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Microsoft Edge’s New Tab Page is broken in its current form

Microsoft renamed the main web browser of its upcoming operating system from Project Spartan to Microsoft Edge recently.

The company added new features to the browser in the latest build of the operating system that included several core browser features such as password and form filling.

It is clear that Microsoft Edge is a work in progress and that may very well be true for the browser's New Tab Page.

It looks similar to tab pages of other browsers on first glance as it displays a web search form and top sites on the page.

The only customization options provided in the most recent version of Microsoft Edge are to add "suggested content" to it or turn it into a blank page instead.

Changing contents on Microsoft Edge's New Tab page

To change what is displayed when you open a new tab, do the following:

  1. Click on the three dots in the top right corner of the interface.
  2. Select Settings when the menu opens up.
  3. Locate "open new tabs with" and make a selection using the menu below it.
  4. Options are Top Sites, Top Sites and Suggested Content, and A Blank Page.

Suggested contents include news, weather information, stock market information and sports scores currently.

microsoft edge new tab page

The information displayed on the New Tab page work well together and it is likely that users will find them useful.

The main issue that you may have however is that the page cannot be customized at all.

The top sites list links to popular web destinations such as YouTube, eBay, Amazon, ESPN or Twitter for example, and while you can remove one, some or all of them, you cannot add any to it.

If you remove all top sites from the New Tab page you end up with an empty row of underneath the top sites title that wastes space.

The same is true for the suggested contents area as it lacks any form of customization either. Users who don't like sports, are not interested in the stock market, or want custom local news are left in the dark as there is no option provided to change any of the information.

While you can at least remove top sites that you are not interested in from the browser's new tab page, you cannot do anything like that for the suggested contents module (other than disable it completely).

How that looks then? Take a look below.

edge blank tab page

Considering that Edge is a work in progress, it is possible that Microsoft will add customization options to the browser's New Tab page.

Another possible solution to fill the page with (better) content is to wait for browser extension support in Edge. If Firefox's and Chrome's Extension Stores are anything to go by, it is likely that Edge will get its fair share of New Tab page extensions as well that change the contents on the New Tab page and provide you with better customization options in the process.

Now You: What is displayed on your New Tab page?

This article was first seen on ComTek's "TekBits" Technology News

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