Firefox Bookmarks Toolbar Visibility States Explained

This article provides a quick overview and breakdown of the three visibility states available for the Bookmarks Toolbar in the Mozilla Firefox web browser: Always Show, Never Show, and Only on New Tab. Understanding these three options allows you to customize your browser interface, helping you strike the right balance between instant access to your favorite websites and maximizing your screen space for reading content.

1. Always Show

The Always Show state keeps the Bookmarks Toolbar permanently visible directly beneath the address bar.

  • How it works: No matter what website you are visiting or how many tabs you have open, your bookmarks remain in view.
  • Best for: Users who rely heavily on their saved links, bookmarklets, or folders for daily navigation and want one-click access to them at all times without opening menus.

2. Never Show

The Never Show state completely hides the Bookmarks Toolbar from your browser interface at all times.

  • How it works: The toolbar will not appear on any active webpage, nor will it appear when you open a blank New Tab page.
  • Best for: Users who prefer a minimalist, distraction-free browser and want to maximize vertical screen space. You can still access your bookmarks through the Firefox application menu, the Library window, or the Bookmarks Sidebar.

3. Only on New Tab

The Only on New Tab state is a dynamic option that acts as a middle ground between the other two settings.

  • How it works: The Bookmarks Toolbar is visible only when you open a brand-new tab (the default Firefox Home page). As soon as you click a bookmark, type a URL, or navigate to any webpage, the toolbar automatically disappears to give you more viewing space.
  • Best for: Users who only need their bookmarks when starting a new browsing task and want an uncluttered screen once they are actively viewing a website.

How to Change the Visibility State

You can switch between these three states at any time using the following steps:

  1. Right-click on an empty space in the Firefox tab bar or directly on the address bar.
  2. Hover your mouse over Bookmarks Toolbar in the context menu that appears.
  3. Click on Always Show, Only Show on New Tab, or Never Show to apply your preference immediately.

Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Shift + B on Windows and Linux, or Command + Shift + B on macOS, to quickly toggle the toolbar visibility via your keyboard.