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I don’t like the behavior of the new tab page in Google Chrome 29+. How can I restore the old behavior?

The new tab page (if you have Google set as the default search engine) now shows the Google logo (or, apparently, the doodle of the day if there is one), a search box, and a few recently visited websites. It also added an Apps button to my favorites bar, seemingly the only way to access my apps page, which has easy access to things I use regularly (Calendar, Gmail, Docs, G+, Facebook, Feedly, Google News, Netflix, Play Music, Pandora, Drive, Keep, etc.) I don’t like this behavior. I actually don’t mind having the logo of the day and search box, but I want my apps linked to on my new tab page.

Is there any way to get the old behavior back? I checked the settings and it doesn’t seem like it’s possible to set chrome://apps to be the new tab page (which would restore the old behavior) or to configure the new new tab page to display apps instead of recently visited sites.

Hennes
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Thomas Owens
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9 Answers9

97

Please note: This solution no longer works as many of the features mentioned have been removed by the Chrome developers. It will be kept for posterity, but is no longer guaranteed to work as intended.

Update January 29, 2014: As of Google Chrome stable Version 32.0.1700.102 m this flag still appears to exist. chrome-internal://newtab does not appear to exist. chrome://apps still exists.

Update Feburary 21, 2014 As of Google Chrome stable Version 33.0.1750.117 m this flag appears to no longer exist. chrome://apps appears to still work. chrome://newtab directs users to the new newtab page.

To disable this feature, go to:

chrome://flags/

And hit Ctrl+F. Search for "Enable Instant Extended API". Click disabled in the dropdown below it, then click relaunch now. This should disable the new tab page. Change the flag to enabled if you'd like to re-enable it at any time.

Edit: Here's the flag:

chrome://flags/#enable-instant-extended-api

Thanks, Jim Bergman.

Other possible solutions

  • Please see either drzaus's answer or niutech's answer for possible solutions involving Google Chrome extensions and other dark magic. New Tab Reloaded (Extended) is currently the only extension that fully restores the old New Tab Page, though "Recently closed" and "Other devices" are only available in development versions of Chrome, which may be unstable.

  • Rob Cooper has posted a work around with some more details about how to get rid of the annoying search engine on the new tab page in Google Chrome. Please see his answer for more details.

Community
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DanteTheEgregore
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17

Another alternative is to use the Replace New Tab Page extension and set the new url to chrome://apps (which is the url from the new bookmark icon).

I assume this lets you take advantage of the other parts of the flag "Enable Instant Extended API" rather than disable it.

drzaus
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16

DanteTheEgregore's answer doesn't work in Google Chrome 33+ because Google has removed that flag. However, you can revert the old New Tab Page by following my workaround:

  1. Install the New Tab Redirect extension
  2. Set the URL in options to: chrome-internal://newtab or chrome://apps
Community
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niutech
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6

This is annoying the hell out of me as well - after some tinkering and reading the docs on Google. I've found a solution - one that Google might not like either..

Namely:

Your default search provider has the option to customise the New Tab page. If Google is your default search provider, you'll see a logo and search box like on www.google.com. If your default search provider isn't Google, you may see a different layout on the New Tab page.

  • Open "Settings".
  • Scroll down to "Search".
  • Under "Set which search engine is used when searching from the omnibox." select "Bing".

Open a new tab and enjoy the lack of Google.

NOTE: If you find you're not getting some results - you can make Google quickly accessible by adding a shortcut to Google via:

  • Open "Settings".
  • Scroll down to "Search".
  • Click "Manage search engines"

Under "Other search engines"..

  • Scroll to the bottom to where you can add a new entry.
  • Search Engine: Google
  • Keyword: go - it didn't seem to like 'g' on mine, but try
  • URL: https://www.google.com/#q=%s
  • Open a new tab - type "go" (hit delete if autocomplete kicks in) and type your search query. Hit enter and you're good to go.

Enjoy!

PS: This has been tested and confirmed good on version 32.0.1700.76.

UPDATE - 4th March 2014

I'm now running Chrome 33.0.1750.117, with my default search engine back to Google - and all is well, normal behaviour has resumed. However, I've heard others still have it.. I can only guess that if the above doesn't work - you've falling into some Google A/B test. :(

Rob Cooper
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Alternatively to access the old interface of Google Search, open either of the following links in Chrome:

Get Classic Old Interface in Google Search (English)

Get Classic Old Interface in Google Search (Worldwide)

Opening either of the above mentioned links, will give you the old Google Search webpage instead of the new one.

Then bookmark the link by pressing "CTRL+D" keys in your browser window so that you can access it quickly whenever you want. You can also set it as your browser homepage.

Courtesy

Simon
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In Google Chrome v33 you also can use this extension http://stylet.github.io/GLogo_deactivator/ . I hope it will be helpful.

Stylet
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There is a simple way to do it without any extensions or hidden APIs. It should work for all OSes too. For all known versions of Chrome and Chromium and derivatives. At the time of writing, version is 38.

  1. Start Chrome
  2. This step is not really needed, but a precaution: If you have sync set up between multiple PCs, pause it temporarily or just turn off Internet connection.
  3. Close all tabs. Open new tab and use X buttons to remove all thumbnails you don't want. (You can remove all, or leave some).
  4. Close Chrome immediately.
  5. Go to the place where Chrome keeps its settings. On Linux, it is ~/.config/google-chrome/Default, on other OSes look here. In a folder Default find files called Top Sites and Top Sites-journal. Make them read-only. May be you can simply delete the second.
  6. Enjoy your new peek-free Chrome. It can still sometimes create thumbnails for sites you just visited, but will immediately forget them after closing.

Unlike the extensions, this actually makes Chrome to forget your favorite sites. All other methods can introduce privacy leak: You bring your PC somewhere, connect it to Internet, and Chrome tries to access your favorite sites. Than local network admin will know what sites you frequent.

Barafu Albino
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0

I recommend using the StartHQ extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/starthq/ilcpdgfepihaomggobhmfiimflngbcoh . It additionally allows you to customize all of the links, titles and pictures. So that you don't have to rely on the Chrome App Store anymore.

finn
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You can also install this extension. It will show the apps when opening a new tab in Chrome:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/show-apps-in-new-tab/nohbdifokmdgjcbbeobglcbaifinhfip

Disclaimer: I created this extension, I don't make any money from it, just had the same annoyance that's why I created it. This post is intended to help, not to self promote. ‍♂️

magikMaker
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