Firefox Tip: Show Bookmarks Toolbar Only on New Tab Page

Table of Contents

For many users, efficient navigation is key to a productive online experience. Web browsers like Mozilla Firefox offer numerous features to help users quickly access frequently visited websites. One of the most common methods is utilizing the bookmarks toolbar, a strip typically located just below the address bar, providing one-click access to saved links. This toolbar is a convenient feature, offering immediate visibility and access to your favorite sites without needing to open a separate menu or library.

However, the default behavior of the bookmarks toolbar in Firefox is to display on every web page you visit. While some users appreciate this constant availability, others might find that the toolbar consumes valuable screen space, especially on smaller displays, or simply creates visual clutter on pages where immediate bookmark access isn’t required. They might prefer a cleaner interface while browsing standard websites, but still desire the quick access provided by the toolbar when opening a new tab, which often serves as a launchpad for browsing sessions. Recognizing this varying user preference, Firefox provides a built-in option to control the visibility of the bookmarks toolbar, allowing users to customize its appearance based on their specific needs and browsing habits.

Understanding the Default Behavior and Customization Need¶

By default, when enabled, the bookmarks toolbar remains perpetually visible across all tabs and windows within the Firefox browser. This persistent presence ensures that your saved sites are always just a click away, regardless of the content you are currently viewing. For users who frequently switch between a fixed set of websites or rely heavily on bookmarks for navigation, this default setting is highly beneficial. It minimizes the steps required to reach a desired page, contributing to a smoother and faster workflow.

Despite its utility, the always-on nature of the bookmarks toolbar can be a drawback for others. On websites with complex layouts or dense content, the toolbar can potentially push down the main content area, requiring more scrolling. Furthermore, users who prefer a minimalist browser interface might find the constant presence of the toolbar distracting or unnecessary on most pages. The desire for a flexible browsing environment that balances quick access with screen real estate optimization has led to the demand for more granular control over UI elements like the bookmarks toolbar. Fortunately, Firefox offers this flexibility, allowing users to tailor their browsing experience to match their personal preferences, specifically by enabling the toolbar only when it is most likely to be used – upon opening a new tab.

Enabling the Bookmarks Toolbar Only on New Tab Page¶

Firefox provides a specific configuration setting that allows you to change the default behavior of the bookmarks toolbar. This option is not immediately available in the standard customization menus but is accessible through the browser’s advanced configuration page, known as about:config. This page allows users to inspect and modify a wide range of Firefox settings, offering deep control over the browser’s behavior and appearance. While powerful, the settings within about:config should be handled with care, as modifying incorrect preferences can potentially affect browser stability or performance.

Accessing about:config is the first step towards enabling this specific toolbar behavior. This interface requires a direct entry into the address bar, bypassing the regular settings panels. Once accessed, you will navigate through various preference names and their corresponding values to locate the specific setting that controls the bookmarks toolbar’s visibility context. This process involves a few straightforward steps but requires attention to detail to ensure the correct preference is located and modified. By adjusting this specific configuration flag, you inform Firefox to change its rule for displaying the bookmarks toolbar, moving away from the ‘always show’ principle towards a more conditional display rule, tied specifically to the new tab page.

Here are the detailed steps to enable the Firefox Bookmarks toolbar only on the New tab page:

1. Open the Firefox Browser: Launch the Mozilla Firefox application on your computer as you normally would.
2. Access Advanced Preferences: In the address bar at the top of the Firefox window, type about:config and press the Enter key on your keyboard. This special internal URL directs you to Firefox’s advanced configuration settings page.
3. Acknowledge the Warning: Accessing about:config presents a warning message. This message is intended to inform users that changing these settings can potentially impact browser performance or security if not done correctly. Read the warning and click the Accept the Risk and Continue button to proceed to the configuration page.
4. Search for the Preference: In the search bar provided at the top of the about:config page, type browser.toolbars.bookmarks.2h2020. This is the specific preference name that controls the conditional visibility of the bookmarks toolbar. The search results will filter dynamically as you type.
5. Modify the Preference Value: Locate the preference entry in the filtered list. Its current value will likely be false by default. To change its status and enable the conditional visibility feature, double-click on the preference name. Double-clicking a boolean preference in about:config toggles its value between true and false. Ensure that the value for browser.toolbars.bookmarks.2h2020 changes to true.

