Microsoft Edge doesn’t have a built-in setting that makes every new tab open google.com. Microsoft’s own Edge guidance says the new tab page can’t be set to a custom URL. What you can do is get very close: make Google your startup page, point the Home button at Google, and make Google the search engine in the address bar so anything you type into a new tab searches Google.
The quickest route: open Settings and more (the three dots) > Settings > Privacy, search, and services and set Google as the address bar search engine, then set Google as your startup and Home page. If you truly need new tabs to load google.com itself, a browser extension is the only option for a personal PC, and it comes with trade-offs covered below.
Quick Answer
- Go to google.com in Edge and run one search so Edge adds Google to its search engine list.
- Open Settings and more > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Search and connected services > Address bar and search.
- Choose Google under Search engine used in the address bar.
- In Start, home, and new tabs, set When Edge starts to Open these pages and add https://www.google.com.
- Turn on the Home button and set it to https://www.google.com.
- Optional: install a reputable new tab extension if you want new tabs to load Google directly.
In This Guide
- What you can and can’t change
- Make Google the address bar search engine
- Open Google when Edge starts
- Set the Home button to Google
- Tidy up the new tab page
- Use an extension to open Google in new tabs
- Which option should you use?
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
What You Can and Can’t Change
These steps are for the current Microsoft Edge on Windows 11 and Windows 10, as of September 2026. Edge on Mac has similar settings, though some labels may differ. Microsoft updates Edge often, so a label may be worded slightly differently on your version.
It helps to know the three different pages Edge uses, because people often mix them up:
- New tab page. What you see when you press Ctrl + T or click the plus sign. On a personal PC, this is always Edge’s own page. You can change its layout and content, but not its web address.
- Startup page. What Edge opens when you launch the browser. You can set this to Google.
- Home page. What opens when you click the Home button (the little house icon on the toolbar). You can set this to Google too.
There’s also the default search engine, which decides where your searches go when you type into the address bar. Edge uses Bing by default. Switching it to Google is the single most useful change, because it affects every tab, including new ones.
What you need: Edge installed and up to date, and about five minutes. You don’t need a Google account for any of this.
Make Google the Address Bar Search Engine
This is the change most people actually want. After it, you can open a new tab, type anything into the address bar, press Enter, and get Google results.
- Open Edge, go to google.com, and search for anything. Microsoft notes that a search engine appears in the list only after you’ve searched with it in the address bar. Expected result: Google is now available as a choice in settings.
- Select Settings and more (the three dots at the top right) and then Settings.
- Select Privacy, search, and services in the left menu.
- Select Search and connected services, then Address bar and search.
- Open the Search engine used in the address bar menu and choose Google. Expected result: The setting saves right away. There’s no Save button.
- Open a new tab, click in the address bar, type a search, and press Enter. Expected result: The results page is google.com.
Microsoft’s steps are in Change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge. We also have a full walkthrough on how to change the default search engine from Bing to Google in Edge.
One catch: the search box in the middle of the new tab page may still search Bing. On the same Address bar and search page, some versions of Edge show an option for whether searches on new tabs use the search box or the address bar. If you see it, choose the address bar so new tab searches follow your Google setting. Microsoft documents this behavior for managed browsers, and it only applies when your search engine is something other than Bing.
Open Google When Edge Starts
This makes Google the first thing you see every time you launch Edge.
- Select Settings and more > Settings.
- Select Start, home, and new tabs in the left menu.
- Under When Edge starts, choose Open these pages.
- Select Add a new page, type https://www.google.com, and select Add. Expected result: Google appears in the list of startup pages.
- If other pages are listed and you don’t want them, open the three-dot menu next to each one and delete it.
- Close every Edge window and open Edge again. Expected result: Edge opens to Google.
The other two choices here are Open the new tab page and Continue where you left off. There’s also Use all open tabs, which adds every tab you currently have open as a startup page. Microsoft explains these options in its guide to Edge startup settings.
Set the Home Button to Google
The Home button gives you a one-click jump to Google from any tab, including a fresh new tab.
- Select Settings and more > Settings.
- Look for the Home button setting. In many versions it’s under Start, home, and new tabs. In some newer versions it’s under Appearance, in the toolbar options. You can also type “home button” in the settings search box to jump to it.
- Turn on Show home button on the toolbar (it may simply say Show home button).
- Choose Enter URL, type https://www.google.com, and select Save if that button appears. Expected result: A house icon appears next to the address bar.
- Open a new tab and click the house icon. Expected result: Google loads in that tab.
See Microsoft’s Change your browser home page for the official steps. If you also use other browsers, our guide to making Google your homepage on Windows 10 covers them.
Tidy Up the New Tab Page
If the new tab page bothers you mainly because of the news feed and busy layout, you can strip it down. This won’t make it Google, but it gives you a clean page with an address bar that searches Google.
