What happens when you open Chrome, and how to change it

By default, Google Chrome opens to your home page — usually Google's search page or a custom page you've set. If you want Chrome to open to a different page instead, you can change this in Chrome's settings. The page Chrome loads when you start it is called your "home page," and it's separate from what happens when you open a new tab.

The steps are the same on Windows, Mac, and Linux. You'll need to know the exact web address (URL) of the page you want to open — for example, www.bbc.com or www.wikipedia.org. The address must start with http:// or https://, or Chrome may not recognize it.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome's home page is what loads when you first open the browser, and it's different from what appears when you open a new tab.
  • You can set Chrome to open any website by going to Settings > Appearance, turning on the home button, and choosing your page.
  • The URL you enter must be complete and correct, starting with http:// or https://, or Chrome may not recognize it.
  • If you want multiple pages to open at once when you start Chrome, you can add them one at a time in the home page settings.

How to set a home page in Chrome

Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. This opens the menu. Select Settings from the dropdown.

On the left side of the Settings page, click Appearance. Look for the section labeled "Home button." By default, the home button is turned off. Click the toggle switch next to "Show home button" to turn it on. A home icon will now appear in the top left of your browser, next to the back and forward arrows.

Below that toggle, you'll see two radio button options: "New Tab page" and "Open a specific page or set of pages." Select the second option. A text box will appear. Type or paste the full web address of the page you want Chrome to open — for example, https://www.bbc.com or https://mail.google.com. Make sure the address starts with https:// or http://. Click the home button icon (now visible in the top left) to test it.

Opening multiple pages when Chrome starts

If you want Chrome to load more than one page at startup, you have two options. The first is to set multiple home pages: in the same "Open a specific page or set of pages" section, click Add a new page and enter another URL. You can add as many as you want. When you click the home button, all of them will open in separate tabs.

The second option is to go back to Settings > Appearance and select Continue where you left off instead of choosing a home page. This tells Chrome to reopen all the tabs and windows you had open the last time you closed the browser. This is useful if you work with the same set of pages every day, but it means Chrome will remember your tabs even if you close the browser unexpectedly.

What to do if Chrome won't recognize your URL

If you enter a web address and Chrome doesn't load it when you click the home button, the most common reason is a missing or incorrect protocol. Chrome needs to know whether you want http:// or https:// at the start of the address. Most modern websites use https:// (the secure version). Try adding https:// to the beginning if you didn't include it.

Another common mistake is typing a page that requires you to log in first — for example, your email inbox or a social media account. Chrome can open the login page, but it won't stay logged in between browser sessions unless you tell it to remember your password. If you want your email or social account to load automatically, make sure you've saved your password in Chrome and that you're not in Incognito mode.

The difference between home page and new tab page

These are two separate things in Chrome, and it's easy to confuse them. Your home page is what loads when you click the home button or when you first open Chrome (if you've set it to do so). Your new tab page is what appears when you press Ctrl+T (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+T (Mac) to open a new tab while Chrome is already running.

By default, the new tab page shows Google search, shortcuts to your bookmarks, and news headlines. You can customize the new tab page separately by clicking the three dots in the bottom right corner of the new tab page itself. This won't affect your home page setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Chrome open to Google search instead of a custom page?

Yes. Go to Settings > Appearance, turn on the home button, and select "New Tab page" instead of "Open a specific page or set of pages." This will make the home button load the same page as a new tab.

What if I want Chrome to open multiple pages but I don't want to use "Continue where you left off"?

Set multiple home pages by clicking "Add a new page" in the home page settings and entering each URL separately. When you click the home button, all of them will open in new tabs. This is more reliable than "Continue where you left off" because it doesn't depend on which tabs were open when you last closed Chrome.

Does changing the home page affect what appears on a new tab?

No. The home page and new tab page are independent. Changing one does not change the other. You can customize the new tab page separately by clicking the three dots in the bottom right corner of any new tab.

Will my home page setting stay the same if I update Chrome?

Yes. Chrome updates automatically in the background, and your settings are preserved. Your home page will remain the same unless you manually change it.