Why Chrome Opens the New Tab Page
By default, when you launch Google Chrome, it is programmed to display the “New Tab” page. This page features a Google Search bar, your most frequently visited websites, and sometimes promotional content or “Discover” articles depending on your region. Google wants this page to be your daily starting point.
However, many users prefer a more streamlined experience. If you use Chrome specifically for work and always need to log into a specific company dashboard first thing in the morning, or if you simply prefer your browser to start with a completely blank screen to load faster, the forced New Tab page is a hindrance. You can change your startup settings to bypass this default page entirely.
How to Change the Chrome Startup Behavior
You can configure exactly what Chrome does when launched via the main settings menu.
- Open Google Chrome on your desktop.
- Click the More (three dots) icon in the top-right corner.
- Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
- In the left-hand sidebar, click on On startup.
- You will see three options. By default, Open the New Tab page is selected. Change this setting to one of the following:
- Continue where you left off: Select this if you want Chrome to automatically reload every single tab you had open when you last closed the browser. (This completely skips the New Tab page).
- Open a specific page or set of pages: Select this if you want to force Chrome to load a specific website. Click “Add a new page” and type in a URL (e.g.,
https://www.example.comorabout:blankfor a completely empty, white screen).
Once you make this selection, the changes are saved instantly. The next time you close and reopen Chrome, it will immediately execute your new startup command, completely bypassing the default New Tab page.