How to Change Your Chrome New Tab Background: Complete Guide

Want to replace Chrome's boring default new tab background with something beautiful? You have several options — from Chrome's built-in customization to powerful extensions that offer millions of high-quality wallpapers.

This guide covers every method to change your Chrome new tab background.

Quick Overview

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Method 1: Chrome's Built-in Background Options

Chrome includes basic background customization without installing anything.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open a new tab in Chrome (Ctrl/Cmd + T)
2. Click "Customize Chrome" in the bottom-right corner
3. Select "Background" from the menu
4. Choose your background:
   • Chrome wallpapers: Curated collections (landscapes, abstract, etc.)
   • Upload from device: Use your own image
   • Solid colors: Simple color backgrounds

Chrome's Wallpaper Collections

Chrome offers several curated collections:

• Earth — Nature and landscape photography
• Art — Abstract and artistic images
• Cityscapes — Urban photography
• Seascapes — Ocean and water themes

Setting Refresh Frequency

1. After selecting a collection, look for "Refresh daily" toggle
2. Enable it to get a new wallpaper each day
3. Disable for a static background

Limitations of Chrome's Built-in Options

• Limited selection — Only a few hundred images
• No Unsplash access — Missing millions of high-quality photos
• Basic customization — No overlay, blur, or brightness controls
• No widgets — Just the background, nothing else
• No productivity features — No todos, timers, or notes

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Method 2: Using Dream Afar (Recommended)

For access to millions of wallpapers plus productivity features, Dream Afar is the best free option.

Installing Dream Afar

1. Visit the Chrome Web Store
2. Click "Add to Chrome"
3. Confirm the installation
4. Open a new tab — Dream Afar is now active

Choosing a Wallpaper Source

Dream Afar offers multiple high-quality sources:

Unsplash Collections

Unsplash hosts millions of professional photos, organized into collections:

• Nature & Landscapes — Mountains, forests, lakes, waterfalls
• Architecture — Buildings, interiors, urban design
• Abstract — Patterns, textures, artistic images
• Travel — Destinations from around the world
• Minimalist — Clean, simple compositions
• Animals — Wildlife and pets
• Space — Galaxies, planets, astronomical images

To select an Unsplash collection:

1. Click the settings icon (gear) on your new tab
2. Navigate to "Wallpaper"
3. Select "Unsplash" as source
4. Choose your preferred collection

Google Earth View

Stunning satellite imagery showing Earth from above:

• Unique perspectives of landscapes
• Patterns created by nature and humans
• Updated regularly with new imagery
• Great for geography enthusiasts

To enable Google Earth View:

1. Open settings → "Wallpaper"
2. Select "Google Earth View"
3. Wallpapers automatically rotate

Custom Photos

Use your own images as wallpapers:

1. Open settings → "Wallpaper"
2. Select "Custom"
3. Click "Upload" or drag images
4. Supported formats: JPG, PNG, WebP

Configuring Refresh Settings

Control how often your wallpaper changes:

To change:

1. Settings → "Wallpaper"
2. Find "Refresh" option
3. Select your preference

Advanced Wallpaper Settings

Dream Afar offers additional customization:

Blur Effect

• Soften the background for better text readability
• Adjustable blur intensity

Brightness/Dimming

• Darken wallpapers for better contrast
• Helps widgets stand out

Overlay Colors

• Add color tint to wallpapers
• Create consistent visual themes

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Method 3: Using Your Own Photos

Both Chrome and extensions support custom photo uploads.

Preparing Your Photos

For best results:

Resolution

• Minimum: 1920x1080 (Full HD)
• Recommended: 2560x1440 (2K) or higher
• Ideal: Match your monitor resolution

Aspect Ratio

• Standard: 16:9 for most monitors
• Ultrawide: 21:9 for ultrawide displays
• The image will be cropped/scaled to fit

File Format

• JPG — Best for photos, smaller file size
• PNG — Lossless quality, larger files
• WebP — Best compression, modern format

File Size

• Keep under 5MB for fast loading
• Compress large images using tools like TinyPNG

Uploading Custom Photos

Via Chrome Built-in:

1. New tab → "Customize Chrome"
2. "Background" → "Upload from device"
3. Select your image
4. Only one image at a time

Via Dream Afar:

1. Settings → "Wallpaper" → "Custom"
2. Upload multiple images
3. Creates a slideshow rotation
4. Set refresh frequency

Creating Photo Slideshows

With Dream Afar, create rotating slideshows:

1. Upload multiple photos to Custom wallpapers
2. Set refresh to "Every new tab" or "Daily"
3. Your photos will rotate automatically

Ideas for slideshows:

• Family photos
• Vacation memories
• Pet pictures
• Artwork you've created
• Screenshots from games/movies

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Method 4: Other Extensions

Momentum

• Curated nature photography
• Daily rotating wallpapers
• Premium unlocks more collections ($5/month)

Tabliss

• Open source
• Unsplash integration
• Multiple wallpaper sources

Bonjourr

• Minimal design
• Dynamic gradients
• Nature photography

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Troubleshooting Background Issues

Wallpaper Not Showing

Check extension is enabled:

1. Go to chrome://extensions
2. Find your new tab extension
3. Ensure toggle is ON

Check for conflicts:

• Only one new tab extension can be active
• Disable others in chrome://extensions

Wallpaper Loading Slowly

Causes and fixes:

Image Quality Issues

Blurry wallpapers:

• Source image too small
• Choose higher resolution images
• Enable HD/4K option if available

Pixelated edges:

• Image being stretched
• Use images matching your resolution
• Try a different aspect ratio

Custom Upload Failures

Image not uploading:

1. Check file size (under 5MB)
2. Use supported format (JPG, PNG, WebP)
3. Try a different image
4. Clear browser cache and retry

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Tips for Choosing Great Wallpapers

Match Your Mood

For focus work:

• Calm, minimal images
• Nature scenes (forests, mountains)
• Soft colors (blues, greens)
• Avoid busy patterns

For creative work:

• Vibrant, inspiring images
• Architecture and cities
• Abstract art
• Bold colors

For relaxation:

• Beaches and sunsets
• Soft gradients
• Peaceful landscapes

Consider Text Readability

• Widgets and text overlay wallpapers
• Dark wallpapers = light text (usually better contrast)
• Busy wallpapers = harder to read
• Use blur/dim settings for busy images

Rotate Collections

Prevent visual fatigue:

• Change collections weekly/monthly
• Mix different themes
• Try Google Earth View for variety
• Seasonal rotation (nature in spring, cozy in winter)

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Quick Reference: Keyboard Shortcuts

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Related Articles

• The Ultimate Guide to Chrome New Tab Customization
• Best Free New Tab Extensions for Chrome 2025
• Chrome New Tab Widgets Explained

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Ready for beautiful wallpapers? Install Dream Afar free →