- Open a new tab.
- Select the Page settings gear icon near the top right of the new tab page. The icon’s position and name can vary by version.
- Pick a simpler layout if offered, and turn off items you don’t want, such as the content feed, background image or quick links. Microsoft describes this as customizing your new tab page layout and content.
- Add Google as a quick link if you like, so it’s one click away on every new tab. Expected result: A Google tile appears on the new tab page.
Use an Extension to Open Google in New Tabs
An extension is a small add-on that changes how Edge behaves. Some extensions replace the new tab page with a web address you choose, such as google.com. This is the only way on a personal PC to make new tabs load Google itself.
Before you install one, read this: an extension that controls your new tab page can see and change what loads in your tabs. Microsoft warns that some extensions might change your new tab page or default search engine settings. Stick to extensions with many users, recent updates and clear reviews, and read the permissions request carefully.
- Select Extensions (the puzzle piece icon to the right of the address bar), then Get Extensions for Microsoft Edge.
- Search the store for a new tab redirect or custom new tab extension, and open its page.
- Check the rating, the number of users, the last update date and the publisher.
- Select Get, review the permissions, then select Add extension.
- Open the extension’s options (usually from Extensions > Manage extensions > Details) and enter https://www.google.com as the new tab address.
- Open a new tab. If Edge asks whether you want to keep the change an extension made, choose to keep it. Expected result: New tabs open google.com.
Edge can also install extensions from the Chrome Web Store if you select Allow for extensions from other stores. To undo any of this, go to Extensions > Manage extensions and switch the extension off, or choose Remove from Microsoft Edge. Microsoft’s steps are in Add, turn off, or remove extensions in Microsoft Edge.
Which Option Should You Use?
| Option | What it changes | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Google as address bar search engine | Every search typed in any tab goes to Google | Almost everyone; do this first |
| Google as startup page | Google opens when Edge launches | People who start each session with a search |
| Home button set to Google | One click opens Google in the current tab | Getting to google.com fast from a new tab |
| New tab page cleanup | Removes news and clutter | People who dislike the feed but don’t need google.com itself |
| Extension | New tabs load google.com | People who need the exact page and accept the trade-offs |
For most people, the first three together are enough. You type your search into the address bar of any new tab and get Google results, with no extra software involved.
Troubleshooting
Google isn’t in the search engine list
Go to google.com and do a search first, then return to Address bar and search. Edge only adds a search engine after you’ve used it. If you see a Manage search engines option on that page, you can also add Google there.
Searches on the new tab page still go to Bing
You’re probably typing into the search box in the middle of the page rather than the address bar at the top. Use the address bar, or look for the setting that sends new tab searches to the address bar.
The settings are grayed out or say they’re managed
If you see a message that your browser is managed by your organization, a work or school administrator controls these settings. Ask them for help. Administrators can set the new tab page address with a policy that Microsoft says only works on managed devices.
Your homepage or search engine keeps switching back
Another extension or program may be changing it. Go to Extensions > Manage extensions, turn off anything you don’t recognize, and set your choices again.
The extension stopped working after an update
Check Manage extensions to make sure it’s still switched on. If Edge turned it off, switch it back on or remove it and try a different, well-reviewed one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set the Edge new tab page to google.com without an extension?
Not on a personal PC. Microsoft says the new tab page can’t be set to a custom URL. The closest built-in setup is Google as your search engine, startup page and Home button.
Will registry tweaks let me change the new tab page?
Probably not. The setting that controls the new tab address is a policy that Microsoft says only applies to devices joined to a work domain, Microsoft Entra ID or device management. It doesn’t apply to a typical home PC, so edits you find online are unlikely to work.
What’s the difference between the homepage and the startup page?
The startup page opens when you launch Edge. The homepage opens when you click the Home button. You can set both to Google.
Does changing the search engine change my new tab page?
No. It changes where address bar searches go, but the new tab page still looks the same. It’s still the most useful change, because every search you type in a new tab goes to Google.
Are new tab extensions safe?
Many are fine, but any extension that controls your tabs has a lot of access. Pick one with many users and recent updates, check its permissions, and remove it if your settings start changing on their own.
Do these settings sync to my other computers?
If you’re signed in to Edge with the same profile and sync is on, many settings follow you. What syncs can vary, so check the settings on each device.
Summary
- Edge can’t set the new tab page to google.com on its own.
- Search with Google once, then set it under Address bar and search.
- Set Google as the startup page under When Edge starts.
- Turn on the Home button and point it at https://www.google.com.
- Clean up the new tab page with its Page settings gear if you like.
- Use a well-reviewed extension only if you need new tabs to load Google itself.
Next step: if you use Google all day, you might also want to pin Google to your taskbar in Windows 11 for one-click access.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.