[Desktop] [Security] Add setting in brave://settings/appearance to display full URL in address bar

[Brave-Matt]

Description

#omnibox-ui-hide-steady-state-url-trivial-subdomains
#omnibox-ui-hide-steady-state-url-scheme

The above flags, which controlled whether or not the entire URL was displayed in the address bar, have been removed from the Chromium code. Many users have requested these options be returned to the browser. Further, it's also something users would frequently ask how to do even before the flags were removed. I believe there are enough users interested in having this option available to warrant consideration for bringing it back.

Miscellaneous Information:

User reports:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/brave_browser/comments/e6n98g/chromium_removed_flags_related_to_displaying_full/
• https://community.brave.com/t/i-want-to-see-the-full-url-in-the-address-bar-omnibox-options-missing-in-brave-flags/95466
• https://community.brave.com/t/display-full-url/89775/24
• https://www.reddit.com/r/brave_browser/comments/e9e7vv/req_bring_back_the_option_to_show_https_and_www/
• https://www.reddit.com/r/brave_browser/comments/bi6y3c/double_clicking_in_the_in_the_address_bar_shows/
• https://community.brave.com/t/address-bar-with-full-link-instead-of-search-keyword/74117
• https://community.brave.com/t/www-subdomain-permanently-hidden-in-address-bar/97918

[rebron]

cc: @tomlowenthal @petemill for thoughts

[Madis0]

This option should mainly toggle the old elisions in Chromium (protocol hiding, trailing slash, username-password, possibly punycode display).
The subdomain "www" should always be displayed as the contents can and do differ in several sites, including sites that just don't work without www. See also web developers' arguments: https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=883038

[Renerick]

Temporary workaround for this issue is in the discussion as well: https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=883038#c203 (download the file, put it in some directory and install as unpacked extension)

Nevertheless, this behavior is still a problem for many users and I think it should be addressed ASAP

[bsclifton]

cc: @diracdeltas

We did close a past issue (#6689) as wontfix, but we could consider wrapping a flag around the work-around that @Renerick provided (maybe even putting into Brave extension)

[Brave-Matt]

Some more users here requesting this feature:
https://community.brave.com/t/display-full-url/89775/30

[Madis0]

The option is now upstream (canary), behind a flag. https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=1061576

[Sa-Ja-Di]

@Brave-Matt How about following user interests and user suggestions? People want customization, features and choice and not simplicity - old Brave with it's custom UI offered that, Brave now offers almost nothing.

When do you guys bring back finally some features and customization? Where is your support for power and advanced users?

[Brave-Matt]

Another +1 from Community:
https://community.brave.com/t/display-full-url/89775/34?u=mattches

[rebron]

brave://flags/#omnibox-context-menu-show-full-urls This flag when enabled, starting in Chromium 83 should show an option via context menu to display the full address bar.

[stefankeys]

Vivaldi and Opera seem to have implemented this feature.

[EricReuss]

I've been looking for this feature not for security reasons but for UX ones - when I go to edit a portion of a URL, it's really frustrating to have the text shift out from under the mouse cursor as I double-click.

I'm glad it's coming down the pipe, though I have to say that "set a special flag to enable a context menu item to provide the desired functionality" sounds like a pain... especially if it only sets it for one window (I can't tell from the comment).

[Madis0]

@EricReuss

I'm glad it's coming down the pipe, though I have to say that "set a special flag to enable a context menu item to provide the desired functionality" sounds like a pain... especially if it only sets it for one window (I can't tell from the comment).

Chromium flags are for previewing new features that get enabled for all at some point or for experimenting with some UI changes that might get enabled for all. This is the first one, as a direct response to users' request. So this will be enabled for all at some point (M83? M84?), will not stay behind a flag.

If you want to suggest a more visible option in Settings, however, that's a different thing. (As for now this only appears in the context menu.)

