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Hide the Apps button
- Open Chrome on your computer.
- Make sure the bookmarks bar is visible.
- Right-click an empty part of the bookmarks bar, not a bookmark or folder.
- Click Show apps shortcut (also shown as Show Apps Shortcut) to clear its check mark.
The Apps control is an apps-page shortcut, not an uninstall command. Chromium defines it as a shortcut to the apps page; hiding the bar item should therefore leave installed web apps and their data available. See the Chromium interface strings.
Restore the Apps button
Right-click the bookmarks bar again and select Show apps shortcut. The button should return.
Hide the Reading list button
- Right-click an empty area of the bookmarks bar.
- Click Show reading list (or Show Reading List) to remove its check mark.
This hides an access button; it is not a command to delete pages you saved for later. Reading list remains available through Chrome’s bookmarks-and-lists or side-panel interfaces where that feature is enabled. Google’s Chrome Help documentation describes Reading list as a side-panel item that can be pinned or unpinned.
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Restore the Reading list button
Right-click the bar and select Show reading list again.
Hide both buttons
Apps and Reading list use separate settings. Clear both menu items:
- Right-click the bookmarks bar and clear Show apps shortcut.
- Right-click the bar again if the menu closes, then clear Show reading list.
Your ordinary bookmarks remain on the bar. To reverse either choice, select the corresponding show option again.
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If the bookmarks bar is hidden
First expose the bar through Chrome’s bookmarks-bar control in the Chrome menu. Recent Chromium interface resources provide separate Show Bookmarks Bar and Hide Bookmarks Bar commands, so showing the bar is different from showing either button; the labels are documented in the Chromium source.
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Check whether the icon is actually in the toolbar
Chrome can show Reading list, Bookmarks, History, Google Lens, or Reading mode as side-panel icons near the address bar or profile area. That is a different control from a button sitting among bookmark folders.
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- Beside bookmarks and folders: right-click the bookmarks bar and use Show reading list.
- Near the address bar or profile area: right-click the toolbar icon and choose Unpin or Unpin from toolbar.
Pinning and unpinning these side-panel icons is covered in Chrome Help. Unpinning a toolbar icon does not delete the underlying list or bookmarks.
Should you use chrome://flags/#read-later?
Older Chrome guidance, including a March 2021 Chrome Community answer, suggested opening chrome://flags/#read-later and setting Reading List to Disabled. That page is community content and warns that advice may not be current: view the historical recommendation.
Use the bookmarks-bar toggle first because it is targeted, reversible, and does not disable an experimental feature. Flags can be renamed, removed, or ignored, and disabling one may affect more than the visible button. If your release lacks Show reading list, a flag may also be unavailable or unrelated in that build. Do not change unrelated side-panel or bookmark flags merely to remove an icon. If you test an older release where the flag exists, return it to Default when finished.
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When the setting is missing or keeps returning
- Different Chrome build: Beta, Dev, Canary, Chromium, ChromeOS, and third-party Chromium browsers can expose different controls. The labels cited above are present in Chromium source tag 142.0.7444.74, not a guarantee for every release.
- Different profile: settings can differ between Chrome profiles or channels. Confirm that you changed the profile displaying the button.
- Managed device: work or school policies can restrict or reset interface preferences. Do not alter enterprise policies or registry settings just to hide two buttons; contact the administrator.
- Changed interface: search the bookmarks-bar context menu for the equivalent show/hide wording, including localized labels.
Desktop scope
These instructions target desktop-style Chrome on Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS. Android and iPhone Chrome do not provide this desktop bookmarks-bar context menu, so these steps do not apply there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hiding Apps uninstall my Chrome apps?
No. It hides the apps-page shortcut on the bookmarks bar; it is not an uninstall action.
Does hiding Reading list delete saved pages?
No. The toggle hides the bar button. Reading list contents remain managed separately.
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Can I hide only one button?
Yes. Show apps shortcut and Show reading list are independent options.
Why did a button return after an update?
Chrome may have restored a default, you may have switched profiles or channels, or the icon may be a toolbar-pinned side-panel control. Repeat the matching toggle and verify the profile and build.
Can an employer or school prevent the change?
A managed Chrome installation can restrict or reset UI preferences. Ask the administrator rather than changing policy settings yourself.
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