Navigating through the endless sea of the internet becomes a breeze when we have our favorite websites bookmarked. Microsoft Edge, as a competitive browser choice for many, offers the convenient feature of a “Favorites Bar” where you can easily access and launch the websites you’ve saved. However, for a streamlined browsing experience, you might occasionally want to declutter your browser’s interface. Whether you prefer having your favorites at your fingertips or enjoy a cleaner look, Microsoft provides ample flexibility in displaying or concealing this Favorites Bar. If Microsoft Edge is your browser of choice on Windows 11 or 10, then this risewindows guide is tailor-made for you. Dive in to master the art of toggling the favorites bar on or off, ensuring your Edge browser looks just the way you want it to.
How to Show or Hide Favorites Bar in Microsoft Edge on Windows 11 or 10 using Hotkey?
To show or hide the Favorites Bar in Microsoft Edge on Windows 11 or 10 quickly, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + B. You can use the same keys to show and hide the favorites bar on Microsoft Edge.
How to Show or Hide Favorites Bar in Microsoft Edge through the Favorites Button?
Use the following steps to show or hide the Favorites Bar in the Microsoft Edge browser through the Favorites button:-
Step 1: Firstly, open the Edge Browser on your computer.
Step 2: Look for the Favorites button. You will find it beside the address bar. Alternatively, press the Ctrl + Shift + O keys altogether on the keyboard to go to the “More options” (three horizontal dots) in the menu.
Step 3: Look for the Show favorites bar option and select it.
Step 4: Now, the following options will appear on your screen:-
- Always: Use it if you want the Favorites bar visible on all the tabs of your browser.
- Never: Choosing this option will never show the Favorites bar on any tabs.
- Only on new tabs: This option will display the Favorites bar only on the new tabs.
How to Show or Hide Favorites Bar in Microsoft Edge through Edge Settings?
To show or hide the Favorites Bar in Microsoft Edge through Edge Settings, use these steps:-
Step 1: First, open the Microsoft Edge browser.
Step 2: In the address bar, type edge://settings/appearance and press the Enter key on the keyboard.
Step 3: Use the drop-down “Show favorites bar” you see on the right sidebar of Edge Settings. There you will find the following options:-
- Always: Use it if you want the Favorites bar visible on all the tabs of your browser.
- Never: Choosing this option will never show the Favorites bar on any tabs.
- Only on new tabs: This option will display the Favorites bar only on the new tabs.
You can use the above three methods to show or hide the Favorites bar in the Edge browser.
You can also permanently hide or disable the “Show favorites bar” option on your system (methods 2 and 3). It would help if you used the Registry Editor or Local Group Policy Editor.
You can disable the display of the “Show favorites bar” option in Microsoft Edge. However, this doesn’t mean you won’t be able to access the favorites or bookmarks you have stored in the browser. You can still access them along with performing other functions like adding new bookmarks or favorites folders, deleting the favorites, and more. Only the “Show favorites bar” options will be greyed out, which means you will not be able to access it.
How to Disable Show Favorites Bar in Microsoft Edge using Registry Editor?
To turn off the “Show favorites bar” in the Edge browser through Registry Editor, perform these steps:-
Step 1: To begin, go to the Registry Editor.
Step 2: As the Registry Editor Window opens, navigate to the following path:-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft
Step 3: Go to New > Key by right-clicking on the Microsoft folder.
Step 4: Name the newly created key as Edge.
Step 5: Go to New > DWORD (32-bit) Value by right-clicking on the Edge folder.
Step 6: Name this new REG_DWORD as FavoritesBarEnabled.
The FavoritesBarEnabled REG_DWORD will have its “Value data” set as 0. Leave it as default.
Step 7: Reboot the system to apply the changes.
In case you want to revert the changes, go to the Registry Editor and browse the following:-
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge
Find the FavoritesBarEnabled REG_DWORD, right-click on it, and select the Delete option. You will find it on the right sidebar. In the prompt window, click on Yes.
How to Disable Show Favorites Bar in Microsoft Edge using Group Policy Editor?
Follow these steps to permanently disable the “Show favorites bar” in Microsoft Edge through Group Policy:-
Step 1: Start by opening Local Group Policy Editor.
Step 2: In the Local Group Policy Editor window, navigate to the following path:-
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Edge - Default Settings
Step 3: On the right sidebar, find the policy name Enable favorites bar. Double-click on it to open.
Step 4: You can turn off the “Show favorites bar” option in Edge by selecting Disabled.
Step 5: Click on Apply.
Step 6: Click on OK.
Step 7: You can apply the changes by rebooting your system.
You can revert the changes by repeating the above steps, and in step 4, go to the Not Configured or Enabled option.
Conclusion
Mastering the visibility of the Favorites Bar in Microsoft Edge ensures a personalized browsing experience tailored to the user’s preferences. Whether one opts for direct hotkeys, the favorites button, or the browser settings, Microsoft Edge on Windows 10 and 11 offers various methods to show or hide this feature. Moreover, advanced users can delve into system settings like the Registry Editor or Local Group Policy Editor to control the display of this bar. Whichever method one chooses, the power to customize lies in their hands, enhancing their browsing sessions.
