How to Remove the Google Chrome Reading List

Lee Stanton July 7, 2021

When you launch Google Chrome, you might have noticed the “Reading list” option on the right side of the Bookmarks bar. This feature is a new button, which nonetheless can bother some people who would rather use that space on their Bookmarks bar to bookmark other pages for easy access.

How to Remove the Google Chrome Reading List

If you like to add saved pages and websites to your Bookmarks bar for easier access, then you’ve no doubt noticed the Reading List at the far-right end of the bar. While this feature might not bother some people, others don’t like the fact that it’s taking too much space on their Bookmarks bar.

If you would prefer to have it removed, don’t worry. It only takes a couple of steps to turn this feature off. This is how it’s done:

Open Google Chrome.
Right-click on the Reading list in the upper right corner of your browser.
Uncheck the “Show reading list” option on the drop-down menu.

That’s all there is to it. If you change your mind, you can restore it just as quickly. Except this time, you’ll need to right-click on empty space on the Bookmarks bar, then check the “Show reading list” option on the drop-down menu.

How Does Reading List Work?

Google Chrome’s reading list doubles as the bookmark feature. When you see something that you might be interested in reading, but you don’t have the time to read it right at that moment, you can save it in your Reading List.

All you have to do to save a page in your Reading List is click on the star icon in the upper-right corner of your screen. Google Chrome will then let you choose between “Add bookmark” or “Add to reading list.” Once you choose the second option, you’ll find all of your saved pages when you click on “Reading list” on the right side of the Bookmarks bar.

What’s more, your Reading List will be organized into two categories: “Unread” and “Pages you’ve read.” If you want to remove a page from your Reading List, just right-click on it and choose “Delete.” In addition, you can select the “Mark as read” option when you’ve finished reading a particular page.

Disable Reading List in Google Chrome

If you want to disable the Reading List from Google Chrome altogether, you’ve come to the right place. It can be done in a couple of quick steps, and here’s how:

Open Google Chrome.
Type in “chrome://flags” in the search bar.
Type in “Reading List” in the search bar on the new page.
Click on the “Default” button on the right side.
Choose “Disabled.”
Go to the “Relaunch” button that will appear at the bottom of the window.

Doing this will refresh Google Chrome. The next time you open it, you will see that the Reading List button is no longer there. If you want to enable this feature, follow the same steps and choose “Enabled.”

The Reading List feature is also available on iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. When you open Google Chrome on your phone and tap on the three dots in the bottom-right corner of your screen, you will see the Reading List option on the pop-up menu.

If you’re using Safari, then just launch it and go to the book icon at the bottom of your screen. You’ll find the Reading List when you tap on the eyeglasses icon on the top.

While you can delete individual items from the Reading List, there is no way you can disable it like you would on a PC or a laptop. The only option you have is to delete all the data from Safari or Google Chrome from your phone. However, doing this will only delete the items you saved in your Reading List, it won’t disable the Reading List feature itself.

Additional FAQs

Why Does Chrome Have a Reading List?

To save pages and websites you would like to read in the future, Google Chrome used to offer only third-party services, like “Pocket” and “Instapaper.” To avoid having to install these third-party services, Google Chrome came up with the Reading List feature, which is available on all devices.

It essentially works just like the Bookmarks feature, except that it gives you the option to organize pages you saved into “read” and “unread” categories. It also saves you from having to waste a lot of time to search and find the page that you intended to read a long time ago.

How do I re-enable the Chrome reading list?

If you have removed the Reading List feature from Google Chrome, and now would like to restore it, there is a way to re-enable this feature. Follow the steps below:

1. Open Google Chrome.

2. Type in “chrome://flags” in Google. This will open the “Experiments” page.

3. In the “Search flags” box, type in “Reading list.”

4. Find Reading List on the menu and click on the “Disabled” box next to it.

5. Choose “Enabled.”

6. Click on the “Relaunch” button.

When you restart Google Chrome, you will be able to see the Reading List button on the right side of the bookmarks bar.

Make the Reading List on Google Chrome Disappear

Now you know how to remove the Reading List from Google Chrome on your computer. You also know how to disable and enable that feature, as well as how to add pages to your Reading List on both your computer and your phone. The good news is that even if you disable this feature completely, you’ll always be able to bring it back if you change your mind.

Have you ever removed the Reading List feature on Google Chrome? Did you use any of the methods listed in this guide? Let us know in the comments section below.