In Chrome and Edge, add about:blank as a custom homepage or startup page. In Firefox, choose its built-in Blank page option. In Safari on Mac, choose Empty Page. Homepage, startup, and New Tab are separate settings.
Know which page you are changing
| Setting | When it appears | Why the distinction matters |
|---|---|---|
| Homepage | When you select the Home button; in some browsers it can also be used for new windows | Changing it may not affect startup |
| Startup page | When you launch the browser | Can be a New Tab, previous session, or a list of specific pages |
| New Tab page | When you create a tab | Often contains search and shortcuts and may not accept an arbitrary URL |
| Session restore | When the browser reopens tabs from the last session | Can bring back a blank tab even when it is not in the startup list |
Decide whether you want a blank page only when selecting Home, every time the browser launches, or for each new window. Then change only that control.
Google Chrome on desktop
Set the Home button to about:blank
- Open Chrome Settings. Select the three-dot menu, then Settings.
- Open Appearance. Turn on Show Home button.
- Choose the custom address option. Enter
about:blank. - Test the Home button. It should open a completely empty document.
Open about:blank when Chrome starts
- Go to Settings → On startup.
- Select “Open a specific page or set of pages.”
- Select “Add a new page.” Enter
about:blankand save it. - Review the rest of the list. Remove other pages if you do not want them to open too.
Chrome's Home button and startup page are explicitly separate. Setting one does not automatically set the other.
Microsoft Edge on desktop
Set the Home button
- Open Settings. Select the three-dot menu, then Settings.
- Open “Start, home, and new tab page.”
- Turn on the Home button. Choose the URL option and enter
about:blank.
Open blank when Edge starts
- In the same settings panel, find “When Edge starts.”
- Choose “Open these pages.”
- Add a new page. Enter
about:blank.
If Edge still restores other tabs, review whether it is configured to open tabs from the previous session. Work accounts can also apply managed startup pages.
Mozilla Firefox on desktop
Firefox offers a native blank-page choice, so you do not need to type the internal address.
- Open the menu, then Settings.
- Open “Home and startup.” Depending on the release, the panel may be labeled Home.
- Find “Homepage and new windows.” Select Blank page.
- Review New tabs separately. Choose Blank page there too only if you want every new tab empty.
- Review session restore. Turn off “Open previous windows and tabs” if you do not want old tabs to return.
Safari on Mac
Safari provides an Empty Page setting. This is clearer and more reliable than manually entering about:blank as a homepage.
- Choose Safari → Settings → General.
- For new windows, choose “Empty Page.” Use the “New windows open with” menu.
- For new tabs, choose “Empty Page” separately. Use the “New tabs open with” menu.
- Review “Safari opens with.” Select a new window if you do not want the previous session restored.
Safari on iPhone and iPad does not expose the same General settings as Safari on Mac. Do not follow macOS menu paths on mobile.
Benefits—and honest limits
A blank start page is calm, predictable, and requires no remote homepage request. It can reduce visual distraction and avoids loading a news feed or search portal when a window opens.
Do not expect dramatic performance or battery gains on a modern device without measuring them. Browsers may still run sync, extension, update, preloading, and background processes. The blank document itself does not make the browser anonymous, block trackers on other pages, or act as malware protection.
If you want search shortcuts and recently visited sites, the browser's default New Tab or Start Page may be more useful. The right choice is personal, not a security requirement.
How to undo a blank homepage
- Chrome: remove the entry under On startup, and choose New Tab for the Home button or turn the button off.
- Edge: remove it under When Edge starts, and choose New tab page for the Home button.
- Firefox: change Homepage and new windows from Blank page to Firefox Home or Custom URLs.
- Safari: change Empty Page to Start Page or Homepage for new windows and tabs.
If the page was not your choice or keeps returning, use the full stop about:blank opening checklist rather than repeatedly editing the same control.
Official browser sources
- Google Chrome Help: Set your homepage and startup pageOfficial current desktop Chrome paths and the homepage/startup distinction.
- Microsoft Support: Change your browser home pageOfficial Edge Home button path.
- Mozilla Support: How to set the home pageDocuments Firefox Home, Custom URLs, and Blank page.
- Apple Support: Change General settings in Safari on MacDocuments Empty Page, Start Page, Homepage, and session options.