What happens when you open a new tab or window in Chrome

When you open a new tab in Chrome, the browser shows you a page by default. That page is usually Google's homepage with a search box and shortcuts to your most-visited sites. You can change this to show a different website instead — your email, a news site, a blank page, or anything else you use regularly.

The steps differ depending on whether you want to change the new tab page or the home page (the page that loads when you click the home button). Most people want to change the new tab page, since that is what appears most often. Both are straightforward to adjust in Chrome's settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome's new tab page and home page are separate settings, and you can change either one independently.
  • To change the new tab page, you go to Settings, then Appearance, then toggle "Show home button" and choose your page from the dropdown.
  • To change what loads when you click the home button, go to Settings, then Appearance, then "Home" and enter the URL you want.
  • If you install an extension that changes your new tab page, you can disable or remove it from the Extensions menu.
  • Chrome remembers your choice across all your devices if you are signed into a Google account.

Changing the new tab page through Chrome settings

Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select "Settings" from the menu. On the left side, click "Appearance."

Look for the section labeled "Home button." Toggle the switch to turn it on if it is not already on. A dropdown menu will appear below it with options: "New Tab page," "Home," or "Custom URL." Select "New Tab page" to keep the default Google homepage, or choose "Custom URL" to enter a website address of your own.

If you choose "Custom URL," a text box will appear. Type the full web address you want — for example, https://www.bbc.com or https://mail.google.com. Chrome will load that page whenever you click the home button or open a new window.

Changing the new tab page when an extension has taken over

Some browser extensions change your new tab page without asking. You might install an extension for weather, news, or productivity, and suddenly your new tab shows something different. This happens because certain extensions are designed to replace the new tab page with their own version.

To see which extensions are doing this, click the three dots in the top right, then "More tools," then "Extensions." Look through the list for any extension you do not recognize or remember installing. Click the toggle switch next to it to turn it off, or click "Remove" to delete it entirely.

If you want to keep the extension but stop it from changing your new tab page, look for its settings. Some extensions have an option to disable the new tab page replacement. Right-click the extension icon in the top right corner and select "Options" or "Settings" to see if that choice is available.

Restoring Chrome's default new tab page

If you have changed your new tab page and want to go back to Google's default, return to Settings and Appearance. In the "Home button" section, select "New Tab page" from the dropdown. Chrome will when ready switch back to showing the Google search box and your shortcuts.

If an extension is blocking you from changing the page back, disable or remove that extension first. Then adjust the settings as described above. You may need to restart Chrome for the change to take effect.

The difference between home button and new tab page

Chrome has two separate default pages, and they work differently. The home button is the house icon in the top left corner of your browser window. Clicking it takes you to whichever page you set in Settings under "Home." The new tab page is what appears when you press Ctrl+T (or Cmd+T on Mac) or when you click the plus sign next to an open tab.

You can set these to the same page or to different pages. Some people set the home button to their email and the new tab page to a blank page, so they have different shortcuts depending on what they are doing. Others set both to the same website. The choice is yours.

Syncing your default page across devices

If you are signed into a Google account in Chrome, your settings sync automatically across all devices where you use Chrome — your laptop, desktop, phone, and tablet. This means if you change your default page on your laptop, it will change on your phone too.

If you do not want this to happen, you can turn off sync for settings. Click your profile picture in the top right, then "Sync and Google services," then toggle off "Sync everything." You can then choose which types of data to sync — for example, you might sync bookmarks but not settings. Keep in mind that turning off sync means your default page will not update across devices if you change it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set a blank page as my default instead of a website?

Yes. In Settings, go to Appearance, toggle on the home button, and select "Custom URL." Type about:blank in the text box. Chrome will load a blank page instead of any website. This is useful if you want a clean slate every time you open a new tab.

Why does my new tab page keep changing back to something I did not set?

An extension is likely changing it. Go to Settings, then More tools, then Extensions, and look for any extension you do not recognize. Turn it off or remove it. If you installed an extension recently and your new tab page changed around the same time, that extension is probably the cause.

Does changing my default page affect my search engine?

No. Your default page and your search engine are separate. You can set your home page to any website and still use Google, Bing, or another search engine for searches. To change your search engine, go to Settings, then Search engine, and pick a different option from the list.

Will my default page setting work on Chrome on my phone?

Yes, if you are signed into the same Google account. Your settings sync across all devices. If you want different settings on your phone, you can turn off sync for that device in its Chrome settings, but then you will need to set everything manually.

What if I want different default pages for different profiles in Chrome?

Chrome lets you create multiple profiles, and each profile has its own settings. Click your profile picture in the top right, then "Manage other people," and create a new profile. Each profile can have its own default page, bookmarks, and extensions. This is useful if you share a computer with someone else.