What happens when you open a new tab in Chrome
When you open a new tab in Chrome, you see a page with Google's logo, a search box, and shortcuts to your most-visited websites. This is the default new tab page. You can replace it with a different website, a blank page, or a custom page you design yourself. The change takes effect when ready and applies every time you open a new tab.
Chrome stores this setting in your browser preferences, so it stays the same across all your devices if you sign into the same Google account on each one. If you use Chrome on a work computer managed by your employer, your IT department may have locked this setting and you will not be able to change it.
Key Takeaways
- You change your new tab page by opening Chrome Settings, clicking Appearance, and choosing what you want to see under "New tab page".
- Your options are the default Google page, a blank page, or a custom URL — any website you type in.
- If you install an extension that changes your new tab page, that extension's page will override your Settings choice until you remove the extension.
- The setting syncs across devices if you are signed into the same Google account, but your employer may have locked it on work computers.
Open Chrome Settings and find the Appearance section
Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of Chrome. A menu will drop down. Click Settings near the bottom of that menu. You will see a sidebar on the left with different sections. Click Appearance.
You are now in the section where Chrome stores choices about how the browser looks. Scroll down until you see the heading "New tab page". Below that heading are three radio buttons — circles you can click to select one option.
Choose what appears on your new tab page
The first option is "Default". This shows the Google logo, search box, and shortcuts to your most-visited sites. This is what you see now if you have never changed this setting.
The second option is "Blank page". This shows a completely empty page with just the address bar at the top. Some people choose this because it loads faster or because they do not want Chrome suggesting websites to visit.
The third option is "Custom URL". If you click this radio button, a text box appears below it. Type the full web address of any website you want to see when you open a new tab — for example, https://www.bbc.com or https://mail.google.com. When you open a new tab, Chrome will load that page instead of the default one.
What to do if an extension changed your new tab page
Some browser extensions replace your new tab page with their own page. If you installed an extension and your new tab page suddenly changed, that extension is probably the cause. The extension's page will show up even if you have set a different choice in Settings.
To fix this, go to chrome://extensions in your address bar and press Enter. Find the extension that changed your new tab page. Click the toggle switch to turn it off, or click Remove to delete it entirely. Your new tab page will go back to whatever you chose in Settings.
If you are not sure which extension caused the change, turn them off one at a time and open a new tab after each one to see when your new tab page goes back to normal.
Syncing your new tab page choice across devices
If you sign into Chrome with your Google account on multiple devices — a laptop, a tablet, a work computer — Chrome will sync your new tab page choice to all of them. This means if you set your new tab page to a custom URL on your laptop, that same URL will appear on your tablet the next time you open a new tab there.
To check whether sync is turned on, click the three vertical dots, then Settings, then Sync and Google services. You should see "Sync is on" near the top. If sync is off, your new tab page choice will stay only on the device where you made it.
If your employer locked this setting
On computers managed by your workplace, your IT department may have set a policy that prevents you from changing your new tab page. If you try to click the radio buttons in the Appearance section and nothing happens, or if the options are grayed out, this is the reason.
You can still change other parts of Chrome's appearance — your theme, your font size, your homepage — but the new tab page is locked. Contact your IT department if you need this setting changed. They can modify the policy on their end, or they can explain why the setting is locked for security or compliance reasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set a different new tab page on each device?
Yes, but only if you turn off sync. If sync is on, your choice syncs to all devices. If you want different new tab pages on different devices, go to Settings, Sync and Google services, and turn off the toggle next to "Sync everything". Then set your new tab page separately on each device.
What if I type a custom URL and it does not load?
Make sure you included the full address, including https:// at the beginning. If you type just google.com, Chrome may not recognize it. Type https://www.google.com instead. If the page still does not load, the website may be down or you may not have an internet connection.
Will changing my new tab page affect my bookmarks or history?
No. Your new tab page is only what appears when you open a new tab. It does not change your bookmarks, your browsing history, or any of your saved passwords. You can change it back anytime by going to Settings and Appearance.
Can I use a local file as my new tab page?
Not directly through Settings. Chrome requires a full web address starting with http:// or https://. If you want to use a custom HTML file, you would need to host it on a web server or use an extension designed for that purpose.