Once the browser.toolbars.bookmarks.2h2020 preference is set to true, you have enabled the underlying mechanism in Firefox that allows the bookmarks toolbar to be displayed conditionally. However, enabling the preference itself does not immediately change the toolbar’s visibility rule; it merely activates the option to make the change via the standard UI. The next part of the process involves selecting the specific display context from the browser’s graphical interface. This UI option only becomes available after the about:config preference has been toggled.

Configuring the Visibility Option¶

After modifying the about:config preference, the final steps involve using the browser’s interface to specify where you want the bookmarks toolbar to appear. This setting is conveniently located within the customization options accessible directly from the browser window’s header area. It provides a user-friendly way to select the desired visibility state without needing to revisit the about:config page.

Follow these steps to complete the setup:

6. Access Toolbar Options: Right-click on an empty area in the title bar or the tab bar at the very top of the Firefox window. This action opens a context menu offering various customization options related to the browser’s toolbars.
7. Select Bookmarks Toolbar: From the context menu that appears, you will see an entry for Bookmarks Toolbar. Hover your mouse cursor over this option to reveal a sub-menu containing different visibility choices.
8. Choose “Only on New Tab”: In the sub-menu for the Bookmarks Toolbar, you will find several options, typically including “Always Show”, “Never Show”, and potentially others depending on your Firefox version and configuration. Select the Only on New Tab option from this list. This tells Firefox to display the bookmarks toolbar exclusively when you open a new tab page (like about:newtab or a custom new tab page).

Upon selecting “Only on New Tab”, the bookmarks toolbar should immediately disappear from any currently open web pages and will only become visible when you open a new tab. This successfully implements the desired behavior, providing a cleaner browsing view while still offering quick access to your bookmarks when you are starting a new browsing task or looking for a saved resource. This setting persists across browser sessions, so you only need to configure it once.

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Table: about:config Preference for Conditional Bookmarks Toolbar

Preference Name	Description	Default Value	Value for “Only on New Tab” Option
browser.toolbars.bookmarks.2h2020	Controls the availability of the “Only on New Tab” option.	false	true

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Troubleshooting: Preference Not Found¶

If you search for browser.toolbars.bookmarks.2h2020 in about:config and do not find the preference listed, it is likely because your Firefox browser is not running the latest version. The “Only on New Tab” feature for the bookmarks toolbar was introduced or stabilized in a specific version range of Firefox, indicated by the .2h2020 suffix in the preference name (often signifying the second half of 2020, though the feature’s availability might vary slightly). Ensuring your browser is up-to-date is crucial for accessing the latest features and configuration options.

To update your Firefox browser:

• Click the menu button (the three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner of the Firefox window.
• Select Help from the menu.
• Choose About Firefox from the Help sub-menu.
• Firefox will automatically open a small window that checks for updates. If an update is available, it will begin downloading automatically.
• Once the download is complete, you will be prompted to restart Firefox to apply the update. Click Restart to Update or simply close and reopen the browser.

After updating and restarting Firefox, revisit about:config and search for browser.toolbars.bookmarks.2h2020 again. The preference should now be available, allowing you to proceed with toggling its value to true and then selecting “Only on New Tab” from the bookmarks toolbar context menu. Keeping your browser updated not only grants access to new features like this one but also ensures you have the latest security patches and performance improvements, which is always recommended for a safe and smooth browsing experience.

Reverting or Changing Bookmarks Toolbar Visibility¶

Should you decide later that you prefer the bookmarks toolbar to be always visible, never visible, or you wish to change the setting for any reason, the process is straightforward. You do not need to go back into about:config to change the preference value if you are simply toggling between “Always Show”, “Never Show”, or “Only on New Tab” once the about:config flag is set to true. The choice is available directly from the user interface.

To change the visibility setting:

• Right-click on the title bar or tab bar area of Firefox.
• Hover over the Bookmarks Toolbar option in the context menu.
• Select the desired visibility option: Always Show, Only on New Tab, or Never Show.

