If you want to show the favorites bar in Microsoft Edge, here is the fastest way: press Ctrl + Shift + B on your keyboard. That toggles it on or off instantly. If you prefer using the menu, go to Settings and more (the three dots at the top right), then Settings, then Appearance, and turn on “Show favorites bar.”
That is the short answer. But there is more to know, especially if the bar keeps disappearing, you want it on all pages, or you are managing favorites across devices. This guide covers all of that in plain language.
What Is the Favorites Bar in Microsoft Edge?
The favorites bar is a horizontal strip that sits just below the address bar. It holds shortcuts to your most-visited websites. Instead of digging through menus to find a bookmarked page, you click once and you are there.
In older Internet Explorer days, it was called the “Favorites bar” and the name stuck in Edge. Chrome calls the same thing a “Bookmarks bar.” They work the same way.
When the bar is hidden, your favorites are still there. They are just tucked inside the Favorites menu. Showing the bar just puts them one click closer.
How to Show the Favorites Bar in Microsoft Edge: All Methods
Method 1: Keyboard Shortcut (Fastest)
Press Ctrl + Shift + B on Windows or Command + Shift + B on Mac.
The bar appears immediately. Press the same shortcut again to hide it. This works in Edge on Windows 10, Windows 11, and macOS.
Method 2: Through Edge Settings
- Open Microsoft Edge.
- Click the three horizontal dots (…) in the top right corner.
- Select Settings from the dropdown.
- In the left panel, click Appearance.
- Scroll down to find Show favorites bar.
- Click the dropdown and choose one of three options:
- Always (shows on every page)
- Only on new tab page (shows only when you open a new tab)
- Never (hides it completely)
Select Always to keep the favorites bar visible at all times.
Method 3: Right-Click the Toolbar
Right-click on any empty space in the top toolbar area of Edge (next to the address bar).
A small menu appears. Click Show favorites bar. It toggles on. Right-click again and click the same option to hide it.
This is the quickest way if you do not want to go into Settings.
Favorites Bar Display Options Explained
When you go into Settings > Appearance, Edge gives you three choices for the favorites bar. Here is what each one does:
| Option | What It Does | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Always | Bar shows on every single page you visit | People who use favorites constantly |
| Only on new tab page | Bar appears only when you open a new tab | People who use new tab as a home base |
| Never | Bar is completely hidden | People who prefer a clean interface |
Most people who want the bar visible should pick Always. The “Only on new tab page” option is a good middle ground if you find the bar visually distracting on content pages.
Why Does the Favorites Bar Keep Disappearing?
This is a common frustration. A few things can cause it.
You accidentally pressed the shortcut. Ctrl + Shift + B is easy to hit by mistake. Press it again to bring the bar back.
Edge was updated and reset the setting. Major Edge updates occasionally reset certain display settings. After an update, go back to Settings > Appearance and re-enable the bar.
You are in a guest or InPrivate window. The favorites bar in InPrivate mode follows the same setting, but a guest profile has its own separate settings. Check that you are in your regular profile.
A profile sync issue. If you use Edge across multiple devices and have sync turned on, a setting from another device might override your local setting. Go to edge://settings/profiles/sync and check what is being synced.
The browser window is too narrow. If you resize the Edge window very small, the favorites bar items can collapse or disappear visually. Widen the window and they come back.
How to Add Websites to the Favorites Bar
Once the bar is showing, here is how to populate it.
Drag and drop from the address bar: Go to the website you want. Click the padlock icon or the page icon on the left side of the address bar and drag it directly onto the favorites bar. It lands there as a shortcut.
Use the star icon: Visit the page. Click the star icon on the right side of the address bar (or press Ctrl + D). A popup appears asking where to save the favorite. In the “Folder” dropdown, select Favorites bar. Click Done.
Right-click a link: On any webpage, right-click a link and choose Add to favorites. Then select the Favorites bar folder.
How to Organize the Favorites Bar
A cluttered favorites bar defeats the purpose. Here are tips to keep it clean.
Show only icons, not full titles. Right-click any item on the favorites bar and select Show icon only. This makes each shortcut just a small icon, so you can fit many more sites in the same space.
Use folders. Right-click an empty spot on the bar and select Add folder. Name it (for example, “Work” or “News”). Then drag related favorites into that folder. Clicking the folder shows a dropdown of everything inside.
Reorder items. Click and drag any item on the bar left or right to change its position.
Delete items you do not use. Right-click any item and select Delete to remove it from the bar. It will still be in your full favorites list unless you delete it from there too.
How to Manage the Full Favorites List in Edge
The favorites bar is just a shortcut to your broader favorites list. To manage everything, press Ctrl + Shift + O or click the three dots and choose Favorites.
The Favorites sidebar opens on the right. From here you can:
- See all folders and bookmarks
- Search for a specific saved page
- Create new folders
- Edit the name or URL of any bookmark
- Import favorites from Chrome, Firefox, or IE
- Export your favorites as an HTML file for backup
How to Sync the Favorites Bar Across Devices
If you use Edge on a work laptop, home desktop, and phone, you probably want the same favorites bar on each device.
- Sign in to Edge with your Microsoft account (click the profile picture in the top right and sign in).
- Go to Settings > Profiles > Sync.
- Make sure Favorites is toggled on.
After this, any favorite you add on one device will appear on all your other Edge devices within a minute or two. The favorites bar setting itself (Always, Only on new tab, Never) is also synced.
