If you've ever used Chrome, on any platform for any length of time, you've probably noticed how quickly Chrome Extensions can start to add up to the space to the right of your URL bar. Of course, there's the option to hide these extensions quite easily, but for all those who have to click to interact, it's not really a good solution.
However, it seems that there is a new way to solve this problem, which was discovered by Techdows and will reach users from Chrome 75 if not earlier. The feature is currently available for testing in both the Developer and Canary channels of Chrome 75 and is currently available for Mac OS, Windows and Chrome OS. All you have to do is go to chrome://flags and search for “Extensions Toolbar” and you can enable it whether you are on Chrome 75 in the Developer or Canary channel.
The way it works is pretty simple: for any extension that appears next to your URL bar, you can now right-click, select “Hide in Chrome menu,” and see the full list of extensions in a drop-down menu.
Sure, there's a feature that many never use that lets you drag the URL bar and hide those extensions, but dragging the bar every time you need something is probably a bit inconvenient. The change happening with the extensions menu will help you overcome all of those problems. It simply hides the extensions and replaces them with a puzzle piece-shaped icon that opens the brand new Chrome extensions menu.
As you can see, in the Developer Channel, the icons for the extensions and the menu for each extension are missing. In the Canary Channel, you get the extension's favicon and a 3-dot menu, with the same options you see when you right-click on an extension next to the URL bar. Probably the most useful option will be the one that brings back the removed extension to the top menu next to the URL bar.
It’s clearly still a bit of a work in progress, but it’s definitely going to be really handy to have all of your extensions in one place for easy access. With extensions being a fairly common way that many of us use Chrome on a daily basis, the option to hide them while still being easily accessible is a very appealing change that will likely be a welcome addition for most users. This feature is currently in Chrome 75, so expect it to hit the Stable Channel in the coming weeks, with Chrome 75 due to be released in early June 2019.
