The Interface Clutter Vector
Google Chrome features a built-in Reading List, designed to let you save articles for offline viewing later. By default, this feature forcibly anchors itself to the far right side of your Bookmarks Bar. For users who prefer a minimalist browser interface, or those who already rely on robust, third-party bookmarking solutions (like Pocket or Instapaper), this permanent, unremovable button simply consumes valuable screen real estate and distracts from daily workflows.
How to Disable the Reading List
While Google previously required users to modify deep experimental flags to remove this feature, they have since provided a simple, direct toggle to banish it from the Bookmarks Bar.
1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Ensure your Bookmarks Bar is currently visible (if it is not, press Ctrl + Shift + B to reveal it).
3. Right-click anywhere on the empty, grey space of the Bookmarks Bar.
4. A context menu will appear. Look towards the bottom of this menu.
5. You will see an option labelled Show reading list with a tick mark next to it.
6. Click Show reading list to remove the tick mark.
The Reading List button will instantly vanish from the interface, freeing up space for your actual, manually curated bookmarks.