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How to Change the Chrome Homepage to Google?

To change the Chrome homepage to Google on desktop, open Settings, go to Appearance, turn on Show Home button, choose Enter custom web address, and type https://www.google.com. This makes the Home (house) button open Google. If you want Google to load automatically when Chrome launches, set it under On startup instead, because the homepage and the startup page are two separate settings.

Homepage vs Startup Page in Chrome

Chrome treats the homepage and the startup page as two different things, and confusing them is the most common reason people think their change did not work. The homepage is tied to the Home button (the house icon) in the toolbar and only loads when you click that icon. The startup page, on the other hand, is what Chrome shows automatically each time you open the browser.

There is also the New Tab page, which appears every time you open a new tab and shows the Google search box and shortcut tiles. Deciding which of these you actually want Google to appear on determines which setting you change. In most cases, people who want Google front and center configure both the homepage and the startup page.

Set Google as Your Homepage on Desktop

This is the most direct way to make the Home button open Google on Windows and Mac. The steps are identical on both operating systems.

Open Google Chrome and click the three dots (More) in the top-right corner.
Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
In the left sidebar, click Appearance.
Turn on the Show Home button toggle.
Choose Enter custom web address and type https://www.google.com.
Click the Home button in the toolbar to confirm it now opens Google.

Set the Startup Page to Google

If you want Google to open the moment you launch Chrome, change the startup page rather than the homepage.

Go to Settings from the three-dot menu.
Click On startup in the left sidebar.
Select Open a specific page or set of pages.
Click Add a new page.
Enter https://www.google.com in the Site URL box and click Add.
Close and reopen Chrome to confirm it launches on Google.

Set Google as the Homepage on Android

Chrome on Android has a dedicated Homepage setting that controls what loads when you tap the Home icon.

Open the Chrome app on your Android device.
Tap the three dots and choose Settings.
Under Basics, tap Homepage.
Turn the toggle On, then select Enter custom web address.
Type https://www.google.com and go back to save.

You can also learn how to add shortcuts to the Chrome homepage on Android for quicker access to your favorite sites.

Set Google on iPhone and iPad

Chrome for iOS does not include a homepage setting. Instead, the New Tab page already shows Google, and you control search behavior through the default search engine setting.

Open the Chrome app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap the three dots at the bottom and choose Settings.
Tap Search Engine.
Select Google from the list.
Open a new tab to confirm Google is now used for searches and the New Tab page.

Set Google as the Default Search Engine

Making Google your homepage does not automatically make it the search engine used from the address bar. On desktop, go to Settings, then Search engine, and pick Google from the dropdown. On Android and iOS, open Settings, then Search engine, and select Google. This ensures every query typed in the omnibox runs through Google.

Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting

Homepage set but startup page still opens elsewhere: These are separate settings. Configure On startup as well if you want Google to load on launch.
Home button is missing: The house icon only appears after you enable Show Home button under Appearance.
Managed by your organization message: On work or school devices, a policy may lock the homepage. Contact your administrator, as the setting cannot be changed locally.
Wrong URL format: A bare domain can be treated as a search term. Enter the full https://www.google.com to be safe.
An extension keeps resetting it: A hijacking extension can override your choice. Remove suspicious extensions from the Extensions page and re-apply the setting.

Conclusion

Changing your Chrome homepage to Google takes only a few clicks, but the key is knowing whether you want Google on the Home button, on startup, or as your default search engine. Configure the settings that match how you actually use the browser, apply them on each device separately, and Google will be exactly where you expect it every time you open Chrome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Chrome homepage different from my startup page?

The homepage opens only when you click the Home (house) button in the toolbar, while the startup page loads automatically every time you launch Chrome. They are separate settings, so you often need to configure both if you want Google to appear in each case.

How do I make Google my homepage in Chrome on desktop?

Open Chrome, go to Settings, then Appearance, turn on Show Home button, select Enter custom web address, and type https://www.google.com. The Home button in the toolbar will now open Google whenever you click it, on both Windows and Mac.

How do I set Google to open when Chrome starts?

Go to Settings, then On startup, choose Open a specific page or set of pages, click Add a new page, enter https://www.google.com, and click Add. Chrome will now open Google every time you launch the browser instead of restoring previous tabs.

Can I set Google as the homepage in Chrome on mobile?

Chrome on Android lets you set a custom homepage under Settings, then Homepage, where you can enter https://www.google.com. On iPhone and iPad, Chrome has no homepage setting, so you instead set Google as the default search engine for the new tab and address bar.

Should I enter www.google.com or https://www.google.com?

Either works in most cases, but entering the full https://www.google.com URL is the most reliable format. A bare domain can occasionally be treated as a search term, so including the protocol avoids the homepage failing to load correctly in some Chrome versions.

Why can I not change my homepage in Chrome?

If the homepage field is greyed out or shows Managed by your organization, a device policy or an extension is controlling the setting. This is common on work or school computers, where you must contact your administrator or remove the responsible extension to change it.