chrome-gemini-button-restore

chrome-gemini-button-restore

Restore the Ask Gemini / Gemini in Chrome sidebar button that disappears after a Chrome update on macOS.

It ships as a Claude Code skill (SKILL.md + script), but the script is a standalone Bash tool you can run on its own.

中文说明见下方

The problem

After a Chrome update on macOS, the Ask Gemini button vanishes from the top-right toolbar. You may also notice:

• No AI innovations entry in Settings
• chrome://settings/ai bounces back to the normal settings page
• ...even though the Gemini web app works, Chrome is up to date, you're signed in, and you're not in incognito

The root cause

Gemini in Chrome is region/language-gated. A Chrome update can re-seed the browser's local Variations region to a non-US code (e.g. cn). Chrome then hides the button, the AI innovations setting, and chrome://settings/ai.

The region seed lives in Chrome's Local State file:

~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Local State

The fix rewrites four region fields back to us (keeping the Chrome version number intact):

• variations_country
• variations_permanent_consistency_country (last element)
• variations_safe_seed_permanent_consistency_country
• variations_safe_seed_session_consistency_country

The Gemini web app working tells you nothing — the toolbar button is a separate feature gated on this local region seed.

Requirements

Region is only the last mile. These must also hold (macOS, desktop Chrome):

• Chrome is up to date — chrome://settings/help
• Display language = English (United States) — chrome://settings/languages
• Network / proxy on a US node

If all of those are fine but the button is still missing, fix the region seed.

Usage

S=scripts/fix-chrome-gemini-region.sh

bash "$S" --check      # diagnose only (read-only, safe while Chrome runs)
# ...fully quit Chrome with Cmd+Q (closing the window is not enough)...
bash "$S"              # backup + rewrite region to us + verify
# ...reopen Chrome and confirm the button is back...

The one hard rule

Chrome must be fully quit before editing Local State. Chrome rewrites that file on exit, so editing while it runs gets silently overwritten. Quit with Cmd+Q — closing the window is not enough. The script refuses to edit while Chrome is running (use --kill to let it quit Chrome for you).

Safety

• The script always backs up Local State to Local State.backup before editing.
• It only changes the country code — the Chrome version number is preserved.
• It re-reads the file afterward to verify the change and that the JSON is valid.
• A bad edit is one --restore away.
• It does not touch bookmarks, passwords, or browsing history.

Use as a Claude Code skill

Drop the folder into your skills directory:

cp -r chrome-gemini-button-restore ~/.claude/skills/

Then just ask Claude Code something like "fix the Chrome Gemini button" and the skill triggers automatically.

Verified

Chrome 148.0.7778.216 (macOS): all four region fields were cn after an update; rewriting them to us (Chrome fully quit, then reopened) brought the Ask Gemini button back immediately.

Official reference

Use Gemini in Chrome — Google Chrome Help

中文说明

Chrome 更新后,macOS 上右上角的 Ask Gemini(Gemini in Chrome)侧边栏按钮消失, 设置里也没了 AI innovations、chrome://settings/ai 打不开——但 Gemini 网页版正常、 Chrome 已是最新、已登录、非无痕。

根因:Gemini in Chrome 受地区/语言限制。Chrome 更新会把本地 Variations 地区种子 刷成非美国码(如 cn),于是入口被隐藏。修复就是把 Local State 里的四个地区字段改回 us(版本号不动)。

Gemini 网页能用 ≠ 工具栏按钮会出现,二者是两个独立功能。

前提(地区只是最后一环,这些也要满足):Chrome 最新版、显示语言 = English (United States)、 网络在美国节点。

用法:

S=scripts/fix-chrome-gemini-region.sh
bash "$S" --check     # 只诊断(只读,Chrome 开着也能跑)
# 用 Cmd+Q 完全退出 Chrome(只关窗口不算)
bash "$S"             # 备份 + 改地区为 us + 复核
# 重开 Chrome 确认按钮回来

唯一硬性要求:改 Local State 前必须完全退出 Chrome(否则退出时会覆盖)。脚本会拒绝 在 Chrome 运行时修改,加 --kill 可让它代为退出。

安全:每次必先备份到 Local State.backup,只改地区码,改完复核 JSON,出问题用 --restore 一键还原;不碰书签/密码/历史。

License

MIT