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In Microsoft Edge, adding or removing the Favorites bar means changing its visibility—it does not delete the favorites saved on it. You can display the bar everywhere, hide it completely, or show it only on new-tab pages.

Current Edge versions provide four practical ways to change this setting: Edge Settings, a keyboard shortcut, the bar’s context menu, and the Favorites panel.

1. Add or remove the Favorites bar from Edge Settings

Edge Settings gives you the most control because it lets you choose exactly when the bar appears.

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  1. Open Microsoft Edge.
  2. Select Settings and more (…) in the upper-right corner.
  3. Select Settings.
  4. Select Appearance in the left sidebar.
  5. Under Other appearance settings, select Toolbar.
  6. Find the Favorites drop-down and choose an option:
Option Result
Always Displays the Favorites bar on all pages, including ordinary websites.
Never Hides the Favorites bar.
Only on new tabs Displays the bar on new-tab pages but hides it after you open a website.

Depending on your Edge version, the same control may be labeled Show favorites bar and appear under Customize toolbar. The wording is different, but the setting performs the same function.

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2. Use the keyboard shortcut

The fastest way to toggle the bar is with a keyboard shortcut.

Windows

Ctrl+Shift+B

macOS

Command+Shift+B

Pressing the shortcut once shows the Favorites bar; pressing it again hides it. This is a simple visibility toggle. It does not let you select between Always, Never, and Only on new tabs. Use Edge Settings if you need one of those specific display modes.

If nothing appears after using the shortcut, check whether Edge is set to Only on new tabs. In that mode, the bar is supposed to disappear when a webpage is open.

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3. Change the setting from the Favorites bar

This method works when the Favorites bar is already visible.

  1. Right-click an empty area of the Favorites bar. Avoid right-clicking an individual bookmark.
  2. Select Show favorites bar.
  3. Choose Always, Never, or Only on new tabs.

If the bar is hidden because it is set to Only on new tabs, open a new tab first. The bar should appear on the new-tab page, allowing you to right-click it and change the setting.

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4. Use the Favorites panel

You can also change the bar setting from Edge’s Favorites panel.

  1. Select Settings and more (…) and then select Favorites.
  2. Alternatively, open the panel with:
Ctrl+Shift+O
  1. In the Favorites panel, select More options (…).
  2. Select Show favorites bar.
  3. Choose Always, Never, or Only on new tabs.

Do not confuse the two shortcuts: Ctrl+Shift+O opens Favorites, while Ctrl+Shift+B shows or hides the Favorites bar. On a Mac, Edge uses Command+Shift+B to toggle the bar.

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What to do if the Favorites bar is missing

Check the display mode

The most common explanation is the Only on new tabs setting. Open a new tab and check whether the bar appears. To keep it visible while browsing websites, change the setting to Always.

Try the correct shortcut

On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+B. On macOS, press Command+Shift+B. The Favorites shortcut Ctrl+Shift+O opens your saved links but does not toggle the bar.

Check the Edge profile

Favorites are associated with an Edge profile. If you changed profiles, the bookmarks and other Favorites settings may not match the ones in your usual profile. Select the profile icon near the upper-right corner and switch back to the profile that contains your favorites.

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Check whether an organization manages Edge

A work or school installation may enforce the Favorites bar setting. The Microsoft Edge policy is named FavoritesBarEnabled. A mandatory policy can force the bar to remain enabled or disabled, preventing your personal setting from taking effect.

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For Windows administrators, the Group Policy setting is:

Administrative Templates/Microsoft Edge/Enable favorites bar

The corresponding mandatory registry location is:

SOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftEdge

with this value:

FavoritesBarEnabled

The value is a REG_DWORD. An enabled policy uses 1; a disabled policy uses 0. Recommended policies use:

SOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftEdgeRecommended

To see whether Edge is managed, open:

edge://policy

Look for FavoritesBarEnabled. If a mandatory policy is listed, an administrator must change or remove it. Microsoft supports this policy in Edge on Windows and macOS, but not on Android or iOS.

Hiding the bar does not delete favorites

Removing the Favorites bar only removes its shortcut area from view. Your saved favorites remain available through the Favorites panel, the Favorites management page, and any enabled synchronization.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
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To open Favorites, select Settings and more (…) > Favorites, or press Ctrl+Shift+O on Windows. You can show the bar again at any time using any of the methods above.

Which method should you use?

Need Best method
Quickly show or hide the bar Keyboard shortcut
Keep it visible on every page Edge Settings, then Always
Change the setting without opening full Settings Right-click the visible bar
Access the setting while working with saved links Favorites panel
Your choice keeps being overridden Check edge://policy or contact your administrator

These instructions apply to current Chromium-based Microsoft Edge. Older Internet Explorer and legacy Edge instructions use different menus and should not be used for the current browser.

Sources: Microsoft: See your favorites bar in Microsoft Edge; Microsoft Edge keyboard shortcuts; Microsoft Edge FavoritesBarEnabled policy.

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FAQ

Does hiding the Favorites bar delete my bookmarks?

No. Hiding the bar changes only its visibility. Your favorites remain available from the Favorites panel and Favorites management tools.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

What is the shortcut to show or hide the Favorites bar in Edge?

On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+B. On macOS, press Command+Shift+B.

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What does “Only on new tabs” mean in Edge?

The Favorites bar appears on new-tab pages but disappears when you open an ordinary webpage. Choose Always if you want it visible while browsing.

Why does Ctrl+Shift+O not show the Favorites bar?

Ctrl+Shift+O opens the Favorites panel. The shortcut for showing or hiding the bar is Ctrl+Shift+B on Windows or Command+Shift+B on macOS.

Why can’t I change the Favorites bar setting?

Your Edge profile may be managed by a work or school organization. The FavoritesBarEnabled policy can force the bar on or off. Check edge://policy or ask your administrator.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

The Bottom Line

For the quickest toggle, press Ctrl+Shift+B on Windows or Command+Shift+B on macOS. For a permanent choice, go to Settings and more > Settings > Appearance and set Favorites to Always, Never, or Only on new tabs. Hiding the bar does not remove any saved favorites.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.