With a recent build of Google Chrome Canary (get it here: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/chromesxs) Google has reduced the need to have a url bar showing all the time. This is extremely useful when you are using a netbook with a small screen and limited pixels. Here is how you can get the new feature. BTW, you can load Canary and have the normal version of Chrome loaded at the same time.

Google Chrome Canary

Download Google Chrome Canary, and install it.

Then open it up and type in about:flags into the url bar.

Google Chrome about:flags

You will then get to this page.

Google Chrome Experiment Page

Then scroll down to the part that says “Compact Navigation” and click enable.

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Then scroll right to the bottom and click relaunch now.

Google Chrome Relaunch now

Once your browser has been relaunched, do this. Right click on the new tab and choose Hide the Toolbar.

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This is what it will look like when you are typing in a url.

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And this is what it will look like when you are browsing.

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So how do you get the url bar back? Well that is easy. If you need to go to another url, just push “ctrl+L” and it will reappear.

Hope that helps you.

About Paul Ogier

Paul Ogier has written 202 posts.

Paul Ogier is an IT Guru, Website Developer, and generally a nice guy. He loves code and he loves design.