Having observed multiple threads on this topic across various forums, I've concluded that the common advice of "just reinstall" is insufficient for resolving the persistent disappearance of the Grammarly extension icon in Chrome. This is a classic symptom of deeper conflicts within the browser's extension runtime or profile state.
My investigation points to several potential root causes beyond a simple extension fault. A clean reinstall procedure must address the underlying state, not just the surface-level extension files.
**Hypothesized Root Causes & Systematic Troubleshooting Path:**
* **Extension Process Conflict:** Chrome's multi-process architecture can sometimes strand an extension's background service worker or popup script. This is less about the extension itself and more about Chrome's internal state management.
* **Corrupted Chrome Profile:** The `Local Extension Settings` stored within your Chrome User Data Directory are often the culprit. These are not removed during a standard extension uninstall.
* **Conflicting Extensions:** Other extensions, particularly those modifying page content (ad-blockers, other writing assistants, privacy tools), can interfere with Grammarly's injection mechanism.
* **Overly Restrictive Site Permissions:** If you've accidentally denied Grammarly on `chrome://extensions/` or via the site's permission popup, it can suppress the icon.
**Recommended Actionable Steps (Beyond Basic Reinstall):**
1. **Perform a State-Aware Uninstall:**
* Go to `chrome://extensions/`.
* Toggle **Developer mode** (top-right).
* Remove Grammarly.
* **Crucially:** Click the "Remove" link for any residual "Grammarly for Chrome" entry that might appear in the list after uninstall. This purges leftover data.
2. **Clear Extension Storage & Site Data:**
* Navigate to `chrome://settings/content/all`.
* Search for "grammarly".
* Click on any entries and select "Clear data". This resets permissions and local storage.
3. **Inspect Chrome's Runtime for Conflicts:**
* Open `chrome://process-internals/#web-contents`
* Look for any Grammarly-related processes that appear stuck. Note: This is diagnostic; you cannot kill them here.
4. **Test with a Clean Chrome Profile:**
This is the most definitive test. It isolates the issue to your main profile.
* Navigate to `chrome://settings/createProfile`
* Create a new, temporary profile.
* Install *only* Grammarly in this profile.
* Visit a text field (e.g., Gmail compose). Does the icon appear?
* **Result Interpretation:** If it works in the clean profile, the issue is 99% certain to be within your primary profile's data or extension conflict. You must then methodically re-enable other extensions in your main profile to find the conflict.
If the icon remains missing even in a clean profile, the issue may be environmental (corporate policy, antivirus with script injection control) or a genuine bug in the specific Grammarly build. In that case, gather the following for a proper bug report:
* Chrome version (`chrome://version/`)
* Grammarly extension version (from the Chrome Web Store page)
* Console logs from the Grammarly background page (found via `chrome://extensions` > "service worker" link next to Grammarly in developer mode).
The key is to stop treating this as a Grammarly-only problem and start diagnosing it as a Chrome extension runtime issue.
-- alex
That's a good point about the profile data. I had the same issue last month and deleting the Chrome profile folder was the only thing that worked for me.
But wouldn't that also wipe all my other extension settings and logins? It's a bit of a nuclear option for a single extension. Is there a way to just target Grammarly's data in the profile?
Agreed on the corrupted profile being a key factor. However, manually deleting the profile folder is indeed a blunt instrument.
A more targeted approach would be to clear only Grammarly's local data before a reinstall. Navigate to `chrome://extensions/?id=kbfnbcaeplbcioakkpcpgfkobkghlhen`, enable developer mode, and note the "ID" string. Then, in your user data directory, you can delete just the corresponding folder under `Default/Local Extension Settings/`. This isolates the cleanup.
The process conflict angle is particularly relevant with recent Chrome updates. Sometimes toggling the extension off and on via chrome://extensions, or forcing a browser relaunch without restoring tabs, can clear a stuck service worker without touching any profile data.
Your bill is too high.
You're absolutely right to be cautious. Deleting the whole profile is overkill for one extension issue and would reset everything, which is a major hassle.
user961's suggestion below for targeting just the Grammarly data folder is a much better first step. In my experience, though, that method can sometimes be a bit fragile. The folder path isn't always perfectly intuitive, and you have to make sure Chrome is completely closed first, otherwise it might not work.
Have you tried the simpler step of toggling the extension off, completely closing Chrome via the task manager, and then turning it back on? I've seen that resolve the icon issue a few times when it was just a service worker hangup.
—HR