Choosing “Always Show” will make the toolbar appear on every page, including the new tab page, which is the classic default behavior. Selecting “Never Show” will hide the toolbar entirely, even on the new tab page. The “Only on New Tab” option, which you just enabled, maintains the behavior of showing it exclusively on the new tab. You can switch between these options easily through the right-click menu. If you wanted to entirely disable the option of having “Only on New Tab”, you would go back to about:config and set browser.toolbars.bookmarks.2h2020 back to false, although there is little reason to do this once the option is enabled, as the UI menu provides full control.

A quick keyboard shortcut can also toggle the “Always Show” / “Never Show” states of the bookmarks toolbar. Pressing Ctrl+Shift+B (or Cmd+Shift+B on macOS) toggles the bookmarks toolbar’s visibility between “Always Show” and “Never Show”, overriding the “Only on New Tab” setting temporarily or until the shortcut is pressed again or the setting is explicitly changed via the right-click menu. This shortcut is useful for quickly hiding or showing the toolbar temporarily without changing your preferred default visibility rule.

Other Ways to Manage Bookmarks in Firefox¶

While the bookmarks toolbar offers quick access to a select group of frequently visited sites, Firefox provides a comprehensive system for managing all your saved pages. Understanding these other methods can enhance your ability to organize and retrieve your bookmarks effectively, complementing the use of the toolbar. The main repository for all your bookmarks is the Firefox Library.

Firefox Library¶

The Library is the central hub for managing your history, downloads, and bookmarks. It offers a more structured view of your saved websites compared to the simple list on the toolbar. You can access the Library in several ways:

• Through the Menu: Click the menu button (three horizontal lines), select Bookmarks, and then choose Organize Bookmarks (or Show All Bookmarks).
• Using a Keyboard Shortcut: Press Ctrl+Shift+O (or Cmd+Shift+O on macOS).

Within the Library, you can:
- View all your bookmarks, including those not on the toolbar.
- Create, rename, and organize bookmarks into folders and subfolders.
- Use tags to categorize bookmarks for easier searching and filtering.
- Import and export bookmarks to backup your collection or transfer it to another browser.
- Check bookmarks for broken links or duplicate entries using built-in tools.

The Library provides a powerful way to keep your ever-growing collection of bookmarks tidy and manageable, ensuring that even infrequently visited but important sites are easy to find.

Bookmarks Sidebar¶

For quick access to your full bookmark tree without leaving the current page or opening a separate window, you can use the Bookmarks Sidebar. This sidebar appears on the left side of the Firefox window and displays your entire bookmark structure (folders and individual bookmarks) in a hierarchical view.

To open the Bookmarks Sidebar:

• Click the menu button, select Library, then Bookmarks, and choose View Bookmarks Sidebar.
• Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+B (or Cmd+B on macOS).

The sidebar allows you to navigate through your folders and open bookmarks directly. It stays open as you browse, offering persistent access. You can easily switch between displaying bookmarks, history, or synced tabs within the sidebar using the buttons at the top. The sidebar offers a good compromise between the always-visible toolbar and the separate Library window, providing quick access without consuming significant screen real estate on the main content area.

Opening Bookmarks in New Tabs¶

A common task when using bookmarks is opening them in a new tab rather than navigating away from the current page. While you can configure Firefox to always open bookmarks in new tabs via advanced settings, the most common way is to use a modifier key while clicking the bookmark.

To force a bookmark to open in a new tab:

• Click the bookmark while holding down the Ctrl key on Windows or Linux.
• Click the bookmark while holding down the Cmd key on macOS.

This method works for bookmarks clicked from the bookmarks toolbar, the bookmarks sidebar, or the bookmarks menu. It’s a fundamental shortcut for multitaskers who want to open several links quickly without losing their place on the current page.

Customizing the New Tab Page¶

Since the bookmarks toolbar will now appear primarily on the New Tab page, it’s worth exploring the customization options available for this page itself. Firefox’s New Tab page is designed to be a useful starting point, providing quick access to frequently visited sites, recent activity, and other features.

