Set a new homepage in Chrome in three steps

Open Chrome and select the three-line menu icon in the top right corner. Click Settings, then On startup in the left sidebar. Choose Open a specific page or set of pages, then click Add a new page and enter the web address you want to see when Chrome opens. That address becomes your homepage.

Chrome distinguishes between your homepage — the page that loads when you click the home button — and your startup page, which is what appears when you first open the browser. You can set these to the same address or different ones. Most people want them identical, but the option exists if you prefer different behavior.

The process takes less than a minute and requires no extensions or technical knowledge. You can change it back at any time using the same menu.

Key Takeaways

  • Your homepage appears when you click the home button, while your startup page appears when you open Chrome itself — you can set them separately or to the same address.
  • The home button may not be visible by default; if you do not see it, enable it in Chrome Settings under Appearance.
  • You can set multiple pages to open at startup by adding more than one address in the On startup section.
  • Chrome will remember your chosen homepage and startup pages across sessions until you change them again.

Where to find the homepage setting

The homepage setting lives in Chrome's main Settings menu, not in a separate preferences window. Click the three horizontal lines (called the hamburger menu) in the top right corner of any Chrome window. The menu appears immediately below the icon.

From that menu, select Settings. You will see a sidebar on the left with several options. Look for On startup — it usually appears near the top of the list, sometimes under a Appearance section depending on your Chrome version. Click it to reveal the homepage options.

Choosing what appears when Chrome opens

The On startup section offers three choices. The first option, Continue where you left off, reopens all the tabs and windows you had open the last time you closed Chrome. The second, Open the New Tab page, shows Chrome's default new tab screen with shortcuts and search. The third, Open a specific page or set of pages, lets you choose exactly what loads.

Select the third option to set a custom homepage. A button labeled Add a new page appears below. Click it, paste or type the web address you want (for example, google.com or bbc.com), and press Enter. The address saves immediately.

If you want multiple pages to open when Chrome starts, click Add a new page again and enter another address. Chrome will open each one in a separate tab. You can remove any page by clicking the X icon next to it.

Enabling the home button if it is not visible

Many Chrome users do not see a home button in their toolbar, which means they cannot quickly jump to their homepage while browsing. If you want that button, you need to turn it on first. Click the three-line menu, select Settings, then look for Appearance in the left sidebar.

Under Appearance, find the toggle for Show home button and switch it on. A home icon (usually a small house) will appear to the left of your address bar. Once enabled, clicking that button takes you to your chosen homepage from any page you are viewing.

Setting a different homepage than your startup page

Your startup page (what loads when you open Chrome) and your homepage (what loads when you click the home button) can be different. This is useful if you want Chrome to open to your email but you want the home button to take you to a news site instead.

To set them differently, first configure your startup page in the On startup section as described above. Then enable the home button in Appearance. Finally, click the three-line menu, select Settings, and look for Home in the left sidebar (not On startup). Choose Custom URL and enter the address you want the home button to use.

Now your startup page and homepage point to different addresses. You can change either one independently without affecting the other.

Removing or changing your homepage later

To change your homepage, return to Settings > On startup and click the X icon next to the address you want to remove. Then click Add a new page and enter a different address. The change takes effect immediately.

If you want to go back to Chrome's default behavior, select Open the New Tab page in the On startup section instead of Open a specific page or set of pages. This removes all custom pages and returns Chrome to its standard startup screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set my homepage to a local file on my computer?

Yes. In the Add a new page field, type file:/// followed by the full path to your file (for example, file:///C:/Users/YourName/Documents/mypage.html on Windows). Chrome will open that file when you click the home button or start the browser, depending on which setting you configured.

What if I want different homepages on different user profiles?

Chrome allows multiple user profiles, each with separate settings. Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select Manage people to create a new profile. Each profile stores its own homepage and startup settings independently, so you can customize them per profile.

Does changing my homepage affect my search engine?

No. Your homepage and your default search engine are separate settings. Changing your homepage does not change which search engine Chrome uses in the address bar. To change your search engine, go to Settings > Search engine and pick a different option from the dropdown.

Will my homepage setting sync across devices?

Yes, if you are signed into the same Google account on multiple devices and have sync enabled. Your homepage and startup settings will appear on all devices where you use that account. To check sync status, click your profile icon in the top right and look for the sync indicator.

Can I set a homepage that requires a password?

Yes, but Chrome will not automatically log you in. When you click the home button or open Chrome, you will be taken to the login page. You will need to enter your credentials each time unless the site remembers you in a cookie.