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April 5, 2022
Question

My navigation bars are missing.

  • April 5, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 72 views

I can see the dashboard but the navigation to the left and across the top are no longer visible. Using QB Online. Anyone having this issue?

2 replies

Level 4
April 5, 2022

I can help you get your navigation bar back , englishkat1.
 

QuickBooks Online has an option to hide the side navigation bar by clicking the three-lined menu at the top left of the screen. It will help you free up some space on your screen in case you need to see more data. 

 

If pressing the 3 bars icon does not restore the left navigation menu, it could be that the stored data on your browser be the reason behind the missing bars in QuickBooks. To fix this, I recommend accessing your account using a private window. This prevents the browser from collecting cache files (cookies) and allows you to utilize QuickBooks with a fresh slate.

 

To do that, just press on the following keyboard shortcuts below:

 

  • Chrome: Ctrl+Shift+N
  • Internet Explorer: Ctrl+Shift+P
  • Firefox: Ctrl+Shift+P
  • Safari: Command+Shift+N

 

If it works fine, go back to your regular browser and clear its cache. Web-based platforms like QuickBooks gather cache to save you time when loading repetitive data, but too much can create odd behavior and simply needs to be cleared. 

 

I've also added here some great resources that can help you in navigating QuickBooks and its great features:

 

 

Keep me posted on how it goes by leaving a reply below. I'm always here to help if you need anything else. Stay safe!

April 5, 2022

Hello and thank you.  There are zero icons anywhere on the page which is why i was so frustrated.   however the private browser did work. Thank you SO much!

January 10, 2024

Did you ever get your navigation bars back? If so, how?

JaeAnnC
Level 6
January 11, 2024

Thanks for posting your concern in this thread, @Laura 2025. Let's troubleshoot your browser together to access your navigation bars in QuickBooks Online (QBO).

 

In QBO, you can restore the left navigation bar by clicking the hamburger menu (☰) icon at the top left of the screen. Here's a screenshot for your visual:

 

If it did not appear, it's most likely a browser problem. Let's isolate the issue by accessing your account in a private window. Here are some keyboard shortcuts you can refer to:

 

  • For Google Chrome browser: Ctrl + Shift + N
  • For Mozilla Firefox browser: Ctrl + Shift + P
  • For Safari browser: Command + Shift + N

 

If you're able to see the navigation bars, return to your regular browser to clear its cache or utilize another compatible one

 

Moreover, you can customize your navigation menu to bookmark the pages you frequently use and hide those you don't.

 

Keep in touch if you have additional concerns about the navigation menu in QBO. I'll be happy to provide further help. Take care.

January 11, 2024

Hi, @Laura 2025. I'm here to help. 

 

To provide better assistance, may I please clarify whether you are using QuickBooks Online (QBO) or QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT)? It would also greatly help if you could provide a screenshot of the navigation items that aren't available on your end.

 

QBDT and QBO are two distinct accounting software platforms each with its own unique navigation system. The top navigation items you've mentioned are for QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT). 

 

However, if you're using QBO and the navigation items that you need don't appear, it may likely have to do with the computer's display settings. I suggest working with your IT department to change your display settings with these configurations:

 

  • Screen resolution set to 1024x768 or higher
  • Dots-per-inch (DPI) set to "Normal" or "100%"

 

Additionally, should you encounter QBO not correctly loading webpages, I'm adding this as a future guide: QuickBooks Online doesn't load correctly or has blank pages

 

Let us know when the issue of missing navigation items persists on your end. We'll do our best to assist. Take care.


You are incorrect about the navigation bar. I am operating in QBO in "Desktop View" which has a navigation bar above and to the left. I've been doing this for weeks. Please help!!!