Introduction
When students open a new tab on a school Chromebook, Chrome new tab URL specifies the webpage that Chrome opens in that new tab. Chrome’s default New Tab page opens with Google Search instead of taking students directly to a school resource such as Google Classroom or a school website.
A school administrator wants Google Classroom to open whenever students create a new Chrome tab, so each new tab opens directly to the page selected by the school. In the school deployments we support, we have seen administrators set school resources as Chrome’s startup page but still need a separate way to specify which webpage opens whenever students create a new tab.
This guide explains why schools need a custom New Tab page, where existing solutions fall short and how Safe Doc provides a way to set a custom New Tab destination through the Google Admin Console.
Why the Default Chrome New Tab Page Is a Problem for Schools
The problem starts when students open a new tab on a school Chromebook and Chrome displays Google Search and shortcuts instead of the webpage the school needs students to access.
K-12 IT administrators are most affected because they are responsible for configuring Chrome for students and directing them to the webpages needed for schoolwork. Teachers also deal with the issue when students open new tabs during school activities and are taken to Chrome’s default New Tab page instead of the webpage required for the activity.
We have worked with schools facing the same concern, where administrators had already set a school webpage such as ClassLink as the Chrome startup page, but Chrome continued to open its normal New Tab page when students created a new tab.
Changing the startup page does not change the page Chrome opens when a student creates a new tab. A school can have its webpage set as the startup page while Chrome continues to display its default New Tab page for newly created tabs.
If this is left unaddressed, students continue to see Chrome’s default New Tab page instead of the school webpage required for their schoolwork.
Illustration of Default Chrome new Tab URL
Existing Approaches to Custom Chrome New Tab Pages
Google Admin Console provides a New Tab Page URL setting that allows administrators to specify the URL that opens whenever users create a new tab. The setting applies to the New Tab page, while the Chrome startup page remains unchanged.
Existing guidance focuses on changing Google Chrome New Tab settings and replacing the default New Tab page with a specific webpage, but it does not address how schools configure the New Tab destination for selected student users or organizational units.
These approaches provide a way to change what opens when a new tab is created, but schools need more specific control over which students receive the New Tab setting and which webpage opens for each group.
What Schools Actually Need
- Set a specific URL that opens whenever students create a new Chrome tab.
- Manage the Chrome new tab URL for selected users or organizational units.
- Apply consistent New Tab behavior across the users and devices covered by the setting.
- Keep the New Tab destination separate from the Chrome startup page.
How Does Chrome Handle the New Tab Page?
How Is the Startup Page Different From the New Tab Page?
The startup page is the webpage Chrome opens when the browser starts, while the New Tab page is the page Chrome opens when a user creates a new tab. These settings have different Chrome behaviors.
Setting a school webpage as the startup page does not change the New Tab page. Students can still receive Chrome’s default New Tab page when they create additional tabs.
“Chrome handles the startup page and the New Tab page as separate browser behaviors, so changing the startup page does not automatically change the New Tab page.” — Neeraj Nanvani, Solutions Engineer of Safe Doc.
What Appears on Chrome’s Default New Tab Page?
Chrome opens its default New Tab page when a student creates a new tab. The page includes Google Search, suggested content, and shortcuts, giving students a general browsing starting point rather than taking them directly to a school resource.
For school activities, students need direct access to resources such as Google Classroom or a school website, whereas schools need students to reach the specific webpage required for their schoolwork when they create a new tab. But Chrome opens its standard New Tab page.
How to Change the Chrome New Tab URL with Safe Doc
Safe Doc gives schools using Google Workspace a centrally managed way to set a specific webpage as the Chrome New Tab destination. The NewTabPageUrl policy opens the administrator-defined webpage when a student creates a new tab, directing the student to a resource such as Google Classroom instead of Chrome’s standard New Tab page.
Need targeted control over Chrome New Tab settings for students? Explore Safe Doc’s NewTabPageUrl policy for a more focused Chrome setup.
