Chrome 151 can automatically remove the bookmarks bar from the New Tab Page if you have not used it in a while. To bring it back, click the restore notification Chrome shows, or go to Settings > Appearance and set the bookmarks bar option to Always show.
If your bookmarks suddenly vanished from Chrome’s New Tab Page, you are not alone. This is a new feature, not a bug. Google calls it bookmark bar auto-hide, and it quietly rolled out with Chrome 151 in July 2026.
What changed in Chrome 151?
Chrome now watches how often you use the bookmarks bar on the New Tab Page. If you rarely click it, Chrome removes the bar from the New Tab Page to keep things clean. When this happens, Chrome shows a small notification offering to restore it.
The change also upgrades your settings. The old Show bookmarks bar toggle becomes a dropdown with three choices: Always show, Only show on New Tab page, and Always hide.
Applies to: Google Chrome 151 or later on Windows, Mac, Linux, and ChromeOS. You do not need any special account or admin rights.
How do I bring the bookmarks bar back?
- Open Chrome and click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
- Click Settings.
- Select Appearance from the left sidebar.
- Find the bookmarks bar option and choose Always show.
That is it. The bar returns to every page, including the New Tab Page. If you saw Chrome’s restore notification, clicking it does the same job in one step.
One heads-up: the old Ctrl + Shift + B shortcut may no longer toggle the bar once the new dropdown setting is active. Use the Appearance setting instead.
How do I stop Chrome from hiding the bar again?
Setting the dropdown to Always show tells Chrome your choice is final, so auto-hide should not remove it again. If you do not see the dropdown, you can turn the whole feature off with a flag.
Warning: Chrome flags are experimental settings. They can change or disappear in future updates. Change only the flag listed here.
- Type chrome://flags in the address bar and press Enter.
- Search for NTP Simplification Bookmark Bar.
- Set it to Disabled.
- Click Relaunch to restart Chrome.
With the flag disabled, Chrome goes back to the old behavior and leaves your bookmarks bar alone.
FAQ
Did Chrome delete my bookmarks?
No. Auto-hide only hides the bar. Your bookmarks are safe. Press Ctrl + Shift + O (or Cmd + Option + B on Mac) to open the Bookmark Manager and see them all.
Why does the bar show on websites but not on the New Tab Page?
Your bookmarks bar setting is not set to show everywhere. Open Settings > Appearance and pick Always show, and the bar appears on every page, including the New Tab Page.
Does this affect Chrome on Android or iPhone?
No. Mobile Chrome has no bookmarks bar. This change applies only to desktop Chrome and Chromebooks.
Conclusion
Chrome 151’s auto-hide is easy to undo. Set the bookmarks bar to Always show in Appearance settings, and it stays put. If you want the old behavior back completely, disable the flag.
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