Here is a quick tip for users of the Google Chrome browser. In the latest version of the browser, Google changed the appearance of the page you get when you want to create a new tab. Now you get a lot of white space, a great big Google logo, and an unnecessary search bar. (See the graphic below.) A lot of people (including me) don’t like it. Fortunately, there is a quick way to bring back the way the new tab page previously looked.

Enter "chrome://flags" (without quotes) in the address bar (or “omnibox” as Google terms it). In the page that opens, scroll down until you locate the entry "Enable Instant Extended API Mac, Windows, Chrome OS". (It’s a long list. You might want to use Ctrl+F and the Find box). In the little drop-down dialog at the bottom-left of the entry, click “Disabled” At the bottom-left of your window, there should be a button “Relaunch Now”. Click it. Otherwise, just close and restart the browser. If you want the new style back, click "Enabled" in step 3 above and restart the browser.

And there you have it – the new tab page the way it used to look.

This tip was suggested by a thread in the Freeware Forum started by editor J_L.

Update 21 February, 2014 - Google now seems to have made the change in the new tab page permanent. See this link.

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This tips section is maintained by Vic Laurie. Vic runs several websites with Windows how-to's, guides, and tutorials, including a site for learning about Windows and the Internet and another with Windows 7 tips.

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