How to Change Your Chrome New Tab Background (and Blur It)

The default Chrome new tab is a blank grid of shortcuts and a search bar. It is fine, but it is not yours. Swapping in a background you actually like — a photo, a calm gradient, a shot from your last trip — turns the page you open dozens of times a day into something that feels personal. And a little blur on top keeps the image from fighting with the text and buttons in front of it.

Here is how to change your Chrome new tab background and dial in the blur, step by step, without giving up your search engine or cluttering the page.

The catch with Chrome's built-in background

Chrome does let you set a new tab background from its own gallery, or upload one image, through the small pencil icon in the corner. It works, but it is limited: there is no blur control, the layout stays fixed, and you are still looking at the same empty page — now with a picture behind it. If you want real control over the wallpaper and want the tab to do something useful, a dedicated new tab extension gives you far more room.

How to change your Chrome new tab background with Slaet

1. Install Slaet from the Chrome Web Store — it is free and takes one click.
2. When Chrome asks whether to keep the change, choose Keep it.
3. Open a new tab. Slaet loads with your workspace and the wallpaper settings within reach.
4. Pick a wallpaper from the built-in choices, or upload your own image to use as the background.
5. Drag the blur slider until the text and buttons sit cleanly on top. A touch of blur keeps a busy photo from competing with what you are reading.

That is the whole setup. Every new tab now opens with your chosen background at the blur level you set — and it stays that way until you change it.

Getting the blur right

Blur is not just decoration; it is what makes a custom background readable. A high-contrast photo with sharp edges can swallow small text and make buttons hard to spot. Nudging the blur up softens the image into a backdrop, so your tasks and notes stay in front where they belong. For a clean, minimal wallpaper you might use little or no blur; for a detailed photo, more blur usually looks better. Adjust it once, and you can always come back and tweak it later.

It keeps your search — and adds a workspace

Changing the background does not mean giving up how you browse. Slaet keeps your existing search engine — Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo — so searching from the new tab works exactly as before. What is new is the space around it. The same page holds your tasks, notes, lists, and reminders, so the tab is not just prettier, it is useful. Each task has room for context, and you can attach rich-text notes that paste code, links, and markdown cleanly. If you want, you can even add a to-do list to the new tab alongside your new background.

Your background, your data

Slaet is local-first: your wallpaper choice and everything else live in your browser and work fully offline, with no account required. If you want the same setup on more than one machine, sign in with Google and it syncs across Chrome, Brave, and Edge — but that is optional. Slaet never reads your browsing history and never sells your data, and you can delete everything anytime.

Frequently asked questions

Can I upload my own image as the new tab background?

Yes. You can choose from the built-in wallpapers or upload your own image, then adjust the blur so it sits well behind your tasks and notes.

Does changing the background cost anything?

No. Slaet is completely free — custom wallpapers, adjustable blur, tasks, notes, and reminders, with no paid tier and no account needed to start.

Will it change my search engine or homepage?

No. Your search still works exactly as before. Slaet adds a background and a workspace to the new tab; it does not take your search engine away.

Is there a blur control, or just a plain background?

There is an adjustable blur slider, so you are not stuck with a raw image. Set it to zero for a crisp wallpaper or turn it up to soften a detailed photo.