Make the Most of Chrome’s Toolbar by Customizing It to Your Liking
The main work of Google Chrome is to offer you a window on the Web. With so much engaging content available on the Internet, you may not have given much thought to the browser framework that serves as a container for the sites you visit.
You’d be forgiven for continuing to use the default toolbar setup that was in place when you first installed Chrome. But if you take a few minutes to customize it, it can make a significant difference to your browsing. You can get to the key features you need faster, and you can even discover features you didn’t know about.
If you’re reading this in Chrome on desktop, you can experiment with some customizations right now: it only takes a few clicks. Here’s how Chrome’s toolbar is put together and all the different changes you can make.
The default layout
Take a look at the top-right corner of your Chrome browser tab and you’ll see two key buttons: one reveals your browser extensions (the puzzle piece) and the other opens your bookmarks (the double star icon). There should also be a button showing a down arrow, which gives you access to recently downloaded files.
You can immediately start customizing. If you click the puzzle piece icon to view your browser’s extensions, you can also click the pin button next to one of these extensions to make it permanently visible in the toolbar. While you don’t want your toolbar to become too cluttered, this means you can put your most-used add-ons within easy reach.
For the extension icons you choose to have on the toolbar, you can also choose how they are arranged: click and drag on any of the icons to change its position (although the extensions panel itself should stay in the same place). To remove an extension icon (without uninstalling the extension), right-click on it and choose Detach.
Make changes
Click the three dots in the upper right corner of any browser window, then Settings > Appearance > Customize your toolbar to access the main toolbar customization panel, which has recently been revamped. You will immediately see toggle switches that allow you to show or hide certain toolbar buttons.
