How to Open a New Tab in Chrome

To open a new tab in Chrome, press Ctrl+T (Windows/Linux) or Command+T (Mac), or click the plus (+) icon at the end of the tab bar. That’s the fastest way; the rest of this guide covers every other method, how to customize new-tab behavior, and how to fix common issues.

Why You Might Need This

Most people open a new tab dozens of times a day without thinking about it. But if you’re new to Chrome, switching from another browser, or trying to be more efficient, knowing all the ways to open a tab can save seconds that add up. It also helps when a method stops working—say, your mouse is broken or the plus icon disappears.

All the Ways to Open a New Tab

Keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+T (Windows/Linux) or Command+T (Mac). This is the fastest and most reliable method.
Plus icon: Click the + at the far right of the tab strip (the row of open tabs).
Menu: Click the three-dot menu (top-right), then select New Tab.
Right-click: Right-click any existing tab and choose New Tab.
Mouse gesture: Double-click an empty area of the tab strip (if enabled in your system settings).
New tab from a link: Right-click a link and select Open link in new tab, or press Ctrl+Click (Windows/Linux) / Command+Click (Mac).

All of these open a blank tab with Chrome’s New Tab page, which shows the search bar, shortcuts to your most-visited sites, and a news feed (unless you’ve changed it).

What the New Tab Page Shows

By default, a new tab in Chrome displays:

The omnibox (address bar) at the top, ready for a search or URL.
A Google search bar in the center.
Shortcuts to sites you visit often (you can add, remove, or reorder these).
A news feed with articles based on your interests (you can hide this).

If you don’t like this layout, you can change it. Chrome lets you set a custom page or a blank page as the new-tab background, and you can turn off the news feed. To do this, click the pencil or gear icon on the New Tab page and adjust the options.

How to Set a Custom New Tab Page

If you want a new tab to open a specific website (like your email or a search engine), you can use an extension. Chrome doesn’t allow you to set a custom URL directly for new tabs, but extensions like “New Tab Redirect” or “Infinity New Tab” do the job. These are available in the Chrome Web Store. After installing, open the extension’s options and enter the URL you want. The extension will override the default New Tab page.

Alternatively, you can open a specific site in a new tab by typing the URL in the address bar and pressing Alt+Enter (Windows/Linux) or Command+Enter (Mac) to open it in a new tab instead of the current one.

Common Problems and Fixes

Plus icon missing

If the plus icon isn’t visible, it might be because you have too many tabs open (Chrome compresses the tab strip) or because a theme or extension hides it. Try pressing Ctrl+T or Command+T instead. If that doesn’t work, restart Chrome.

New tab opens a different page

If a new tab opens a search engine or a site you didn’t set, a hijacker extension or a changed startup setting is the usual cause. Go to Settings > On startup and check what’s set. Also, review your extensions and disable any you don’t recognize.

New tab doesn’t work at all

If pressing Ctrl+T does nothing, Chrome may be frozen or a keyboard shortcut conflict exists. Try clicking the plus icon, or close and reopen Chrome. If the problem persists, reset Chrome settings to default (Settings > Advanced > Reset and clean up).

Keyboard Shortcuts for Tab Management

Beyond opening a new tab, these shortcuts help you manage tabs faster:

Ctrl+Tab (Windows/Linux) / Control+Tab (Mac): Switch to the next tab.
Ctrl+Shift+Tab (Windows/Linux) / Control+Shift+Tab (Mac): Switch to the previous tab.
Ctrl+1 through Ctrl+8 (Windows/Linux) / Command+1 through Command+8 (Mac): Jump to a specific tab (1 is the first tab, 8 is the eighth).
Ctrl+9 (Windows/Linux) / Command+9 (Mac): Jump to the last tab.
Ctrl+W (Windows/Linux) / Command+W (Mac): Close the current tab.
Ctrl+Shift+T (Windows/Linux) / Command+Shift+T (Mac): Reopen the last closed tab.

Learning these can turn tab management into a keyboard-only experience, which many power users prefer.

Mobile: Opening a New Tab in the Chrome App

On an Android phone or iPhone, tap the square with a number icon (the tab switcher) at the top-right, then tap the plus (+) icon. On Android, you can also long-press a link and choose “Open in new tab.” On iOS, tap and hold a link and select “Open in New Tab.” The new tab opens in the background or foreground depending on your settings.

On tablets, the tab strip may appear at the top, and you can tap the plus icon there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my new tab open a blank page instead of the New Tab page?

This usually happens because an extension or a policy is overriding the default. Check your extensions and disable any that manage new tabs. Also, go to Settings > On startup and ensure it’s set to “Open the New Tab page.” If you’re on a work or school computer, an administrator may have set a policy.

Can I make a new tab open a specific website automatically?

Yes, but you need an extension. Chrome doesn’t have a built-in setting for a custom new-tab URL. Search the Chrome Web Store for “new tab redirect” or “custom new tab” and choose a reputable one. After installing, configure the URL in the extension’s options.

How do I open a link in a new tab without right-clicking?

Hold Ctrl (Windows/Linux) or Command (Mac) and click the link. This opens the link in a new background tab. If you also press Shift (e.g., Ctrl+Shift+Click), it opens in a new tab and switches to it immediately.

What’s the difference between a new tab and a new window?

A new tab opens within the same Chrome window, sharing the same process and memory. A new window (Ctrl+N) opens a separate window with its own tab strip. Use a new window when you want to separate tasks visually, but be aware it uses more memory.

Why does Chrome open a new tab when I type in the address bar?

That’s normal. The address bar is also a search bar. When you type a query, Chrome opens a new tab with the search results. If you want to search in the current tab, press Enter instead of Alt+Enter (or Command+Enter on Mac).

How do I stop Chrome from opening a new tab on startup?

Go to Settings > On startup and select “Open the New Tab page” or “Continue where you left off.” If you have a specific site, choose “Open a specific page or set of pages” and add the URL. This controls what appears when you launch Chrome, not when you press Ctrl+T.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →