Set a Custom Start Page and New Tab Page

How to set a new tab page with an extension, or through manual browser configuration.

Most browsers still assume you want their default start pages — search boxes, shortcuts, news cards, algorithmic suggestions. But if you prefer something cleaner, faster, or more personal, all browsers allow you to set a custom startpage, or more precisely new tab page. This will then open every time you launch your browser, or when opening a new tab inside of it.

The process isn’t obvious, so this guide walks through everything step-by-step.

Chrome

For Chrome and all Chromium-based browsers, the simplest one-click way to use a custom startpage is through an extension. For using startpage.pt as your new tab page, we provide just that.

Chrome Extension (recommended)

  1. Install our extension from the Chrome Web Store: Chrome Extension
  2. Open a new tab, and then log in to your startpage.pt account
  3. Open a new tab again, and you will see your sites.

Manual Setup

If you don’t want to use the extension, Chrome also allows manual configuration. This requires two steps: setting the startup page and enabling Chrome’s custom New Tab flag.

Set the Startup Page

  1. Open Chrome.
  2. Go to Settings → On startup.
  3. Select Open a specific page or set of pages.
  4. Add the following URL: https://startpage.pt

Set the New Tab Page

Chrome’s standard settings do not allow setting a custom New Tab URL. However, Chrome includes an experimental feature that enables this through chrome://flags.

  1. In the address bar, open: chrome://flags/#custom-ntp
  2. Locate Custom New Tab Page.
  3. Change the dropdown to Enabled.
  4. In the URL field that appears, enter: https://startpage.pt
  5. Relaunch Chrome when prompted.

After restarting, every new tab will open directly to startpage.pt.