How to Remove the Fakebox from the Google Chrome New Tab Page

[The AchieVer]

How to Remove the Fakebox from the Google Chrome New Tab Page 

Google is currently experimenting with a new feature in Google Chrome that could provide users with more customization options for the browser.

By the looks of things, Google might at some point allow Chrome users to disable the fakebox from the browser’s new tab page, which would essentially lead to a cleaner and simplified approach whenever new tabs are opened.

Let’s start with the basics. When you open a new tab page, Google Chrome provides you with a standard interface that includes shortcuts, or icons, for the top websites, as well as a gigantic search box right under the Google logo.

As anyone can easily figure out, the search box is there with one purpose: to let you search for information on Google or to quickly enter an URL.

However, when clicking this box and you begin typing, the focus is automatically moved to the address bar at the top of the screen where you can do pretty much the same things like searching for a keyword on Google or entering an URL.

This is why the search box in the new tab page is called fakebox, mostly because it’s… well… fake. It’s there with the sole purpose of making it easier to search for stuff or quickly visit a specific website, but in reality, you type in the same address bar at the top of the screen.

Until now, there was no way to remove this fakebox in Google Chrome, but as it turns out, the company is reconsidering this approach in future versions of the browser. So recently, the search giant started testing a new flag in the Canary version of Chrome that makes it possible to hide the fakebox.

Google Chrome Canary is the experimental build of Google’s browser, and it allows the company to test all kinds of changes before they are implemented in the stable release. However, it doesn’t mean that all new features integrated into this version make it to the production build.
 

 

 

As I said, beginning this week, Google is testing a new flag that allows users to disable the fakebox. To try it out, install Canary and in the address bar paste the following code:

chrome://flags/#remove-ntp-fakebox

You’ll then find a new flag whose description pretty much speaks for itself:

Do not show the fakebox on the New Tab page. – Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS

At this point, this flag is set to Default, so you’ll have to switch it to Enabled to have the fakebox go away from the Google Chrome new tab page. You’ll have to reboot the browser for the changes to come into effect.
 

 

 

Once the fakebox is removed, Google Chrome should offer a cleaner new tab page that’s focused on your favorite websites. This means that if you want to search for something on Google or visit a specific website, you need to use the address bar at the top of the screen.

What’s important to know is that this flag, despite being available in all Canary builds, doesn’t yet work for everyone. I’m seeing reports on reddit that it’s being activated gradually for users, so if it doesn’t make any difference for you, just wait for another Chrome Canary update and you should be good to go.

As for when this option could arrive for all users, nothing is certain at this point. Remember that Google likes to experiment with this kind of improvements, but while there’s no guarantee it would make it to the stable version of Chrome, I believe that at some point in the future Google will make it possible for users to get rid of the fakebox.

 

 

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