Buzz
This article will show you how to restore a hidden toolbar in your desktop browser. You can apply these steps on Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, and Safari. However, since mobile browsers do not support toolbars, this guide does not apply to mobile devices.
Steps
On Google Chrome
Ensure Chrome is not in full-screen mode. Full-screen mode may cause toolbars to disappear. This depends on the type of computer you’re using:
- Windows - Press F11 (or Fn+F11).
- Mac - Move your mouse cursor to the top of the screen to click the green circle at the top-left corner.
Click the ⋮ icon in the upper-right corner of the Chrome window to open the options menu.
Select More tools from the list to reveal a submenu with additional options.
Click on Extensions in the menu that just appeared to open the Extensions page.
- Chrome uses extensions to add toolbars, so here you can enable any inactive toolbars.
Locate your toolbar. Scroll down to find the toolbar you want to add to Chrome.
- If you can't find your toolbar, you might need to reinstall the extension first.
Enable the toolbar. Check the "Enabled" box next to the toolbar extension, then tick the "Allow in incognito" box below if you wish to use it in incognito mode.
Enable the bookmarks bar. If enabling the toolbar doesn't solve the issue, you will need to enable the bookmarks bar with the following steps:
- Click the ⋮ icon
- Select Bookmarks
- Click on Show bookmarks bar
Scan for viruses. If your toolbar is still not functioning correctly, your computer may have a virus. Run an antivirus scan to check. If a virus is detected, the software will typically remove it for you.
On Safari
Open Safari browser using the blue compass icon located in the Dock of your Mac.
- Ensure Safari is open in windowed mode, not fullscreen.
- If Safari is already open and in fullscreen mode, move your cursor to the top of the screen and click the green button in the upper left corner.
Click on View in the top menu to open the options list.
Click on Show Toolbar near the bottom of the View menu to enable the toolbar.
- You can also click on Show Path Bar and Show Tab Bar at this step if you are missing the address bar or tab display bar in Safari.
- If you see the Hide Toolbar option, click it and select Show Toolbar to turn the toolbar back on.
Customize the toolbar as follows:
- Click on View
- Select Customize Toolbar...
- Click and drag items from the menu, then drop them into the toolbar.
Scan for viruses. If the toolbar is still not showing despite being enabled, your Mac may have been infected with malware that is preventing Safari from displaying the toolbar. Running a virus scan will help remove any malicious software.
On Firefox
Open the Firefox browser using the orange fox icon circling the blue globe.
Make sure you're not using the browser in full-screen mode. If you are, you can exit full-screen mode by doing the following:
- Windows - Press F11 (or Fn+F11) to exit full-screen mode.
- Mac - Move the cursor to the top of the screen and click the green circle at the top left corner.
Click on the ☰ icon at the top-right corner of the window to open the menu.
Click on Add-ons in the menu to open the Add-ons page.
Click on the Extensions tab at the top-left corner of the page.
Search for the toolbar extension. Scroll up or down to find the extension that displays the toolbar you'd like to use.
Click on the Enable option next to the name of the extension.
Click on the Restart now when prompted. You’ll see this option appear above the toolbar you wish to enable. Once Firefox restarts, the toolbar will be visible.
Activate the default toolbar. If enabling the extension toolbar doesn’t resolve the issue, you should enable the default toolbar by following these steps:
- Click on View (On Windows, press Alt first)
- Select Toolbars
- Click the toolbar you want to enable (e.g., Bookmarks Toolbar)
- Repeat this process for other toolbars, if needed.
Customize your toolbar.
- Click on ☰
- Select Customize...
- Ensure that "Toolbars" is selected from the options at the bottom of the page.
- Click and drag the toolbar options from the center of the page to the top right corner of the window.
Run a virus scan. If your toolbar is still malfunctioning, your computer might be infected with a virus. Use an antivirus program to scan your computer. If a virus is detected, the program will remove it.
On Microsoft Edge, launch the browser by clicking on the blue 'e' icon or the white 'e' on a blue background.
Open Edge by selecting the blue 'e' symbol or the white 'e' on a blue background.
Click the ⋯ icon in the top-right corner to open the menu options.
Click on the Extensions option in the lower part of the menu list.
Select the toolbar. You may need to scroll down to locate the toolbar you want to use. Once you find it, click to select it.
- You can repeat this action for missing or hidden toolbars by clicking the 'Back' arrow in the top-left corner of the menu and then selecting a different service.
Run a virus scan. If your toolbar is still malfunctioning, your computer may be infected with a virus. Use an antivirus program to scan your system. If a virus is detected, the program will usually remove it for you.
On Internet Explorer
Open the Internet Explorer browser with the light blue 'e' icon surrounded by a yellow ring.
Make sure you're not viewing the browser in full-screen mode. If full-screen mode is enabled, press F11 (or Fn+F11) to exit.
Click on Manage add-ons near the top of the list to open a new window.
Click on the Toolbars and Extensions tab on the left side of the window.
Find the toolbar you want to enable. Scroll through the list here to locate the toolbar you'd like to use.
Select the toolbar. Click to choose the toolbar you'd like to activate.
Click on Enable at the bottom-right corner of the window to activate the toolbar.
- You can repeat this action for any additional toolbars you'd like to enable.
Click on Close at the bottom-right corner of the window to close the Add-Ons window.
To enable the default toolbar, follow these steps:
- Press the Alt key.
- Click on View in the top left corner of the window.
- Select Toolbars.
- Check the box next to Menu bar.
- Repeat the process for other toolbars as needed.
Run a virus scan. If your toolbar is still not functioning correctly, it's possible your computer may have been infected with a virus. Use antivirus software to scan your computer. If a virus is found, the program will typically remove it for you.
Tip
- Toolbars are not always carried over when upgrading from one browser version to another. If you recently updated your browser, the toolbar may no longer be compatible.
Warning
- Some toolbars can slow down your browser.