[bsclifton]

Per #9884 - @Poopooracoocoo is asking if this would be available for Android too

BTW - our Chromium 83 integration is wrapping up - should be in Nightly soon

[Sh4d0wHunt3rX]

Please add this feature in settings, that we can see the complete URL. For now I'm using this plugin:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/suspicious-site-reporter/jknemblkbdhdcpllfgbfekkdciegfboi/

I hope Brave can add it in the settings that I can remove that extension.

[diracdeltas]

i think this would be good to add as a pref ("Show full URLs in URL bar") in brave://settings/appearance. Turning the pref on should at minimum show the URL scheme and "trivial" subdomains like www; and maybe also tweak the flags in https://github.com/bromite/bromite/blob/master/build/patches/Disable-omission-of-URL-elements-in-Omnibox.patch as needed so the full URL is shown.

cc @darkdh

EDIT: would it be sufficient to just set 'kFormatUrlOmitNothing' to true when the pref is on? it looks like then we would match the bromium behavior except they set kFormatUrlOmitMailToScheme. it seems fine to show mailto: though.

[Sh4d0wHunt3rX]

Any update on this?

[Poopooracoocoo]

Was this added to the Android version too?

[GeetaSarvadnya]

Verification passed on

Brave | 1.13.76 Chromium: 85.0.4183.69 (Official Build) dev (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | 4554ea1a1171bd8d06951a4b7d9336afe6c59967-refs/branch-heads/4183@{#1426}
OS | Windows 10 OS Version 1903 (Build 18362.1016)

• Reproduced the issue in 1.12.x
• Verified the test plan from Add kPreventUrlElisionsInOmnibox pref in brave://settings/appearance brave-core#6116
• Verified that github.com URL is elided when "Always Show Full URLs" option is disabled in brave://settings/appearance
  
• Verified that the omnibox shows full URL for github.com when "Always Show Full URLs" option is enabled in brave://settings/appearance
  
• Verified that context menu from Omnibox shows the option "Always Show Full URLs" in checked mode
  

---

Verification passed on

Brave	1.13.77 Chromium: 85.0.4183.69 (Official Build) dev (64-bit)
Revision	4554ea1a1171bd8d06951a4b7d9336afe6c59967-refs/branch-heads/4183@{#1426}
OS	Ubuntu 18.04 LTS

• Verified the test plan from Add kPreventUrlElisionsInOmnibox pref in brave://settings/appearance brave-core#6116

• Verified that github.com URL is elided when "Always Show Full URLs" option is disabled in brave://settings/appearance
  

• Verified that the omnibox shows full URL for github.com when "Always Show Full URLs" option is enabled in brave://settings/appearance
  

• Verified that context menu from Omnibox shows the option "Always Show Full URLs" in checked mode
  

Verified the option is translated (checked Polish)

---

Verified passed with

Brave | 1.13.79 Chromium: 85.0.4183.69 (Official Build) dev (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | 4554ea1a1171bd8d06951a4b7d9336afe6c59967-refs/branch-heads/4183@{#1426}
OS | macOS Version 10.14.6 (Build 18G3020)

• Reproduced the issue in 1.12.x
• Verified the test plan from Add kPreventUrlElisionsInOmnibox pref in brave://settings/appearance brave-core#6116
• Verified that github.com URL is elided when "Always Show Full URLs" option is disabled in brave://settings/appearance

• Verified that the omnibox shows full URL for github.com when "Always Show Full URLs" option is enabled in brave://settings/appearance

• Verified that context menu from Omnibox shows the option "Always Show Full URLs" in checked mode

• Confirmed able to turn this option off from the context menu
• Confirmed if I turn option off from context menu and brave://settings/appearance is open, the setting is correctly reflected there
• Confirmed if I turn this option on it is retained on browser restart

[dentistformyeye]

Could this be added to the Android version, too?
Currently, https:// and www don't show up. I've found no "Always Show Full URLs" toggle in the settings or flags.