Favorites Bar on Microsoft Edge Mobile (iOS and Android)
On mobile, the favorites bar does not exist the same way it does on desktop. There is no horizontal strip below the address bar on phones.
On mobile Edge, your favorites are accessed by tapping the three dots at the bottom of the screen (iOS) or the top right (Android) and selecting Favorites. You can mark pages as favorites with the star icon.
If you want quick access to sites on mobile, consider pinning your most-used pages to the new tab page in Edge. Go to the new tab page, scroll down, and customize the layout to show your favorites as tiles.
How to Import Favorites to Edge From Another Browser
If you are switching from Chrome or Firefox and want all your saved sites to appear in Edge (including on the favorites bar), here is how.
- Open Edge.
- Click the three dots > Settings.
- Click Profiles on the left.
- Click Import browser data.
- Choose the source browser (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc.).
- Check Favorites or bookmarks.
- Click Import.
Your imported bookmarks land in a folder called something like “Imported from Chrome.” You can then drag items from that folder onto the favorites bar.
Showing the Favorites Bar in Edge: Windows vs Mac vs Chromebook
The steps are nearly identical across platforms, but here are the small differences.
| Platform | Keyboard Shortcut | Settings Path |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 / 11 | Ctrl + Shift + B | Settings > Appearance > Show favorites bar |
| macOS | Command + Shift + B | Settings > Appearance > Show favorites bar |
| Chromebook (Edge via Android) | N/A | Not applicable, use mobile method |
On a Chromebook, Edge runs as an Android app. The full desktop features, including the favorites bar, are not available on the Android version of Edge.
What to Do If the Favorites Bar Is Grayed Out or Missing
In some cases, Edge managed by a company or school (called “managed Edge”) may restrict you from changing certain settings. If the “Show favorites bar” option is grayed out, your IT administrator has locked it.
You cannot override this unless you have admin rights. Contact your IT department if you need the bar enabled.
If you are on a personal device and the setting is still grayed out, try these steps:
- Check that Edge is fully updated. Go to Settings > About Microsoft Edge.
- Sign out of your Microsoft account in Edge, restart the browser, and sign back in.
- Reset Edge settings. Go to Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their default values. Note: this will not delete your bookmarks, but it will reset your appearance preferences.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of the Favorites Bar
Keep only your top 8 to 10 sites directly on the bar. Everything else should go in folders. A bar with 20 named shortcuts becomes hard to scan quickly.
Use icon-only display for frequent sites. Once you recognize a site by its favicon (the small icon), you do not need the name. This saves a lot of horizontal space.
Create a “Reading” folder on the bar. When you want to save an article to read later, bookmark it into this folder. It acts like a lightweight read-it-later list without needing a separate app.
Separate work and personal profiles. Edge lets you create multiple profiles (click your profile picture > Add profile). Each profile has its own favorites bar. This keeps work bookmarks separate from personal ones.
Pin Edge to your taskbar and use jump lists. Right-click the Edge icon in the taskbar on Windows. Your pinned sites and frequently visited pages appear in the jump list for even faster access.
How to Hide the Favorites Bar When You Want More Screen Space
Sometimes you want the bar visible when browsing from your favorites, but you want to hide it when watching a video or reading a long article.
The quickest way is the Ctrl + Shift + B shortcut. Get in the habit of pressing it when you start a focused reading session and pressing it again when you need your bookmarks back.
Alternatively, set it to Only on new tab page in Settings > Appearance. This way the bar only appears when you open a new tab, which is often the moment you would want to navigate somewhere new anyway.
Conclusion
Showing the favorites bar in Microsoft Edge takes about five seconds once you know where to look. The fastest method is Ctrl + Shift + B on Windows. If you want it permanently visible, go to Settings > Appearance and set it to Always. If it keeps disappearing, check for accidental shortcut presses or a recent Edge update that may have reset your preferences.
Once the bar is visible, keep it organized. Use icon-only display, group sites into folders, and regularly remove shortcuts you no longer use. A clean, focused favorites bar makes a real difference to how quickly you navigate each day.
If you use Edge across multiple devices, turn on favorites sync through your Microsoft account settings and your bar will stay consistent everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I show the favorites bar in Microsoft Edge permanently?
Go to Settings > Appearance > Show favorites bar and choose Always. This keeps the bar visible on every page, not just the new tab page. It will stay on until you change the setting back.
Why is my favorites bar not showing in Edge even after enabling it?
The most common cause is accidentally pressing Ctrl + Shift + B again, which toggles it off. Also check that you are in your regular Edge profile and not a guest or InPrivate window, where settings behave differently. If Edge was recently updated, the setting may have reset. Go back to Settings > Appearance and re-enable it.
Can I show the favorites bar in Edge on my phone?
No. The Edge mobile app on iOS and Android does not have a favorites bar the same way the desktop version does. On mobile, access your favorites through the menu. For quick-access links, use the favorites tiles on the Edge new tab page.
How do I add a site directly to the favorites bar in Edge?
Visit the site, then click the star icon in the address bar (or press Ctrl + D). In the “Folder” dropdown of the popup, select Favorites bar and click Done. The site shortcut will appear on the bar immediately.
Does the favorites bar setting sync across devices in Edge?
Yes. If you are signed in to Edge with a Microsoft account and have Favorites sync turned on (Settings > Profiles > Sync), both your bookmarks and your favorites bar setting will sync across all your devices running Edge.
