How to Add Custom Buttons in Chrome Bookmarks Bar?

Bookmarking is an easy way to access webpages without remembering URLs. However, many people get annoyed with Chrome’s bookmark bar that you can’t hide by default. Chrome allows you to hide Bookmarks bar only when you have a webpage opened in that tab. You can use the keyboard shortcuts “Control + Shift + B” in Windows and “Command + Shift + B” in Mac to hide bookmarks bar. If you have an empty bar without any bookmarks then it will be a good idea to add custom buttons. It will help you to achieve tasks quickly instead of going through menu.

Adding Regular Bookmark

In our previous article, we have explained how to manage bookmarks in Chrome. Basically, you can right click on the bookmarks bar and select “Add Page…”.

Enter a name and URL for your bookmark.

The bookmark button will appear on the bar instantly.

Add Custom Buttons in Chrome Bookmark Bar

Instead of bookmarking a regular URL, you can try to insert some JavaScript or Chrome command URL for settings page.

Add Custom Print Button

Paste the following code in the URL text box of the bookmark.

javascript:window.print()

Enter the name as PRINT for your bookmark. It should look like below in the “Edit bookmark” dialog box.

Save your bookmark and it should instantly add a PRINT button like below in the bookmarks bar.

Remember to add the bookmark in “Bookmarks Bar” location. If you already have many bookmarked URLs, you can drag and rearrange the PRINT button to the bar to show it when the page loads.

Click on the PRINT button to open the print dialog in Chrome.

Add Prompt Buttons

Similar to print button, you can insert different other buttons. For example, add the below JavaScript code as bookmark URL to insert a prompt button.

javascript:window.prompt()

it should look like below:

You can also a message within the prompt like:

javascript:window.prompt("This is a webpage")

Save your changes to add a prompt button. Clicking on the prompt button will show a message you have entered in the bookmark URL.

You can add alert or confirm buttons by using the below codes:

javascript:window.alert("This is a webpage")
javascript:window.confirm("This is a webpage")

Unlike print button, other buttons are practically not useful.

Adding Chrome Command URLs

If you are always navigating to Chrome settings using the menu, you can add the Chrome command URLs to access the settings page quickly. For example, add the below URL to add HISTORY button.

chrome://history

Chrome will automatically add icons in the button when you add settings page URLs.

Check out this article for the complete list of Chrome command URLs. You can insert downloads, extension or any other button in the bookmarks bar for quick access.