Disable Copy Link to Highlight in Chrome

This guide shows you how to turn off the “Copy Link to Highlight” feature in Google Chrome, which appears when you select text on a webpage. Disabling it removes the popup and prevents the browser from generating shareable links to specific text selections. You’ll need a computer with Google Chrome installed and permission to modify browser settings.

What You’ll Need

A computer running Google Chrome (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
Administrator or user-level access to change Chrome settings (standard user accounts work).

Step-by-Step

Open Google Chrome on your computer. Ensure you’re using the latest version for the most accurate steps.
Access Chrome Flags: In the address bar, type chrome://flags and press Enter. This opens the experimental features page.
Search for the Highlight Flag: In the search box at the top of the page, type copy-link-to-text. You’ll see a flag named “Copy Link to Text” or “Enable Copy Link to Text.”
Disable the Flag: Click the dropdown menu next to the flag (it usually defaults to “Default” or “Enabled”) and select Disabled.
Relaunch Chrome: After selecting Disabled, a “Relaunch” button appears at the bottom right of the flags page. Click it to restart Chrome and apply the change. Make sure to save any open tabs or work before relaunching.
Verify the Change: Once Chrome reopens, go to any webpage, select some text with your mouse, and check that the “Copy Link to Highlight” option no longer appears in the context menu or popup.

Common Mistakes

Not searching the exact flag name: The flag might be listed under a slightly different name. Use the search term copy-link to find it if the full name doesn’t appear.
Forgetting to relaunch: Changes to flags only take effect after a full restart of Chrome. Simply closing and reopening the tab won’t work.
Using the wrong browser profile: Flags are applied per browser installation, not per profile. If you have multiple profiles, the change affects all of them, but you must relaunch the browser entirely.
Editing the wrong flag: There are other flags related to text selection, like “Text Fragment Anchors.” Make sure you’re disabling the one specifically named “Copy Link to Text.”

Tips

Use a bookmarklet as an alternative: If you prefer not to disable the feature permanently, you can use a bookmarklet that removes the popup on demand. However, the flag method is the most straightforward.
Check for updates: Chrome updates can reset flags to default. If the feature reappears, repeat the steps.
Consider enterprise policies: If you’re on a managed device (school or work), your administrator may have set policies that override flag changes. In that case, contact your IT department.

Troubleshooting

Flag doesn’t appear: If you can’t find the flag after searching, your Chrome version may have removed it or changed the name. Try searching for copy-link or text-fragment. Alternatively, update Chrome to the latest version and try again.

Feature still active after disabling: Ensure you clicked “Relaunch” and not just closed the tab. If you manually closed and reopened Chrome, the flag might not have applied. Also, verify that the flag is set to “Disabled” (not “Default”) because “Default” might still enable the feature.

Chrome won’t relaunch: If the browser freezes or doesn’t restart, force-quit Chrome (using Task Manager on Windows or Force Quit on macOS) and reopen it. The flag change should still be saved.

Other extensions interfere: Some extensions that modify context menus might add their own “Copy Link to Highlight” option. If the flag is disabled but the option still appears, disable your extensions one by one to identify the culprit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling this flag affect other Chrome features?

No, it only disables the “Copy Link to Highlight” feature. Other text selection and sharing features remain unaffected.

Can I re-enable it later?

Yes, simply go back to chrome://flags, find the same flag, set it to “Enabled” or “Default,” and relaunch Chrome.

Does this work on mobile versions of Chrome?

No, this method is only for desktop versions. Mobile versions don’t have the same flags interface.

Why would someone want to disable this feature?

Some users find the popup annoying, or they don’t want to accidentally create links when copying text. It can also interfere with custom context menus.

Will this disable the ability to share highlighted text via the address bar?

No, you can still copy the URL manually. The feature only removes the automatic popup and context menu option.

Is there a way to disable it without using flags?

As of now, there’s no official setting in Chrome’s main preferences. The flags method is the only built-in way. Alternatively, you can use a browser extension to hide the popup, but that’s less reliable.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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