Have you ever noticed that Chrome sometimes hides the "https://" or "www." part of a website address in the address bar? This can be frustrating, especially when you need to see the full URL for security or troubleshooting purposes. This article will guide you through various methods to restore the full URL in Chrome, ensuring you always have complete visibility of the website address.
Chrome's developers implemented this feature to simplify the browsing experience and declutter the address bar. The idea was to focus on the core domain name, making it easier for users to identify the website they're visiting. However, this simplification can sometimes be detrimental, as it hides valuable information about the website's protocol (https for secure sites, http for non-secure) and subdomain.
The easiest and most straightforward way to display the full URL is through Chrome's built-in setting:
If you don't see this option:
chrome://flags into the address bar and press Enter.This method should ensure that you always see the full URL, including the protocol and subdomain.
This method involves modifying the Chrome shortcut to include specific commands that disable the URL hiding feature.
Find the Chrome shortcut on your desktop or in the Start menu.
Right-click on the shortcut and select "Properties".
In the "Target" field, add the following command after the existing path (make sure there's a space before the command):
--disable-features=OmniboxUIExperimentHideSteadyStateUrlScheme,OmniboxUIExperimentHideSteadyStateUrlTrivialSubdomains,OmniboxUIExperimentHideFileUrlScheme
Click "Apply" and then "OK".
Restart Chrome using the modified shortcut.
This method disables the specific features responsible for hiding the URL scheme (http/https) and trivial subdomains (like "www").
This might seem counterintuitive, but installing Google's own "Suspicious Site Reporter" extension can also force Chrome to display the full URL.
Chrome/Chromium explicitly checks if this extension is installed and enabled, and toggles the URL elision feature accordingly.
If you prefer not to install the official "Suspicious Site Reporter" extension, you can create a minimal extension that achieves the same result.
Create a new folder on your computer.
Inside the folder, create a new text file named manifest.json.
Copy and paste the following code into the manifest.json file:
{
"name": "Keep full URL",
"description": "Prevent elision of www and other trivial subdomains in the address bar",
"version": "1.0",
"manifest_version": 2,
"key": "MIIBIjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8AMIIBCgKCAQEAowA8wOUQ8ShyITJ15B9rcJrnoolyo+OLj07g8QWBlEBikgszYwlbc88OIRL+dJOASok3yG6RQ60fvIjBrtNEk1yQZJfNwF/CN0jFrkE3HN3xVMoX0XIQPB93kDZARcfR5nwU3RUgwwWGTqt69KSSU8QzRRQJSEgM8GENa3OBhw1UBn/I/RbhaFcTykJSomo9j55goJwNzUhXTJk458DQ5diY+gWMadDXlDBa8cciCVlaGOjBV5ezmxnD6p1GXhrvyEKZP8IlreDJC2Nw9hxrT3GIo1FzbmeDPANKJ9pkY1H3LOVsGJDtytBpD/FRErlvfkJVqp3N5ifF2EQ8lOAHrQIDAQAB"
}
Save the manifest.json file.
Open chrome://extensions in Chrome.
Enable "Developer mode" in the top right corner.
Click "Load unpacked" and select the folder you created.
This extension uses the same ID as the Google's official extension, effectively achieving the same result.
This is the simplest workaround. Double-clicking the URL bar will temporarily reveal the full URL. However, it reverts to the shortened version once you navigate away or interact with the page.
While Chrome's attempt to simplify the address bar is understandable, many users prefer to see the full URL for various reasons. By using one of the methods described above, you can easily customize Chrome to display the complete website address, ensuring a more informative and secure browsing experience.
