The quickest way to hide your bookmarks from the main browser view

Most browsers show your bookmarks bar at the top of every page you visit. If you want that bar to appear only when you open a new tab — keeping your screen cleaner while you browse — you can turn off the "always show" setting and let the bookmarks appear only in that one place. The steps differ slightly between Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, but each takes less than a minute.

This is useful if you have many bookmarks and want more vertical space for web pages, or if you prefer to keep your bookmarks out of sight until you specifically need them. The bookmarks will still be there; you are just changing where they display.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome, Firefox, and Edge all let you hide the bookmarks bar from regular pages and show it only on the new tab screen.
  • In Chrome and Edge, right-click the bookmarks bar itself and uncheck "Show bookmarks bar" to hide it everywhere except the new tab page.
  • Firefox requires you to go into Settings, then the Home section, and toggle off "Bookmarks" under the New Tab Content area.
  • Once hidden, your bookmarks still exist and sync across devices — you are only changing where they display.

How to hide bookmarks in Chrome

Open Chrome and look at the top of the window, just below the address bar. You should see your bookmarks listed there. Right-click directly on the bookmarks bar (the area where your bookmark names appear) and a small menu will pop up.

Click "Show bookmarks bar" to uncheck it. The checkmark will disappear, and the bookmarks bar will vanish from your regular browsing. Now when you open a new tab, the bookmarks will reappear at the top of that page. If you ever want the bookmarks bar back on every page, right-click that same area again and check "Show bookmarks bar" once more.

How to hide bookmarks in Firefox

Firefox handles this differently because it does not use a traditional bookmarks bar in the same way. Instead, open Firefox and click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner. Select "Settings" from the dropdown.

On the left side of the Settings page, click "Home". Scroll down to the section labeled "New Tab Content". You will see a checkbox next to "Bookmarks" — uncheck it. Your bookmarks will no longer show on the new tab page. If you want them back, return to this same spot and check the box again. Note that this hides them from the new tab page specifically, not from your main browsing view, so Firefox works slightly differently than Chrome and Edge.

How to hide bookmarks in Microsoft Edge

Edge works almost identically to Chrome. Look for your bookmarks bar below the address bar, right-click on it, and select "Show favorites bar" to uncheck it. The bookmarks will disappear from your regular pages but will still appear when you open a new tab.

If you have bookmarks organized in folders, they will still be accessible through the star icon in the address bar, even when the bar itself is hidden. This means you have not lost access to anything — you have just changed where it displays.

What happens to your bookmarks when you hide the bar

Hiding the bookmarks bar does not delete anything. Your bookmarks remain saved in your browser and will sync across all your devices if you are signed into your account. The bar simply stops displaying on regular web pages.

You can still access your bookmarks through keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+B on Windows or Command+B on Mac in Chrome and Edge) or through the menu. In Firefox, you can access bookmarks through the menu or by pressing Ctrl+Shift+B (or Command+Shift+B on Mac). The bookmarks are still there — you are just controlling where they show up visually.

Showing the bookmarks bar again if you change your mind

If you decide you want the bookmarks bar visible on every page again, the process is just as simple. In Chrome or Edge, right-click the bookmarks bar area and check "Show bookmarks bar". In Firefox, go back to Settings > Home and check the "Bookmarks" box under New Tab Content.

You can toggle this setting on and off as many times as you want without affecting your actual bookmarks. Some people hide the bar during focused work sessions and show it again when they want quick access to their saved links.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my bookmarks sync to my phone if I hide the bar on my computer?

Yes. Hiding the bookmarks bar is only a display setting on that specific device. Your bookmarks themselves are still synced across all devices where you are signed in. On your phone, bookmarks appear in the browser menu regardless of this setting.

Can I hide the bookmarks bar but keep it on the new tab page?

In Chrome and Edge, yes — that is exactly what this process does. In Firefox, the setting works differently and controls only the new tab page, not the main browsing view. Check which browser you use to see which behavior applies.

What if I do not see a bookmarks bar at all?

You may not have created any bookmarks yet, or the bar may already be hidden. Try bookmarking a page first (press Ctrl+D on Windows or Command+D on Mac), then follow the steps above. If you still do not see it, the bar may be in a different location in your browser version.

Can I hide some bookmarks but show others?

Not with this method — the bar is either visible or hidden as a whole. If you want to hide specific bookmarks, you can organize them into folders and keep only your most-used ones in the main bar, then hide the bar itself.