What you can change on Chrome's home screen

Chrome's home screen is the page that appears when you open a new tab. You can change the background image, add or remove shortcuts to your favourite websites, and adjust what search engine appears at the top. You cannot change the layout itself — the search bar stays centred and the shortcuts stay below it — but you have real control over the look and the sites you see.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are on a computer or a phone, and whether you are signed into a Google account. This guide covers both.

Key Takeaways

  • On a computer, right-click the background image to change it to a solid colour, a preset image, or an image from your files.
  • You can add shortcuts to any website by clicking the plus icon, or remove them by right-clicking and selecting remove.
  • On Android and iPhone, the home screen customisation options are more limited but you can still change the background and add shortcuts.
  • Changes sync across all your devices if you are signed into the same Google account.
  • The search engine that appears on the home screen is set in Chrome's settings, not on the home screen itself.

Changing the background on a computer

Open Chrome and click on the new tab button (or press Ctrl+T on Windows, Command+T on Mac). Right-click anywhere on the background image. A menu will appear with options including "Change background" at the top.

Click "Change background". A panel will open on the right side showing three tabs: Presets, Uploads, and Collections. Presets shows Google's built-in images organised by category — Art, Nature, Cityscapes, and others. Click any image to explore it when ready. Uploads lets you select an image from your computer files. Collections shows curated sets of images grouped by theme.

If you want a solid colour instead, click the colour circle icon at the bottom of the panel. A row of colour options will appear. Click any colour to explore it. You can also click the plus icon to add a custom colour by entering a hex code.

Adding and removing website shortcuts

Shortcuts are the small boxes below the search bar that link to your most-visited sites. Chrome adds them automatically, but you can add your own or remove the ones you do not use.

To add a shortcut, click the plus icon (it looks like a small square with a plus sign) in the bottom right of the shortcuts area. A box will appear asking for the website name and URL. Type the name you want to see under the shortcut, then paste or type the full web address. Click "Done". The shortcut will appear when ready.

To remove a shortcut, right-click on it. A small menu will appear. Click "Remove". The shortcut disappears at once. You can also click and drag shortcuts to reorder them.

Changing the home screen on Android

Open Chrome and tap the three-dot menu in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and tap "Settings". Tap "Home page". Toggle the switch next to "Show home button" to turn it on if it is not already on.

Tap "Home page" again (the option below the toggle). You will see two choices: "Open the home page" and "Open the new tab page". If you select "Open the home page", you can then tap "Home page URL" and enter a website address. If you select "Open the new tab page", Chrome will show the same home screen you see on a computer.

To change the background on Android, open a new tab. Long-press (hold your finger) on the background image. A menu will appear. Tap "Change background". You will see options for Presets, Uploads, and Collections, similar to the computer version. Select the image or colour you want.

Changing the home screen on iPhone

Chrome on iPhone does not have a dedicated home screen in the same way. When you open a new tab, you see the search bar and shortcuts, but customisation options are more limited than on Android or computer.

To change the background, open a new tab and long-press the background image. A menu will appear with "Change background" as an option. Tap it and choose from Presets, Uploads, or Collections. To add a shortcut, tap the plus icon and enter the website name and URL. To remove one, long-press the shortcut and tap "Remove".

Syncing your home screen across devices

If you are signed into the same Google account on multiple devices, your home screen changes will sync automatically. This means if you change the background on your computer, it will appear on your phone the next time you open Chrome (or within a few minutes if Chrome is already open).

Shortcuts also sync across devices. If you add a website shortcut on your phone, it will appear on your computer. If you remove one on your computer, it will disappear from your phone.

To check that you are signed in, look for your profile picture or initial in the top right corner of Chrome on a computer, or tap the three-dot menu on a phone and look for your account name at the top.

Changing the search engine on the home screen

The search engine that appears when you type in the home screen search bar is not changed from the home screen itself — it is set in Chrome's settings. On a computer, click the three-dot menu in the top right, select "Settings", then click "Search engine" in the left sidebar. A dropdown menu shows your current search engine. Click it to see other options: Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and others. Click the one you want.

On Android, open the three-dot menu, tap "Settings", then "Search engine". Tap the search engine you want to use. On iPhone, tap the three-dot menu, tap "Settings", scroll down to "Search Engine", and tap the one you prefer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my home screen changes appear on other people's computers if they use my account?

Yes. If someone else signs into your Google account on their device, they will see the same background, shortcuts, and search engine settings. If you share a computer with others, each person should have their own user account to keep home screens separate.

Can I use my own photo as the background?

Yes. On a computer or phone, click or tap "Change background", then select the "Uploads" tab. Click or tap the plus icon and choose an image file from your device. The image will be resized to fit the home screen.

What if I want to go back to Chrome's default home screen?

On a computer, right-click the background and select "Change background". Click the first preset image (usually a straightforward blue or grey background). On a phone, follow the same steps. You can also remove all shortcuts by right-clicking or long-pressing each one and selecting remove.

Do I need to be signed into Google to change the home screen?

No. You can change the background and add shortcuts without signing in. However, changes will not sync to other devices unless you are signed into the same account.

Why is my home screen background not changing on my phone?

Make sure you are on the new tab page, not the home page. On Android, check that "Show home button" is toggled on in Settings. On both Android and iPhone, try closing Chrome completely and opening it again. If the change still does not appear, sign out and back into your Google account.