As a longtime user of Microsoft Edge, I've appreciated its speed and features compared to older browsers like Internet Explorer. However, its default new tab page—filled with large favicons for Top Sites and distracting MSN news headlines—can hinder focus. If you're tired of cat videos or celebrity news derailing your workflow, here's how to remove them permanently on desktop and mobile.
These step-by-step instructions, based on my hands-on experience with Edge, will give you a clean, blank start every time.
New tabs in Edge show Top Sites (frequently visited or pre-selected shortcuts) and suggested MSN news. The start page focuses on news but can be customized similarly.
Edge offers two easy ways to disable these distractions.
Method 1: Click the three dots in the top-right corner, select Settings, then under On startup, choose A blank page from the Open New Tabs with dropdown. This removes both Top Sites and news.
Note: Select Top Sites to keep sites but hide news.Method 2: On a new tab, click the gear icon above Top Sites, then choose A blank page.
Note: Again, pick Top Sites for news only.The start page shows only news feeds, but you can hide them separately. Click the gear icon in the top-left of the news section, check Hide the news feed, and save.
Note: Toggle off specific widgets like Weather or Sports instead.To bring them back, click Show top sites or Show news and more at the bottom of a new tab or start page. Changes persist after restarts.
Mobile Edge doesn't allow permanent Top Sites removal—clear tiles individually by long-pressing and selecting Delete (or tap the 'x' on iOS). They repopulate slowly.
For news: Tap the ellipsis (...), go to Settings > New tab page, and toggle off Show news feed (or Hide news feed on some versions).
A blank new tab or start page boosts focus instantly. Quick site access is handy, but one wrong click wastes time. Ditch the news—your productivity will thank you.
