01Chrome
Google's Chrome help separates the two: the startup page shows when you first launch Chrome, and the homepage is the page you go to when you select Home.
- 1Open SettingsClick the three-dot menu, then Settings.
- 2Set the homepageUnder Appearance, turn on Show home button, choose Enter custom web address and type the site.
- 3Set the startup pageUnder On startup, choose Open a specific page or set of pages, then Add a new page.
- 4Test itClose and reopen Chrome, and click the Home button.
02Edge, Firefox and Safari
Menu names vary slightly by version, but each browser keeps these options in its main settings.
| Browser | Homepage | Startup page |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Edge | Settings, Start, home and new tabs, Home button | Settings, Start, home and new tabs, When Edge starts |
| Firefox | Settings, Home, Homepage and new windows | Settings, General, Open previous windows and tabs (or homepage) |
| Safari (Mac) | Settings, General, Homepage | Settings, General, Safari opens with |
03On phones
Chrome on Android has a homepage setting under Settings, then Homepage. Chrome and Safari on iPhone do not have a traditional homepage; the closest equivalents are favorites on the start page or adding the site to your Home Screen. How to add a website to your home screen covers that.
04If your homepage keeps changing
Homepage hijacking by unwanted software is common. If you did not change the setting, treat a changed homepage as a sign to check for unwanted programs. To start clean, use Settings, Reset settings, then Restore settings to their original defaults, and set your pages again.
- Check extensions: remove any you do not recognize.
- In Chrome, use Settings, then Reset settings, to restore defaults.
- Check for unwanted programs on your computer.
- On a work or school computer, your organization may set the homepage; ask IT.
05Choosing a good homepage
Pick the site you open first every day: your email, a calendar, a news site, or your own business dashboard. Some people set several startup pages so everything they need opens at once. If you run a business website, setting it as your homepage is a quick way to notice when something breaks, and if it loads slowly on your own computer, how to make a website faster will help.
06Homepage, new tab page and startup pages: which to use
Most people only need startup pages. The Home button is optional, and Chrome hides it by default.
| Setting | What it controls | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Startup pages | What opens when Chrome launches | The two or three sites you open every day |
| Homepage (Home button) | What the Home button opens | One site you return to often |
| New Tab page | What every new tab shows | Shortcuts to frequent sites |
| Continue where you left off | Reopens your last tabs | People who keep work open across days |
07Pinning instead of a homepage
If you want a site always open rather than opened at launch, pin its tab: right-click the tab and choose Pin. Pinned tabs stay small at the left of the tab bar and reopen with Chrome. For sites you use like apps, such as email or a calendar, installing the site as an app gives it its own window and taskbar icon, which many people find tidier than a homepage.
What people who tried it say
Discussions about simple websites on Hacker News remind readers that the basics, such as how a page loads and reads on every device, matter more than anything flashy, including for the pages people set as their start page.
- I made my first web0 website today. It's so cool it just worksHacker News
Commenters debated how simple a site can be; one pointed out that even a minimal page needs modern basics such as HTTPS and the viewport tag that makes it work on phones.
Looking for more first-hand opinions? Search Reddit for “how to make a website my homepage”. We link the live threads rather than summarizing them, so you read them in full.
Our take
set startup pages for the two or three sites you open every morning. It is a small change that saves dozens of clicks a week.
Where this falls short
Browser settings change between versions, and managed work or school devices may lock them.
Sources
- 1.Set your homepage and startup page · Google Chrome Help
- 2.Bookmark a website in Safari on iPhone · Apple Support
Researched and written by the Orlume team · Updated October 2026
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