Set up Chrome browser

Modified on Wed, 9 Jul at 4:45 PM

On this page

  • Sign in to Chrome browser
  • Make Chrome your default browser
  • Set your homepage
  • Set your startup page
  • Set a default download location
  • Import your bookmarks from your old browser
  • Create profiles for personal & work accounts
  • Change your notification settings
  • Save your Chrome preferences across devices

Sign in to Chrome browser

  1. Go to google.com.
    • If you’re signed in to your browser, at the top right, you’ll see an icon with your initial or profile photo.
    • If you’re not signed in to an account, you’ll see Sign in.
  2. Hover over or click your profile photo or initial. You’ll see the email account that you’re signed in with:
    • If the email address ends in @gmail.com, you’re logged in with your personal Google account.
    • If the email address ends in your domain address (@yourbusiness.com), you’re signed into your Google Workspace account.
    • If you chose a different icon for each of your Google accounts, the icon can identify which account you’re using.

Make Chrome your default browser

Windows 11

  1. On your computer, click the Start menu .
  2. Click Settings Settings and then Apps and then Default Apps.
  3. Under "Set defaults for applications," enter Chrome into the search box and then click Google Chrome.
  4. At the top, next to "Make Google Chrome your default browser," click Set default.
    • To make sure the change applied to the correct file types, review the list below the "Set default" button.
  5. To exit, close the settings window.

Set your homepage

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, select More More and then Settings.
  3. Under "Appearance," turn on Show Home button.
  4. Under "Show Home button," choose to use the New Tab page or a custom page

Set your startup page

Start Chrome on a new tab

You can have Chrome open a New Tab page whenever you start Chrome.

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, select More More and then Settings.
  3. On the left, select On startup and then Open the New Tab page.

Continue where you left off

Tell Chrome to re-open the same pages you were looking at when you quit.

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, select More More and then Settings.
  3. On the left, select On startup and then Continue where you left off.

Open one or more specific pages

You can have Chrome open a set of pages you specify.

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, select More More and then Settings.
  3. Under "On startup," select Open a specific page or set of pages.
  4. You can either:
    • Select Add a new page.
      1. Enter the web address.
      2. Select Add.
    • Select Use current pages.

Tip: To update your pages, on the right, select More More and then Edit or Delete.

Set a default download location

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, click More More and then Settings and then Downloads.
  3. Adjust your download settings:
    • To change the default download location, click Change and select where to save your files.
    • If you'd rather choose a specific location for each download, turn on Ask where to save each file before downloading.

Import your bookmarks from your old browser

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, select More More and then Bookmarks and lists and then Import bookmarks and settings.
  3. Select Choose file.
  4. Choose a file and select Open and then Done.

Create profiles for personal & work accounts

Add a new profile

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, select Profile Profile and then Add new profile.
  3. If you choose to sync to your Google Account, your profile name will automatically be your Account name.
  4. Choose a name, photo, and color scheme.

If you choose to turn sync on in Chrome with a Google Account for the new profile, your bookmarks, history, passwords and other settings will sync automatically.

Switch to another profile

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, select Profile Profile.
  3. Choose the profile you want to switch to. 

Change your notification settings

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, select More and then Settings.
  3. Select Privacy and security and then Site Settings and then Notifications.
  4. Select the option that you want as your default setting.
    • Block a site:
      1. Next to "Not allowed to send notifications," select Add.
      2. Enter the site's web address.
      3. Select Add.
    • Allow a site:
      1. Next to "Allowed to send notifications," select Add.
      2. Enter the site's web address.
      3. Select Add.
    • Allow quieter notification prompts:
      1. Allow sites to ask to send notifications.
      2. Select Use quieter messaging.
        • This blocks notification prompts from interrupting you. A website can still ask you to allow notifications, but no pop-up prompt will show. Instead, you'll only find a bell icon next to the website's address. You can select the bell to allow access.
    • Turn on flash notifications:
      1. To make your screen flash when you get a notification, select Accessibility Settings and then Audio and Captions.
      2. Turn on Flash Notifications.
      3. Optional: You can choose the color your screen flashes. Next to "Flash screen color," from the dropdown menu, select your preferred color.

Save your Chrome preferences across devices

Sign in and turn on sync

To sign in to Chrome and turn on sync, you must have a Google Account.

Important: Only turn on Chrome sync with devices that you own. If you use a public computer, use Guest mode instead.

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, select Profile Profile.
  3. Select Turn on sync....

    • If you're not signed into your Google Account, you'll be prompted to sign in.

  4. Select Yes, I'm in.

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