Google-chrome – How to fix Google Chrome’s latest new tab page

google-chrometabs

I've just updated to the latest Google Chrome Dev build, and they've changed from the annoying-but-ok new tab page to an ugly and less usable page.

On the old one, nine thumbnails was not enough, and now they've restricted it to eight.

There's an empty "Tips and Suggestions" box which I wouldn't want even if it had stuff in; they've added Recent Downloads – on the rare occasions when I need that, I'll hit Ctrl-J to open the Downloads tab; and the site-specific search box on the right has now gone!

Is there a way to get the old new tab page back, or a plugin to provide a superior one?

Update:
I launch Chrome by pressing Win+R and entering "chrome" – I have a shortcut on the Path with a Target of "C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --old-new-tab-page and whilst double-clicking this shortcut brings up the previous new tab page, using the keyboard method results in the old one.

How do I get it working via the Run box?
(Without using a batch file, which slows things down too much.)

Update 2:
GRRR! Now they've gone and stopped the --old-new-tab-page parameter from working at all!
I hate this new version of the page that they're forcing upon us – can anyone provide a method to get rid of it and get the decent page back?

Best Answer

If you append:

--old-new-tab-page

to your Chrome shortcut, it will revert the New Tab page to the original 3x3 layout with the Searches and Bookmarks on the right-hand side. Just tested it now on mine, works perfectly.

Related Solutions

Chrome – Revert new tab page behavior in Google Chrome 29+

Please note: This solution no longer works as many of the features mentioned have been removed by the Chrome developers. It will be kept for posterity, but is no longer guaranteed to work as intended.

Update January 29, 2014: As of Google Chrome stable Version 32.0.1700.102 m this flag still appears to exist. chrome-internal://newtab does not appear to exist. chrome://apps still exists.

Update Feburary 21, 2014 As of Google Chrome stable Version 33.0.1750.117 m this flag appears to no longer exist. chrome://apps appears to still work. chrome://newtab directs users to the new newtab page.

To disable this feature, go to:

chrome://flags/

And hit Ctrl+F. Search for "Enable Instant Extended API". Click disabled in the dropdown below it, then click relaunch now. This should disable the new tab page. Change the flag to enabled if you'd like to re-enable it at any time.

Edit: Here's the flag:

chrome://flags/#enable-instant-extended-api

Thanks, Jim Bergman.

Other possible solutions

Please see either drzaus's answer or niutech's answer for possible solutions involving Google Chrome extensions and other dark magic. New Tab Reloaded (Extended) is currently the only extension that fully restores the old New Tab Page, though "Recently closed" and "Other devices" are only available in development versions of Chrome, which may be unstable.
Rob Cooper has posted a work around with some more details about how to get rid of the annoying search engine on the new tab page in Google Chrome. Please see his answer for more details.

Google-chrome – How to Block Doodle in Chrome’s ‘New Tab’ page

There's a new flag (use-google-local-ntp) that allows disabling New Tab Page service worker and therefore also Google Doodle. Currently it's available in Google Canary 61 so let's hope it lands in stable (soon).

chrome://flags/#use-google-local-ntp

Switch it to "Enabled" and restart Chrome. I wrote about it in this blogpost.

EDIT: It's already available in the stable Chrome 60.

Related Question

Google-chrome – Shortcut to open same Chrome page in a new window (not a new tab)