To customize the New Tab page:

• Open a new tab.
• Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top-right corner of the New Tab page.

From here, you can control various elements displayed on the New Tab page, such as:

• Top Sites: Show or hide tiles for your most frequently visited websites.
• Highlights: Display recent browsing activity, including visited pages, bookmarks, and downloads.
• Pocket: Integrate saved articles from the Pocket service.
• Shortcuts: Add custom links or use automatically generated site shortcuts.
• Search Bar: Choose whether to include a search bar.
• Background: Change the background image or color of the New Tab page.

Tailoring the New Tab page ensures that when the bookmarks toolbar appears, it complements a layout that is already optimized for quick actions and access to relevant information. Combining a customized New Tab page with the bookmarks toolbar displayed only in this context creates a powerful and personalized launchpad for your browsing sessions.

Benefits of Conditional Toolbar Visibility¶

The decision to show the bookmarks toolbar only on the New Tab page offers several advantages for certain users:

1. Reduced Clutter: The primary benefit is a cleaner browsing window on standard web pages. Removing the toolbar provides more vertical screen space for viewing content, which is particularly helpful on smaller screens or when reading long articles.
2. Improved Focus: With the toolbar hidden on content pages, there are fewer visual distractions, allowing users to focus more intently on the website they are currently viewing.
3. Optimized New Tab: The New Tab page is often used as a jumping-off point. Having the bookmarks toolbar appear here provides immediate access to frequently needed links exactly when you are planning your next navigation step.
4. Performance: While likely negligible for most users, hiding UI elements when they are not needed can theoretically contribute marginally to better rendering performance on complex web pages by reducing the number of elements the browser needs to draw and manage.

This configuration strikes a balance, offering the utility of the bookmarks toolbar for quick navigation starts while maintaining a streamlined view when actively engaging with web content.

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Visual Guide Concept:

Imagine a step-by-step visual guide showing:
1. A screenshot of the Firefox address bar with about:config typed in.
2. The warning page, highlighting the “Accept the Risk and Continue” button.
3. The about:config page with the search bar focused, showing browser.toolbars.bookmarks.2h2020 typed.
4. The preference list, highlighting the preference entry and its value changing from false to true after double-clicking.
5. A screenshot of the Firefox window header, showing a right-click action bringing up the context menu.
6. The context menu open, highlighting “Bookmarks Toolbar”.
7. The “Bookmarks Toolbar” sub-menu open, highlighting “Only on New Tab”.
8. A standard webpage view showing no bookmarks toolbar.
9. A New Tab page view showing the bookmarks toolbar displayed.

This visual flow would clearly illustrate each step of the process.

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Embedding a video guide could also be helpful for visual learners. While direct Markdown embeds can be limited, a link to a relevant YouTube video explaining Firefox customization or bookmarks management could be included with a descriptive label.

Consider this example if a relevant video were found:

Need a visual walkthrough? Check out this helpful YouTube guide on customizing Firefox toolbars and the New Tab page:

Watch: Firefox Customization Tips
(Note: Replace example_video_id with an actual relevant YouTube video ID)

This provides an alternative format for users who prefer watching a demonstration.

Conclusion¶

Configuring the Firefox bookmarks toolbar to appear only on the New Tab page is a simple yet effective customization that can significantly improve your browsing workflow and visual experience. By leveraging the advanced configuration options and the standard UI settings, you gain finer control over how and when browser elements are displayed. This tailored approach allows you to enjoy the convenience of readily accessible bookmarks without the constant visual presence of the toolbar on every single page you visit.

Whether you prefer a minimalist interface for reading or focused work or simply want your New Tab page to be a powerful launchpad, this Firefox tip offers a flexible solution. Explore these settings and other customization options within Firefox to create a browsing environment that is perfectly suited to your needs and preferences. The ability to fine-tune your browser’s appearance and behavior is one of the many reasons why Firefox remains a popular choice among users seeking control and flexibility.

What are your thoughts on this Firefox tip? Do you prefer having the bookmarks toolbar always visible, or would you try showing it only on the New Tab page? Share your preferences and any other Firefox customization tips you find useful in the comments below!