How to Display Only an Icon for a Favorite on Your Browser's Bookmarks Bar

To add an icon to your favorites page – specifically, to make an existing favorite on your browser's bookmarks bar appear as just an icon without its name – you need to edit the bookmark and remove its title. This is a popular technique for saving space and quickly identifying frequently visited websites.

This process is straightforward and allows you to streamline your bookmarks bar, making it easier to navigate. You'll often find that simply seeing the website's favicon (the small icon associated with the site) is enough to identify it, such as recognizing the "Shake Up Learning" page by its unique icon.

Why Display Only Icons?

Displaying only icons for your favorites (often called bookmarks or speed dials) offers several advantages:

• Space Saving: A bookmarks bar full of long titles can quickly become cluttered. Icons take up minimal space, allowing you to fit more favorites.
• Quick Recognition: For frequently visited sites, you often recognize them instantly by their unique icon without needing to read the title.
• Aesthetics: A bar of clean, simple icons can look much tidier and more organized.

Step-by-Step Guide: Making a Favorite Icon-Only

The general process for most popular web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge is similar:

1. Locate Your Bookmarks Bar: Ensure your bookmarks bar is visible. If not, you can usually enable it through your browser's settings or by pressing Ctrl + Shift + B (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + B (macOS).

2. Find the Favorite to Edit: Navigate to the bookmark on your bookmarks bar that you wish to convert into an icon-only favorite.

3. Right-Click to Edit:

   • Right-click directly on the bookmark you want to modify.
   • A context menu will appear.

4. Select "Edit" or "Properties":

   • From the context menu, choose the option like "Edit," "Rename," or "Properties." The exact wording may vary slightly by browser.

5. Delete the Name/Title:

   • In the edit window, you will see fields for the "Name" (or "Title") and the "URL" (or "Address").
   • Go to the "Name" field and delete all the text within it. Leave this field completely blank. Do not delete the URL.

6. Save Your Changes:

   • Click "Save," "OK," or "Done" to apply your changes.

Your bookmark will now appear as just its favicon on your bookmarks bar! You can repeat this process for any other favorites you wish to condense.

Browser-Specific Examples

While the steps are largely universal, here's a quick look at common browser approaches:

• Google Chrome:

  1. Right-click on the bookmark in the bookmarks bar.
  2. Select "Edit."
  3. Delete the text in the "Name" field.
  4. Click "Save."
     Learn more about Google Chrome bookmarks.

• Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Right-click on the bookmark in the bookmarks toolbar.
  2. Select "Properties."
  3. Delete the text in the "Name" field.
  4. Click "Save."
     Explore Firefox bookmarks.

• Microsoft Edge:

  1. Right-click on the favorite in the favorites bar.
  2. Select "Edit."
  3. Delete the text in the "Name" field.
  4. Click "Save."
     Find help for Microsoft Edge favorites.

Adding New Favorites as Icons

When you add a new page to your bookmarks bar, it will usually include both the website's name and its icon by default. If you want this new favorite to appear as an icon-only, simply follow the "Step-by-Step Guide" above immediately after adding it. Most websites automatically provide a favicon; if a site doesn't have one, your browser might display a generic placeholder icon instead.