If Chrome itself is missing from the Windows desktop, you have a desktop-icon problem. If Chrome opens but the website tiles below the search box are missing, you have a New Tab shortcuts problem. These are separate features and use different fixes.
The steps below cover both situations, starting with the more common case: missing shortcuts on Chrome’s New Tab page.
Restore missing shortcuts on Chrome’s New Tab page
Chrome’s New Tab shortcuts are the website tiles displayed below the search box. They are not the same as Windows desktop shortcuts, Start-menu entries, taskbar icons, or bookmark-bar items.
- Open a new Chrome tab by pressing Ctrl + T, or select the + button beside the current tab.
- Select Customize Chrome in the lower-right corner.
- Open Shortcuts.
- Select one of these options:
- My shortcuts to choose the websites yourself.
- Most visited sites to let Chrome generate tiles from your browsing activity.
- Make sure Show shortcuts is turned on.
If Show shortcuts is disabled, Chrome hides the entire shortcut section even if shortcuts were previously configured.
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Edit or remove a tile
On the New Tab page, point to the shortcut’s icon and select More. Choose Edit shortcut to change its name or address, or choose Remove to delete it.
Make sure you are actually viewing Chrome’s New Tab page
The controls above only appear on Chrome’s own New Tab page. They will not appear on a normal website, a search-results page, or a custom dashboard used as your startup page.
To make Chrome open its New Tab page whenever it starts:
- Select More ⋮ in the upper-right corner.
- Go to Settings.
- Open On startup.
- Select Open the New Tab page.
Chrome has separate homepage and startup-page settings. The startup page appears when Chrome launches. The homepage opens when you select the Home button. Under Settings > Appearance > Show Home button, Chrome can be configured to open either the New Tab page or a custom page, but the homepage is not automatically the same as the startup page.
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Check Chrome’s account and search-engine requirements
Google says New Tab customization requires Chrome to be signed in to a Google Account and Google to be the default search engine. In some countries, Chrome may also require linked Google services to be managed before browsing history can be used for personalization.
Check these points:
- Select your profile picture in Chrome and confirm that you are signed in to the intended Google Account.
- Go to Settings > Search engine and confirm that Google is selected as the search engine used in the address bar.
- Open a regular new tab rather than an Incognito or Guest window. Those modes use separate browsing sessions and do not automatically provide the same personalization.
Disable an extension that controls the New Tab page
New Tab extensions can replace Chrome’s normal page with a dashboard, search page, or other design. When an extension controls the page, the usual Customize Chrome controls may be unavailable.
To test for this:
- Select More ⋮.
- Choose Extensions > Manage extensions.
- Find extensions that mention a new tab, homepage, dashboard, or search.
- Turn the extension off temporarily.
- Open a new tab again.
If the shortcuts return, select Remove on the problematic extension or replace it with a trusted alternative. Chrome may also flag extensions that no longer meet current Chrome Web Store requirements. Depending on the extension, the page may show Find Alternatives, Remove, or a temporary enable option.
If Chrome identifies an extension as corrupted, the management page may show Repair. Select it and then confirm with Repair extension.
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Check whether the browser is managed
On a work, school, or otherwise managed computer, an administrator can control New Tab content and shortcut behavior. Chrome Enterprise’s NTPShortcuts policy supports up to 10 organization-provided shortcuts and can prevent users from deleting them.
In this situation, shortcuts may be fixed, missing, or different from those on a personal Chrome profile. A managed Chromebook may also prevent you from changing the homepage or startup page. If the relevant settings are locked or display an administrator message, contact the organization’s IT administrator rather than trying to override the policy.
Update Chrome
A long-running Chrome session can have an update waiting to be installed. Updating is not Google’s primary shortcut-recovery step, but it can resolve behavior caused by an old or partially updated build.
- Select More ⋮.
- Choose Help > About Google Chrome.
- Allow Chrome to check for updates.
- Select Relaunch if it appears.
If there is no Relaunch button, Google’s current help guidance indicates that Chrome is up to date. Chrome normally applies updates in the background after the browser is closed and reopened.
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Google currently lists these desktop requirements:
| Platform | Minimum listed version |
|---|---|
| Windows on Intel | Windows 10 or later |
| Windows on ARM | Windows 11 or later |
| macOS | macOS 13 Ventura or later |
| Linux | 64-bit Ubuntu 18.04+, Debian 10+, openSUSE 15.5+, or Fedora Linux 39+ |
| Chromebook | Update Chrome by updating ChromeOS |
If the Chrome icon itself is missing from the desktop
If you mean that the Chrome application icon has disappeared from the Windows desktop, the New Tab shortcut settings will not fix it. Recreate the application shortcut instead.
Windows
- Open the Start menu and search for Google Chrome.
- Right-click Google Chrome.
- Choose Open file location if that option is available.
- In the folder that opens, right-click the Chrome shortcut.
- Choose Show more options > Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).
You can also right-click the Chrome result in the Start menu and choose Pin to taskbar when that option is available.
macOS
- Open Finder.
- Select Applications.
- Find Google Chrome.
- Drag it to the Dock to create a convenient launcher.
macOS does not normally use Windows-style desktop shortcuts. If you want an alias on the desktop, hold Option + Command while dragging Google Chrome from Applications to the desktop.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Create a website shortcut again
If a particular website shortcut was deleted, Chrome can create a new shortcut from the site:
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- Open the website in Chrome.
- Select More ⋮.
- Choose Cast, save, and share > Create shortcut….
- Change the shortcut’s Name if needed.
- Select Create.
The current menu path is Cast, save, and share > Create shortcut…. Older instructions that use More tools > Create shortcut describe an earlier Chrome menu layout.
What not to try first
- Do not look under the main Chrome Settings menu for New Tab shortcut controls. Google currently places them at New Tab page > Customize Chrome > Shortcuts.
- Do not confuse the homepage with the New Tab page. They are separate Chrome settings.
- Do not rely on the “NTP Single Row Shortcuts” flag. Google’s current supported instructions do not recommend that experimental flag for restoring shortcuts.
- Do not clear cache and cookies as the first step. Google’s current guidance starts with the New Tab customization panel, account and search-engine requirements, extensions, and administrator controls.
FAQ
Why are my Chrome shortcuts missing from the desktop?
If you mean the website tiles below Chrome’s search box, open a new tab, select Customize Chrome, choose Shortcuts, and turn on Show shortcuts. If you mean the Chrome application icon, recreate the Windows desktop shortcut from the Start menu instead.
Why is Customize Chrome missing?
You may not be viewing Chrome’s New Tab page, an extension may control the page, Chrome may not be signed in to a Google Account, Google may not be the default search engine, or the browser may be managed by an organization.
Are Chrome homepage shortcuts the same as New Tab shortcuts?
No. New Tab shortcuts are the website tiles shown on Chrome’s New Tab page. The homepage opens when you select Home, while the startup page opens when Chrome launches.
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Yes. Google’s current procedure is to use New Tab page > Customize Chrome > Shortcuts and enable Show shortcuts. Also check extensions, account settings, the default search engine, and administrator policies.
How many organization-provided New Tab shortcuts can Chrome Enterprise configure?
Chrome Enterprise’s NTPShortcuts policy supports up to 10 custom shortcuts. An administrator can also control whether users may delete organization-provided shortcuts.
The Bottom Line
For missing website tiles, open a genuine New Tab page and use Customize Chrome > Shortcuts, then enable Show shortcuts. If that panel is unavailable, check the Google-account and default-search settings, disable New Tab extensions, and consider whether the browser is managed. For a missing Chrome icon on the Windows desktop, recreate the application shortcut separately.
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