How to resolve scroll bar missing in Chrome on Windows 10?

With millions of users worldwide, Google Chrome is, without a doubt, one of the top browsers. It is fast and secure and is automatically updated to ensure that you have the best experience. However, as is the case with any other piece of software, problems are bound to happen. Users have been grappling with the issue of the scroll bar missing in Chrome. In most cases, especially on Windows 10 PCs, the scroll bar disappears while the user is browsing the web.

As you are aware, scrolling enables you to view the whole content on a webpage, and if it’s missing, navigating the webpage becomes impossible. As a result, you are unable to tell just how much more you need to scroll to get to the end of the page. Sometimes, the scroll bar doesn’t show up at all, and this misleads users into thinking that the webpage doesn’t have scrollable content.

This behavior is random and doesn’t affect specific websites, which means you might experience it on any, if not all, of the webpages that you visit. Without a scroll bar, the whole experience of using Google Chrome becomes unpleasant and quite annoying. In this post, you’ll learn how to fix the missing scroll bar on Chrome so that you can get back to scrolling away with ease.

Why Is the Scroll Bar Missing in Google Chrome?

So, what causes Google Chrome’s scroll bar to disappear? Well, quite a number of issues could trigger this problem, and pinpointing them can be difficult. Some of these issues are as follows:

• Extensions – If the scroll bar refuses to show up completely, then some of the extensions that you have installed could be responsible. Luckily, this can easily be resolved by disabling or uninstalling suspicious extensions.
• New changes made to Chrome – Google is always making changes to its software. The auto-hiding scroll bar is one of the features that were introduced a while back. When enabled, the scroll bar lies hidden and becomes visible when you hover your mouse cursor over the right side of the screen. If you can’t find the scroll bar while browsing on Chrome, it could be that the feature is turned on. If you don’t like this functionality, we’ll show you how to disable it.
• Overlay Scrollbars – Google introduced the Overlay Scrollbars feature for experimental purposes. Some users reported that this functionality had been causing problems and could be to blame for the missing scroll bar.

How to Fix the ‘Scroll Bar Is Not Showing in Chrome’ Error

Luckily, there is a workaround to this problem. You can use the wheel on your mouse, the spacebar, or the up and down arrow keys on your keyboard to scroll. However, the experience is barely the same, and you will still need to restore the missing scroll bar. Here are some of the solutions that you could try.

Fix 1: Restart Chrome

Sometimes, when it comes to random software errors, restarting the affected program, which is the Chrome browser in your case, fixes the issue. Simply exit Chrome and then relaunch it. If this doesn’t work, exit Chrome, reboot Windows and then restart Chrome. Check to see if the scroll bar reappears. If it doesn’t, then the problem could be more complex, but don’t worry – we provide effective solutions below to help you restore the missing scroll bar.

Fix 2: Restore Chrome Settings to Default

In most cases, when a certain application, such as Google Chrome, starts to give you errors, restoring the settings to the factory defaults usually resolves the problem. Try applying the solution below and check if it works.

Here is how to do so:

1. Launch Google Chrome and click the menu (the three dots in the upper right corner of the Chrome window).
2. Click on “Settings”, scroll to the bottom of the page and expand the “Advanced” section.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page until you see the “Reset and clean up” section.
4. Click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option.
5. On the pop-up window that appears, choose “Reset settings”.

This operation resets everything in Chrome, which includes disabling extensions, clearing temporary cookies, and resetting the startup page, to name just a few. Relaunch Chrome and check if the scroll bar reappears.

Fix 3: Install Chrome’s Latest Updates

You can also solve the ‘missing scroll bar on Chrome’ problem by installing the latest updates. Google is always updating its software’s features to give users the best experience. For this reason, you need to update Chrome to the latest version to fix bugs and enjoy the new features.

To update Chrome, follow the steps below:

1. Launch the browser and click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the window to bring up the menu.
2. Hover your mouse cursor over “Help” and select “About Google Chrome”.
3. This will trigger Chrome to automatically check for updates. If the Chrome version is up to date, it will notify you of this. You can also view the current version and build from this page.

Usually, updating Chrome should resolve some issues, such as the ‘scroll bar not showing on Chrome’ error. However, if the matter persists, try the solutions below.