- Administrators can apply NewTabPageUrl to selected users or organizational units, allowing different groups to receive different New Tab URLs. This gives schools a way to direct students to the webpage relevant to their group without requiring each student to configure Chrome manually.
- Safe Doc receives NewTabPageUrl through Chrome’s managed extension policy system. The policy uses a String value to specify the destination webpage, giving administrators a direct way to define the URL that opens in a new tab.
- NewTabPageUrl controls the New Tab destination separately from the Chrome startup page, so the setting applies specifically to the page students see when they create a new tab.
Set Chrome New Tab page URL to Google Classroom by xFanatical Safe Doc
To be clear, the Safe Doc NewTabPageUrl policy is designed specifically for schools that need to set a specific webpage as the New Tab destination on student devices. It does not replace the separate Chrome startup page or prevent users from navigating to another website after the configured page opens.
How to Configure Safe Doc policy for students
Prerequisites
- Admin access: A Google Workspace Admin with Chrome Management privilege or Super Admin in the Google Admin Console.
- Safe Doc deployment: Safe Doc must already be deployed to the student OU you want to configure.
If you have not yet deployed Safe Doc, please apply for a free 30-day trial license key. The trial license and the sample policy JSON file will be emailed to you. Sign into the Google Admin Console and deploy xFanatical Safe Doc to the selected student organizational unit (OU). You can refer to the guide, How to Deploy Safe Doc To Your Students’ Chrome Browsers, and use your trial license along with the sample JSON file to activate the extension.
Steps to configure the policy
- Sign in to the Google Admin Console.
- Go to Devices > Chrome > Apps & Extensions > Users & browsers, and navigate to your Safe Doc policy configuration for the relevant organizational unit (OU).
- Click the xFanatical Safe Doc.
- In the right-hand panel, under Policy for extensions, add or edit the NewTabPageUrl setting value to “https://classroom.google.com” as follows
"NewTabPageUrl": {
"Value": "https://classroom.google.com"
} - Click Save to apply the changes.
- Verify that the policy is active. Note: Wait a few minutes for the policy to be propagated to the student’s devices. This can also take up to 24 hours.
For further details, please refer to our guide: Configure xFanatical Safe Doc
Troubleshooting the Policy
If you find that the policy to How to Change Chrome NewTab Url on student chromebook is not working as expected, please follow the troubleshooting instructions to verify that the “NewTabPageUrl” policy settings are properly enabled via Safe Doc in the Google Admin Console.
Frequently Asked question
- How do I change the Chrome New Tab URL on student chromebook?
Administrators can configure Safe Doc’s NewTabPageUrl policy with the required webpage URL and apply it to selected users or organizational units through Google Admin Console.
- Why does changing the Chrome startup page not change the Chrome New Tab page?
Chrome treats these as separate browser behaviors. The startup page opens when Chrome starts, while the New Tab page opens when a user creates a new tab. Changing one does not affect the other.
- Can I customize the Chrome New Tab page for different users?
Yes. Administrators can apply NewTabPageUrl to selected users or organizational units, allowing different groups to receive their own configured New Tab URL.
- Can users navigate away from the configured New Tab URL?
Yes. NewTabPageUrl determines where the new tab starts, but it does not restrict users to that webpage. Once it opens, they can navigate to another website.
- What happens if the configured New Tab URL is invalid?
The configured URL needs to be valid and accessible to the users or devices receiving the policy. An incorrect URL or policy value can prevent the intended New Tab configuration from applying.
Conclusion
For schools using managed Chromebooks, the Chrome New Tab page can open Chrome’s default page even when a different startup page is configured. Safe Doc’s NewTabPageUrl policy lets administrators specify the webpage that opens when students create a new tab and apply the setting to selected users or organizational units. This allows schools to direct students to resources such as Google Classroom or a school website based on their requirements. The policy keeps the New Tab destination separate from the startup page, allowing administrators to configure each setting independently.
Want to set a custom New Tab destination for students? Explore Safe Doc’s NewTabPageUrl policy to learn more. Start your free trial.
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