[New Working Method] Remove “Extensions” Menu Button from Google Chrome Toolbar

Previous method to hide/remove “Extensions” menu button (Jigsaw puzzle piece icon) from Google Chrome toolbar no longer works in newer versions of Chrome such as version 87 and later. Chrome team has removed the old preference/flag “Extensions Toolbar Menu” from Chrome://flags page. In this article, we’ll tell you a new working method to get rid of “Extensions” menu button from toolbar in newer versions of Google Chrome web browser.

Recently when Google developer team released Google Chrome 87, lots of readers started reporting that the previous trick to disable or remove “Extensions” toolbar button has stopped working in Chrome. Actually Chrome team deleted the working “Extensions Toolbar Menu” flag from Chrome://flags page which was used to get rid of “Extensions” menu button from Chrome toolbar.

We shared about the old method in following tutorial:

[Old Method] Remove “Extensions” Menu Button from Google Chrome Toolbar

I checked and found the previous “Extensions Toolbar Menu” flag was really missing from Chrome://flags page.

Now many Chrome users are complaining about this change and they want to remove the unwanted and unnecessary “Extensions” menu button from Google Chrome toolbar.

When I was checking users comments, I noticed that in past (Chrome 75) a secret command-line parameter was used in Chrome’s shortcut to activate and enable the new “Extensions” menu button in toolbar when it was under development and was not added to the main toolbar.

We shared about the parameter in following article:

[Tip] Enable “Extensions” Menu Button in Google Chrome Toolbar

Immediately I got an idea. The parameter was “–enable-features=ExtensionsToolbarMenu”. I decided to try the reverse. The parameter was containing “–enable-features=” term. I decided to use “–disable-features=” term and surprisingly it worked.

So if we add “–disable-features=ExtensionsToolbarMenu” parameter to Chrome shortcut, it removes the “Extensions” menu button from Chrome toolbar.

If you also want to remove “Extensions” button from Google Chrome toolbar, following new working method will help you:

1. Right-click on Google Chrome’s shortcut (present on desktop, start menu, taskbar, etc) and select Properties.

Alternatively, you can create a new shortcut of Google Chrome and open its Properties box.

2. Now add following text at the end of the string present in Target text box:

Remember there must be a blank space between existing text string and the appended string.

3. Click on Apply button and now whenever you’ll launch Google Chrome using this shortcut, you’ll never see new Extensions menu button in toolbar.

You can now pin the new Chrome shortcut to Taskbar or Start Menu for quick and easy access.

PS: In future, if you want to restore default settings and want to restore Extensions menu button in Chrome toolbar, remove the –disable-features=ExtensionsToolbarMenu parameter from Chrome’s shortcut properties.

BONUS TIP: If you don’t want to create a shortcut to always launch Google Chrome without Extensions menu toolbar button but want a way to quickly launch Google Chrome with Extensions menu button removed whenever you want, you can use following commands in RUN dialog box (WIN+R):

It’ll launch Google Chrome without Extensions menu button whenever you execute this command.

PS: If you are already using another “–disable-features” parameter in Google Chrome shortcut, following article will help you in using more than one “–disable-features” parameter in Chrome shortcut’s properties:

[Tip] How to Use Multiple “–Disable-Features” Parameters in Google Chrome Shortcut

Also Check:

[Tip] Remove Media Controls Button from Google Chrome Toolbar

[Tip] Disable New Tab Hover Pop-ups and Restore Classic Tab Tooltips in Google Chrome

[Tip] Always Show Full URLs (Including HTTPS and WWW) in Google Chrome Address bar