To turn off the Most visited sites thumbnails, open a new tab, click Customize Chrome, choose Shortcuts, and switch on Hide shortcuts. If you would rather keep tiles but choose them yourself, pick My shortcuts in the same panel instead. To remove a single site, hover over its tile and use the three-dot menu.
Before you start
- Applies to: Google Chrome on Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS.
- You need: Nothing extra. Everything is in the new tab page’s Customize Chrome panel.
- Time: Under a minute.
- Note: This setting applies to the Chrome profile you are signed into, not the whole computer.
What are the Most visited sites thumbnails?
Chrome builds a row of tiles on the new tab page from the sites you open most often. They are meant as shortcuts, but Chrome chooses them for you based on your history, which is why they can be awkward on a shared screen. You have three options: replace them with shortcuts you pick, hide them entirely, or drop one site from the list.
How do I hide the shortcuts completely?
This gives you an empty new tab page with no tiles at all.
- Open a new tab and click Customize Chrome in the bottom-right corner.
- Click Shortcuts.
- Switch on the Hide shortcuts toggle.
- Click Done or close the panel.
The new tab page keeps the search box and your background, but the tiles are gone.
How do I replace them with my own shortcuts?
If you like having tiles but want to choose them, switch Chrome from automatic to manual.
- Open a new tab and click Customize Chrome.
- Click Shortcuts.
- Select My shortcuts instead of Most visited sites.
- Click Done.
Chrome now shows only the shortcuts you add, and stops rebuilding the row from your history. See our guide on how to add and edit custom shortcuts.
How do I remove just one site from the list?
You do not have to hide the whole row to get rid of one embarrassing tile.
- Open a new tab.
- Hover the pointer over the tile you want gone.
- Click the three-dot menu that appears in its corner.
- Choose Remove.
Chrome pulls that site out of the row and backfills with the next most-visited one. An undo prompt appears briefly if you change your mind.
Why do the thumbnails keep coming back?
- Check you are in the right profile. The setting is per-profile, so a second Chrome profile keeps its own tiles.
- Check the toggle stuck. Reopen Customize Chrome, Shortcuts, and confirm Hide shortcuts is still on.
- Removing one tile is not permanent forever. Removed sites can reappear if you clear browsing data, which resets the list Chrome builds from.
- Check for a managed device. On a school or work Chromebook, an administrator can control the new tab page and override your choice.
- Check for an extension. An extension that replaces the new tab page has its own tiles and its own settings, and Chrome’s toggle will not affect them.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a completely blank new tab page in Chrome?
Open a new tab, click Customize Chrome, choose Shortcuts, and switch on Hide shortcuts. The tiles disappear and only the search box and background remain.
Does hiding the shortcuts delete my browsing history?
No. It only stops Chrome displaying the tiles. Your history is untouched.
Can I remove a single site instead of all of them?
Yes. Hover over the tile, click the three-dot menu in its corner, and choose Remove.
Why does a removed site come back later?
Chrome rebuilds the list from your browsing history. Clearing browsing data resets the exclusions, so previously removed sites can reappear.
Does this work on Chrome for Android or iPhone?
The Customize Chrome panel described here is a desktop feature. On mobile, long-press a tile on the new tab page and choose Remove to drop individual suggestions.
Where is the Customize Chrome button?
Bottom-right corner of the new tab page. If you do not see it, an extension is probably replacing your new tab page.
Related guides
- How to Customize Shortcuts on the Chrome New Tab Page
- Stop Chrome Showing Recent Searches in the Address Bar
- How to Auto-Delete Chrome Browsing History on Exit
Chrome gives you the full range here: keep the tiles and choose them yourself, drop a single site, or clear the row entirely. All three live in the same Customize Chrome panel, so it takes about thirty seconds either way.
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