How to Hide the Permanent Bookmarks Bar on Chrome’s New Tab Page

For minimalist users who like a clean browsing interface, a recent Google Chrome update has introduced a frustrating UI layout: the Bookmarks Bar is now permanently visible on the New Tab Page (NTP), even if you have explicitly turned it off for standard browsing.

Pressing Ctrl + Shift + B (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + B (macOS) toggles the visibility of your bookmarks. However, following the latest release, this shortcut only hides the bar once you navigate away to an active website. The moment you open a blank New Tab Page, the bookmarks bar reappears.

Here is a look at why Google designed it this way, along with the workaround to force-hide it completely.

Why is the Bookmarks Bar Stuck on the New Tab Page?

Google treats the New Tab Page as a “launchpad” rather than a standard webpage. According to Chrome’s design philosophy, because a user on a new tab is actively looking for somewhere to go, displaying shortcuts, top sites, and bookmarks provides immediate utility.

While this design choice aims to improve accessibility, it frustrates users who prefer an entirely blank canvas to maximize screen real estate or maintain privacy when opening a new tab in front of others.

The Workaround: Disable the Permanent NTP Bar via Chrome Flags

If you want the Bookmarks Bar hidden everywhere—including the blank New Tab Page—you can disable the layout rule by toggling an internal developer flag.

1. Open a new tab, type chrome://flags into the address bar, and press Enter.
2. In the “Search flags” box at the top of the page, type bookmarks bar or ntp-bookmarks.
3. Look for the flag titled Detached Bookmarks Bar on New Tab Page (or NTP Persistent Bookmarks Bar).
4. Change the drop-down menu setting next to the flag from Default or Enabled to Disabled.
5. Click the blue Relaunch button that appears at the bottom right of your screen to restart Chrome.

Once the browser restarts, use your standard shortcut (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + B) to hide the bookmarks bar. Open a fresh tab to confirm that the space remains completely clear.

Alternative Option: Use a Custom New Tab Extension

If Google deprecates or removes the flag in a future update, the most reliable long-term solution is to override the stock launchpad entirely. Chrome’s permanent bookmarks rule does not bind third-party extensions that replace the default layout.

1. Head to the Chrome Web Store.
2. Search for a minimalist extension such as Blank New Tab Page or Infinity New Tab.
3. Install the extension and grant it permission to alter the page layout.

Because these extensions load an external container instead of the default chrome://newtab internal path, Chrome will respect your global settings and keep the bookmarks bar hidden from view.