You can set a homepage in Chrome by enabling the Home button and choosing a page, or set startup pages to open when Chrome launches.
Goal: Make Chrome open the page you want—either when you press the Home icon or when the browser starts. This guide explains both, step by step, on desktop, Android, and iPhone/iPad. It keeps wording tight, avoids fluff, and follows safe UI language throughout.
Change Homepage In Google Chrome: Quick Overview
Quick check: A homepage is the page that loads when you press the small house icon called Home. A startup page is what opens when Chrome launches. The New Tab page is the default screen for new tabs. These are separate settings, and you can choose any one or mix them. Chrome lets you pick a custom link for the Home icon, while the startup setting can open a single page or a set of pages.
- Show The Home Button — Turn on the Home icon in Settings > Appearance, then set the link you want.
- Pick Startup Behavior — In Settings > On startup, choose New Tab, Continue where you left off, or a specific page or set of pages.
- Keep It Simple — If you only want one go-to link, set it as your Home link. If you want multiple tabs to open every morning, use the startup pages option.
Helpful tip: If you ever think “how can i change homepage in google chrome?” the fastest route is the three-dot menu → Settings. Everything you need sits under Appearance and On startup.
How Can I Change Homepage In Google Chrome On Desktop
These steps work the same on Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS. The labels match current Chrome menus, so you can follow them line by line.
- Open Settings — Click the three dots at the top right, then pick Settings.
- Show The Home Button — Open Appearance. Turn on Show Home button.
- Choose The Home Destination — Under Show Home button, pick New Tab page or Enter custom web address. Paste your link and confirm.
Why two places? The Home icon is about a quick jump while you browse. The On startup section controls what opens when Chrome launches. You can set both the same link or keep them different. Many users set the Home icon to a daily dashboard and set startup to “Continue where you left off” so last session tabs come back automatically.
- Use Current Page — Already on the site you want as your Home link? Copy the URL from the address bar and paste it under Enter custom web address.
- Make It A Blank Page — Prefer clean? Type about:blank as the custom address. It opens a bare page when you hit Home.
- Switch Back Anytime — Return to Appearance to change or toggle the Home icon off if you no longer want it.
Also useful: If the Home icon doesn’t appear, check that Show Home button is on. If the page keeps changing, review extensions in chrome://extensions and see the fix section below.
Set Startup Pages Or New Tab On Computer
You may want Chrome to open one page, several pages, or your last session. Use the On startup setting for this behavior. It’s separate from the Home icon, so you can keep a different link there.
- Open On Startup — Go to Settings, then click On startup on the left sidebar.
- Pick A Mode — Choose one of these: Open the New Tab page, Continue where you left off, or Open a specific page or set of pages.
- Add Pages — If you pick the specific pages option, click Add a new page, paste a URL, and click Add. Repeat for more tabs.
Use case ideas: Open your task board, calendar, and inbox as a trio every morning. Or keep a single dashboard. If you like your last set of tabs, choose Continue where you left off so Chrome restores them next time.
| Option | Where To Set | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| New Tab page | Settings > On startup | Clean start with shortcuts and theme |
| Continue where you left off | Settings > On startup | Picking up last session with no prep |
| Specific page(s) | Settings > On startup | Opening a dashboard or a set of work tabs |
- Use Current Pages — With your tabs open, click Use current pages to save the whole set at once.
- Tidy Old Entries — Remove stale links by clicking the three dots next to any saved page and selecting Remove.
- Privacy Boost — If you pick “Continue where you left off,” lock your device when stepping away to protect open tabs.
Change Homepage On Android
Android Chrome shows a Home icon in the toolbar. You can direct that icon to any site. You can’t set multiple startup tabs on Android the same way as desktop, but you can control the Home link and always pin your favorite sites to the Home screen of the phone if you want quick launch icons.
- Open Settings — Tap the three dots, then tap Settings.
- Open Homepage — Scroll to the Homepage entry under the advanced area.
- Set The Link — Choose Chrome’s default page or tap Enter custom web address and paste your link.
Extra tips: If the address bar sits at the bottom on your device, menus still work the same. You can press and hold the bar to move it, but your Settings path for the Home link doesn’t change. If you like a blank Home, use about:blank as the custom link. If your link keeps switching, check for third-party apps that change defaults, then revisit this screen to set your pick again.
- Add To Home Screen — Open a site, tap the three dots, then tap Add to Home screen for a launcher icon.
- Reset If Needed — If something feels off, clear app cache in Android settings or update Chrome from the Play Store to refresh behavior.
- Keep It Handy — Short links work best on mobile. Use a clean HTTPS link without tracking parameters.
Change Homepage On IPhone And IPad
On iOS, the Home icon can point to a custom link just like on Android and desktop. Startup behavior is different on iOS because the system handles app state in the background. That means you mostly control the Home icon link and your default browser choice.
- Open Settings In Chrome — Tap the three dots, then tap Settings.
- Set Homepage — Find the Homepage control. Pick New Tab page or add a custom link you want the Home icon to open.
- Choose Default Browser — In iOS Settings (the system app), set Chrome as Default Browser App if that’s your preference.
Practical flow: Many iPhone users set the Home icon to a single favorite destination and rely on the New Tab page for everything else. If you often ask yourself “how can i change homepage in google chrome?” on iOS, the answer is still inside Chrome’s own Settings screen under Homepage.
- Use Shortcuts — Add a site to your Home Screen from the Share sheet for one-tap access outside the browser.
- Keep Chrome Updated — Updates improve UI polish and fix odd Home behavior after iOS upgrades.
- Sync Helps — Turn on sync so your bookmarks and passwords follow you across iPhone, iPad, and desktop.
Fix Homepage Not Sticking Or Changed By An Extension
Sometimes a toolbars-style add-on or a bundled program changes the homepage or startup tabs. If your setting flips back or the Home icon starts opening a page you never picked, run through these quick checks on a computer.
- Review Extensions — Visit chrome://extensions. Toggle off items you don’t need. Remove any add-on you don’t recognize.
- Scan For Malware — Use your security app, then restart Chrome. Some adware resets startup behavior.
- Reset Chrome Settings — In Settings, search for Reset settings. Use Restore settings to their original defaults. This keeps bookmarks and saved passwords but resets the homepage, startup pages, search engine, and pinned tabs.
After a reset: Return to Appearance to set the Home icon link again, then open On startup to restore your preferred startup pages. This two-minute pass clears stubborn overrides while preserving your core data.
- Lock It Down — Only install extensions you trust. Add them one at a time, and keep auto-updates on.
- Keep Chrome Current — Updates patch holes that let hijackers change settings. Use the three dots → Help → About Google Chrome.
- Back Up Links — Save your startup set as a bookmark folder so you can re-apply it with Use current pages after any reset.
Smart Setup Patterns That Save Time
Once you pick a homepage and startup behavior, you can streamline your day with a few small tweaks. These patterns work across devices and keep your start screen tidy.
- Daily Stack — On desktop, set startup to open your planner, calendar, and email. Keep the Home icon pointed to your dashboard.
- Focus Mode — Set startup to New Tab for a clean slate each session. Use the Home icon for one research hub.
- One-Tap Mobile — On Android or iOS, make the Home icon your most used site and add two more top sites to the phone’s Home Screen.
- Blank Home — Point the Home icon to about:blank for a distraction-free jump point while keeping rich startup tabs on desktop.
Neat finish: Once you set both the Home icon and the startup option, Chrome will behave exactly the way you expect. If plans change, it takes only a few clicks to swap links or switch modes.
