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Sometimes after typing a web address in Chrome and pressing tab a few times, I end up on the "Remove Suggestion" button and accidentally remove the suggestion I was trying to select. How can I restore a suggestion when this happens?

enter image description here

I tried "Reset settings to their original defaults," but that didn't help.

Patrick Brinich-Langlois
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3 Answers3

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Chrome keeps predictions and history in databases, as described in this answer.

Once deleted from its database, a prediction or a history item cannot be restored.

harrymc
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    "Once deleted from its database, a prediction or a history item cannot be restored." This suggests that a record of deleted items is being stored somewhere—otherwise, how could Chrome know not to suggest them again in the future? And if that's the case, what do I need to delete to reset autosuggestions behavior to a state in which I can re-add deleted items? Do I need to delete the database you mentioned, or something in my online Google account, or my entire Google account? (I realize the last of those options isn't practicable.) – Patrick Brinich-Langlois Aug 30 '21 at 16:34
  • Unfortunately, Google lumped history and predictions in the same SQLite database, although in different tables. More information in [this answer](https://superuser.com/a/330125/8672). I don't know if deleting all the predictions will cause Chrome to start from zero. It was possible in the past to turn predictions off and on ([link](https://www.webnots.com/4-ways-to-disable-chrome-autofill-and-predictions/)), but this seems to have disappeared in the latest versions. – harrymc Aug 30 '21 at 19:26
  • I tried moving the `urls` table in the `History` file (not sure if that's what you meant by "predictions"; `alter table urls rename to urls_bak;` is the command I ran, and `alter table urls_bak rename to urls` to reverse it), but that didn't have the desired effect. (It just deleted my history.) I realized that the only functionality I cared much about was being able to search a website without visiting it, and I was able to do that by [adding a custom search engine](https://zapier.com/blog/add-search-engine-to-chrome/). – Patrick Brinich-Langlois Sep 06 '21 at 03:36
  • In fact, a hacky workaround for any use case is available through custom search engines: just make the keyword the URL that you want to appear as a suggestion, and make the URL the very same URL (without a `%s`). – Patrick Brinich-Langlois Sep 06 '21 at 03:38
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I added the site I removed as a Bookmark, and then removed it, and this restored the site as the first suggestion when I type the page name into my URL bar once more.

Ramhound
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Peter
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In the Chrome address bar, enter chrome://settings/searchEngines. Find the section called Inactive Shortcuts.

enter image description here

To restore a shortcut, click the corresponding Activate button.

Patrick Brinich-Langlois
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  • What does search engines have to do with the restoration of the predictive URL autocomplete? – Ramhound Jun 30 '22 at 04:23
  • I guess I didn't say it in my original question, but my problem was specific to the search-engines feature. For example, in the screenshot in my original question, I'd accidentally removed the "Search Merriam-Webster" functionality. Following the steps in my answer restores it. – Patrick Brinich-Langlois Jul 01 '22 at 22:46