The bookmark bar is hidden by default in Chrome, but you can turn it on in two clicks
Chrome keeps your bookmark bar hidden until you ask for it. Once you turn it on, you'll see a row of your saved bookmarks just below the address bar, making them one click away instead of buried in a menu. The setting stays on across all your devices if you're signed into the same Google account.
The fastest way is to use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+B on Windows or Command+Shift+B on Mac. That's it — the bar appears immediately and stays visible until you toggle it off the same way.
If you prefer using the menu, you can also reach the same setting through Chrome's main options, which takes about 10 seconds longer but works just as well.
Key Takeaways
- Press Ctrl+Shift+B (Windows) or Command+Shift+B (Mac) to show or hide the bookmark bar instantly.
- The bookmark bar appears below your address bar and shows your most-used bookmarks at a glance.
- If you use the menu instead, open Chrome menu > Bookmarks > Show bookmarks bar.
- The setting syncs across all devices where you're signed into the same Google account.
Turning on the bookmark bar through the Chrome menu
Open Chrome and look for the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the window. Click that menu icon to open Chrome's main options.
Move your cursor to Bookmarks in the menu — you'll see a submenu appear. At the top of that submenu, you'll see Show bookmarks bar. Click it once, and the bar appears below your address bar immediately.
If the bookmark bar is already on, that same menu option will say Hide bookmarks bar instead. Clicking it again removes the bar from view.
What appears on your bookmark bar
When you first turn on the bookmark bar, you'll see a folder called Bookmarks bar and possibly a folder called Other bookmarks. These are just containers — the actual bookmarks you've saved appear inside them.
To add a bookmark to the bar itself so it shows up directly (not inside a folder), right-click any webpage and choose Bookmark this page. A dialog box opens asking where to save it. Change the folder from "Other bookmarks" to "Bookmarks bar," and that page's title will appear on your bar.
You can also drag bookmarks around to reorder them, or right-click any bookmark on the bar to rename it, delete it, or move it to a different folder.
Syncing your bookmark bar across devices
If you're signed into Chrome with a Google account, your bookmarks — including which ones appear on your bar — sync automatically to every device where you sign in. This means the bookmark bar you set up on your laptop will look the same on your phone or tablet.
To check that syncing is on, open the Chrome menu, go to Settings, then click Sync and Google services on the left. Make sure Sync everything is turned on, or at least that Bookmarks is checked in the list below it.
If you're not signed into Chrome, your bookmarks stay only on that device and won't appear anywhere else.
Organizing bookmarks into folders on the bar
As you save more bookmarks, the bar can get crowded. You can create folders on the bar to group related bookmarks together and keep things tidy.
Right-click on an empty space in the bookmark bar and choose Add folder. Give it a name like "News" or "Work" and click Save**. The folder now appears on your bar, and you can drag bookmarks into it.
To move a bookmark into a folder, click and drag it onto the folder name. When you click the folder, it opens a dropdown showing all the bookmarks inside. This keeps your bar from becoming too long while still keeping your most-used bookmarks visible.
Troubleshooting a missing bookmark bar
If you turned on the bookmark bar but it's not showing, check whether your browser window is in fullscreen mode. Press F11 on Windows or Control+Command+F on Mac to exit fullscreen — the bar should reappear.
If the bar is still missing, try the keyboard shortcut again: Ctrl+Shift+B (Windows) or Command+Shift+B (Mac). Sometimes the setting doesn't register on the first try, especially if Chrome is running slowly.
If you're using a Chromebook, the bookmark bar works the same way, but the keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+B. The menu path is also identical.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hide the bookmark bar on just one device?
Yes. The bookmark bar setting is per-device, not per-account. You can turn it on on your laptop and off on your phone, and each device remembers your choice. Your actual bookmarks stay synced across all devices — only the visibility of the bar changes.
What's the difference between the Bookmarks bar folder and Other bookmarks?
Bookmarks bar is the folder whose contents appear directly on your bar. Other bookmarks is a catch-all folder for bookmarks you've saved but didn't place on the bar. You can move bookmarks between them by right-clicking and choosing "Edit" or by dragging them.
Will my bookmarks disappear if I turn off the bookmark bar?
No. Hiding the bookmark bar only hides the display — your bookmarks are still saved. Turn the bar back on anytime with Ctrl+Shift+B (or Command+Shift+B on Mac), and all your bookmarks will be there.
Can I have different bookmarks on the bar on different devices?
Your bookmarks sync across devices, so the same bookmarks appear on all of them. However, you can organize them differently on each device by moving bookmarks into different folders on each one. The folders themselves sync, but you control which bookmarks go where.