How to Fix the Chrome Menu Button Missing (Full Guide)
One of Chrome’s major selling points back when it was new and capturing more and more of the browser market was its clean UI. Unlike many stock web browsers found on various desktop operating systems, Chrome has always had a clean UI. It has shunned toolbars and the like in favor of few buttons and a single URL bar.
Over the years, Chrome’s UI has become more and more minimal. At present, in order to access Chrome’s settings, bookmarks, extensions, etc, users have to go through a menu that is accessible via a single button at the top right.
Missing Chrome Menu Button
The Chrome menu button is a series of three dots in a vertical line found at the top right of an open Chrome window. It sits at the far right-end outside the URL bar. This button cannot be hidden so you should always be able to see and use it even if the browser is in full-screen mode.
Where Is The Menu Button?
If you’re unable to find the Chrome menu button, try the fixes below.
1. Restart Chrome
Chrome can run into problems like any other app and restarting the browser can fix them. Quit Chrome. Make sure all instances of it are closed and then restart your computer.
Once the computer has restarted, open Chrome and check if you can find the menu button.
2. Update Chrome
It is possible that a Chrome update is pending. A pending update doesn’t hide any buttons on the Chrome UI however, installing the update can fix whatever is causing the problem.
- Open Chrome.
- Paste this
chrome://settings/helpin the URL bar and tap Enter. - Allow Chrome to search for and install updates.
- Relaunch the browser.
3. Disable extensions
Try disabling extensions. You may have installed an extension that modifies the UI of Chrome to the point that the menu button is hidden.
- Open Chrome.
- Paste this
chrome://extensions/in the URL bar and tap enter. - Turn the switch next to each extension off.
- Restart Chrome.
4. Access Chrome pages directly
You can access Chrome pages directly if you know their address. The address can be entered in the URL bar and you can jump straight to the page. The menu isn’t needed in this case.
- Chrome Settings:
chrome://settings/ - Chrome Bookmarks:
chrome://bookmarks/ - Chrome history:
chrome://history/ - Chrome downloads:
chrome://downloads/ - Chrome extensions:
chrome://extensions/ - Chrome help:
chrome://settings/help
5. Reset Chrome
Chrome’s pages can be accessed directly but the menu button and the menu that it gives users access to has a few other settings that are easier to access via the button. To fix this problem, try resetting Chrome.
- Open Chrome.
- Paste this
chrome://settings/resetin the location bar and tap Enter. - Select the Reset option.
- Chrome will be reset and the menu button will return.
Conclusion
Malicious extensions are normally to blame if anything in Chrome’s UI is modified. Chrome normally prevents extensions from making extensive changes to it but there’s no telling how an extension may fool the browser. Always install trusted and approved extensions in Chrome and avoid side-loading them.