Fix 4: Disable Chrome Extensions

If the scroll bar doesn’t appear at all, disabling Chrome extensions can help to fix the matter. Some extensions can interfere with certain Chrome settings, causing errors in the process. To disable extensions on your Google Chrome browser, follow the guide below:

1. Launch Chrome, and open the menu.
2. Hover your mouse cursor over “More tools” and select “Extensions”. Alternatively, open Chrome and type in chrome://extensions in the address bar and press “Enter”.
3. This operation should take you to the page containing all the extensions on your Chrome browser. From there, click on the toggle button of every extension to disable them.
4. Once you finish disabling all the extensions, reboot the Chrome browser and check if the solution worked. If the problem goes away, then it’s time to find out which extension is responsible. To do so, repeat steps 1 and 2 above and enable one extension by clicking the toggle button to turn it on. Restart Chrome and check if the problem reappears. Repeat the same process with all the extensions until you find the culprit. If you do, remove the extension by clicking the “Remove” button.

Fix 5: Disable Hardware Acceleration

Hardware acceleration helps to fix media-related issues and improve users’ scrolling experience. However, this is not always the case, and the feature can cause issues like the missing scroll bar on Chrome. Disabling hardware acceleration can resolve this issue. Here’s how:

1. Run Chrome and open the menu.
2. Click on “Settings” or simply type in chrome://settings/ in the address bar and hit “Enter”.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and expand the “Advanced” section.
4. Under the “System” section, disable the “Use hardware acceleration when available” option.
5. Reboot Chrome and check if the problem has been resolved.

Fix 6: Remove the Overlay Scrollbars Flag

Google Chrome has numerous experimental features that may or may not be implemented in the future. Overlay Scrollbars is one such feature, and some users suspect it to cause issues with Chrome’s scroll bar. To disable it, follow the steps below:

1. Launch your Chrome browser and type in chrome://flags/#overlay-scrollbars in the address bar and press “Enter”.
2. Overlay Scrollbars should appear at the top of the page. Click the drop-down list and select “Disabled”.
3. Select “Relaunch Now” for the changes to take effect.

This solution should resolve the ‘scroll bar missing in Chrome’ issue.

Fix 7: Reinstall Google Chrome

If none of the solutions above bear fruit, then you could try reinstalling your Chrome browser. This particular fix seems to have worked for many users, and it might just work for you. To proceed, follow the steps below:

1. Exit Chrome.
2. Open the “Settings” app by pressing the Win + I shortcut and click on “Apps”. Alternatively, right-click “Start” to bring up the Quick Link menu and choose “Apps and Features”.
3. Under the “Apps & features” category, locate Chrome and click on it.
4. Click “Uninstall” and then select “Uninstall” again. You can also uninstall the Chrome browser via the Control Panel.
5. Now, to completely remove Chrome from your computer, you must delete the associated folder. To do so, press the Win + E shortcut to open “File Explorer”, follow the paths below and delete the Google Chrome folders:
   • C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome (where <username> is your computer’s username)
   • C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome

Important tip: If you can’t find the “AppData” folder, right-click “Quick access” and then select “Options”. Switch to the “View” tab and then check the “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” option. You should now be able to see all the hidden folders.

Fix 8: Switch to a Different Browser

If you’re still struggling with the ‘missing scroll bar on Chrome’ issue, then try switching to a different browser like Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox while you wait for Google to address the problem.

Run Regular Maintenance

Over time, your PC collects junk files, such as unused error logs, web browser cache, cookies, user temporary files, and unneeded system files. As a result, your PC becomes slow, unstable, and prone to crashes. These issues might affect your Chrome browser, causing pages to load slower or even freeze.

To keep your PC performing at optimal levels, we recommend running regular maintenance using a trusted and reliable tool like Auslogics BoostSpeed. The program is designed to scan your entire system to detect and rectify speed-reducing issues, clear out all types of junk files, and remove corrupt keys and invalid entries from your Windows registry.

Apart from sweeping out junk files, Auslogics BoostSpeed also protects your privacy by eliminating traces of your online activities, adjusts your internet settings for smooth browsing and faster downloads, and tweaks non-optimal system settings to boost your computer’s performance. With this tool, you can set scheduled scans that will take care of your system around the clock.

We hope you were able to resolve the ‘scroll bar missing in Chrome’ error on your Windows 10 PC. Feel free to get in touch with us to share your thoughts and experiences by commenting below.