If you have ever been to a blogspot blog, you would have definitely noticed the 40-pixels wide Navbar that appears by default at the top of every Blogger-powered blog.
This navbar is like Google's own version of StumbleUpon where visitors can search existing blog or discover new Blogger blogs just by clicking the NextBlog link. And if you are logged-in to your Google account, the navbar turns into a personal dashboard toolbar similar to what you have seen on Wordpress.com blogs.
Though Google provides no "disable button", tons of blogspot users have hidden the navbar on their blog through simple CSS tricks which available for both new Blogger and classic Blogger templates.
The next important question is whether you are violating any Google policies or Blogger's Terms of Service by removing the navbar ?
The Blogger's TOS page makes no reference to navbar while Google representatives in the Blogger support group (nickname: Blogger Employee) have always ignored discussion threads seeking an official stand on hiding navbar.
There's some hope now. Google recently organized a road show in select Indian cities to promote their Blogger platform. Ankit attended the event and requested clarity on the navbar policy from the Googlers present at the roadshow. They immediately called up their team based in Google's Bangalore office and confirmed to Ankit that it's legal to hide the navbar.
Reader Comments
Way back in 2004, I wrote this to Blogger.com -
"Hi,
I got a tip from blogger orkut community as to how to remove the blogspot
banner on top of my blog. It involves changing the "body" tag in the
template.
I tried it and
it works.
I wanted to check if it violates any of blogger's guidelines. Should I
replace it back?
Regards"
I got this reply a couple of days later -
Hi there,
Since our online ordering system is not available right now, I went ahead
and gave you a complimentary upgrade to Ad-Free. Ads will be removed the
next time you publish your blog.
Thanks,
Blogger Support Team
Written on 26/6/07 10:40 PM
Thanks for this post. It puts me at ease. With the new "Custom Domain" mapping, one can change the favicon and hide the navbar and have a professional appearance blog. The only people that would know are the ones that view your source code.
Shawn from VitalStocks
Written on 27/6/07 12:18 AM
Thanks for the information...
Written on 27/6/07 1:27 AM
This maybe a silly question but if you remove the nav bar how do you find your way to "customize" and "new post"??
LB
Written on 27/6/07 2:07 AM
I recived a "go" from a Blogger source way back when version 2 was introduced.
Since then i have alwasy stated that it is OK to remove the navbar. and i was the one who introduced the "peek-a-boo" version of the removal hack with Aditya.
it is nice to see a more straight forward and recent answer to this anyway.
Written on 27/6/07 2:37 AM
Thanks for sharing this clarification. I think the Adsense Team in India responds faster then the US Team.. Thanks to Ankit as well
Written on 28/6/07 12:41 AM
But, what if a blog has objectionable content and navbar hidden, how can you flag it?
Just try the following steps (works for new blogger only):-
a. Right click the blog and view source
b. Search for "blogID"
c. Note the number after = say xxxxx
d. Now, open http://www2.blogger.com/navbar.g?blogID=xxxxx
(for cross checking, search anything and it will show that blog.)
e. click the flag button.
alternatively,
you can 'report a spam blog' or 'report another TOS violation' in the Blogger help Contact Us form and submit the URL of the objectionable blog.
Written on 28/6/07 12:44 PM
Thanks for the useful info.
Written on 29/6/07 4:45 AM
I hid the blogger navbar in two of my four blogs a couple of weeks ago, and recently (yesterday I think) they just showed up again. Has anyone else seen this happen? Can Blogger just get into my blog and strip out that modification????
Written on 29/6/07 10:03 PM
re: Kathy .. I had same thing happen to me aswell.. :(
Written on 3/7/07 12:58 AM
I didn't get very much traffic from the blogger toolbar.
Written on 8/7/07 9:01 AM
i have blogger pages from the old version which i had successfully blocked the navbar. after the current version was released, the navbar returned and the method of removal recommeded by this site does not work. can anyone help?
thanks in advance
Written on 4/11/07 10:46 AM