Member Avatar for bfmoser

About a week ago the entire top of my Explorer browser disappeared. I.e. I have no forward/backward buttons, no address bar, nothing. I have not been able to determine how this happened or what I can do to fix it. Luckily my homepage has a websearch option on it so I am not completely disabled but I would really like to know what to do about this.
Can someone out there help?
Thanks a lot,
Ben in Holland

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by caperjack

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As found, this kind of sudden, complete toolbar disappearance is usually the browser being put into full-screen or into an auto-hide state. 's quick fix (the full-screen toggle) solved the original report and confirmed it, so start with that simple check first.

If that does not restore the UI, try these next steps (non-destructive, ordered from simple to more involved):

  • For Internet Explorer: right-click the top area and enable the toolbars you need (View -> Toolbars or the gear icon -> Manage add-ons to disable third-party toolbars). Back up Favorites, then use Tools -> Internet Options -> Advanced -> Reset to restore defaults if toolbars are missing or broken.
  • For File Explorer (Windows 8/10/11): the Ribbon can be collapsed. Press Ctrl+F1 or click the small chevron at the top-right of the window to expand it. Use View -> Options if the address bar or folder options are missing.
  • If the problem persists: test another Windows user account to see if the issue is profile-specific, run an updated antivirus and a malware scanner, and consider running sfc /scannow from an elevated command prompt or using System Restore to roll back a recent change.

Before editing the registry or applying policy changes, create a system restore point and back up important data. These steps give a path from the quick fix used here to safe, more thorough repairs for readers encountering the same symptom years later.

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Member Avatar for caperjack

About a week ago the entire top of my Explorer browser disappeared. I.e. I have no forward/backward buttons, no address bar, nothing. I have not been able to determine how this happened or what I can do to fix it. Luckily my homepage has a websearch option on it so I am not completely disabled but I would really like to know what to do about this.
Can someone out there help?
Thanks a lot,
Ben in Holland

Hit the f11 or run the mouse over the toolbar,see if you get anything .if you have all the different stuff unchecked when you right click on the toolbar and auto hide on , and hit the f11 key you would have nothing showing untill you pass the mouse over the toolbar

Member Avatar for bfmoser

Hit the f11 or run the mouse over the toolbar,see if you get anything .if you have all the different stuff unchecked when you right click on the toolbar and auto hide on , and hit the f11 key you would have nothing showing untill you pass the mouse over the toolbar

Caperjack,

I can't believe that is all I had to do! I have been sitting here for weeks barking up different wrong trees -- since it disappeared so suddenly I assumed it was something terrible. A million thanks.

Ben

Member Avatar for caperjack

Caperjack,

I can't believe that is all I had to do! I have been sitting here for weeks barking up different wrong trees -- since it disappeared so suddenly I assumed it was something terrible. A million thanks.

Ben

Your Welcome .hard to believe ,I didn't really think that was it ,just a quess!

Member Avatar for lesmiz4fr

F11 worked instantly! Thanks for the help!

Member Avatar for caperjack

F11 worked instantly! Thanks for the help!

your welcome

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