Kinetic New TabHelp and FAQ
Answers to the questions people ask most. If yours isn't here, the last one explains how to reach us.
How do I install it?
- Open the Chrome Web Store page and click Add to Chrome.
- Open a new tab.
- If Chrome asks "Change back to Google?" or whether this is the new tab page you expected, choose Keep it.
How do I change the theme?
On the new tab, press ← or → to flip through themes. You can also click the palette button in the bottom right corner, or the Kinetic New Tab icon in Chrome's toolbar, and pick one.
Want a different one every time? Turn on "Random theme on each new tab" in the same panel.
Can I change a theme's colors?
Yes. In the settings panel, under the theme grid, pick one of ten colors or drag the Custom slider to any shade. Each theme remembers its own color. The circular arrow puts the original colors back.
How do I edit my shortcuts?
At first the tiles show your most visited sites. To change them, click Edit under the tiles or open the Shortcuts section of the settings panel. You can add a site, rename it, drag tiles into a new order, or remove one. On the new tab itself, hover a tile and click × to remove it.
Click "Use most visited" to go back to Chrome's automatic list.
Which search engine does the search bar use?
By default it uses the same search engine as Chrome's address bar. To change it, open settings and choose Google, DuckDuckGo, Bing or Brave under "Search with". Typing a web address like example.com takes you straight there.
Can I change the font or the clock?
Pick from eight fonts in the Font section. Under Clock you can change its size and thickness, switch to 24 hour time, show seconds, and add your name to the greeting. The "Show on page" switches hide the greeting, date, search bar, shortcuts or help text.
Will it slow down my computer?
The animation only runs while the new tab is on screen. As soon as you switch to another tab, it stops. On an older laptop, Paper Dots, Snowfall and Neon Serpent are the lightest themes.
Does it collect any of my data?
No. There's no account, no ads and no analytics, and your settings never leave your computer. The privacy policy lists exactly what the extension touches.
Does it work offline or in other browsers?
It works offline, since everything is part of the extension. It also runs in Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi and other browsers built on Chromium that can install from the Chrome Web Store.
How do I get my old new tab back?
Go to chrome://extensions, find Kinetic New Tab, and turn it off. Click Remove to uninstall it completely, which also deletes its settings.
Something isn't working. How do I report it?
Open the extension's Chrome Web Store page, go to the Support tab, and describe what happened. It helps to include which theme you were on, your browser, and what you expected to see.