browser extensions designed to override the default NTP.

These replacement NTP extensions generally do not automatically render the bookmarks bar, although developers can programmatically include it if desired.

For instance, Google’s Earth View extension omits the bookmarks bar, while Pinterest’s extension incorporates it.

Do you have additional insights to share regarding this topic? Please contribute your thoughts in the comments section below.

For a more comprehensive discussion and further perspectives from the Stack Exchange community, refer to the original discussion thread.