Tab Maker by Google lets you create your own New Tab Page design as an extension

New tab page designs are nothing new – they’ve been around for a long time. Before developers could even create their own, Google had several designs available for users to spice up the design of the first thing they see when they get started in Chrome each morning. Recently, the company also released dedicated designs to honor Black and Hispanic artists and to showcase their expressive interpretations of how they use Chrome from day to day.

Moving forward, it’s placing that same power into your hands – yes, you. Instead of being limited to the millions of new tab page designs that can be found on the Chrome Web Store (because there’s not enough), you can now make your own! There’s also no code required, as the new “Tab Maker” by Google lets you design it visually.

By visiting tabmaker.withgoogle.com on a desktop computer, you can begin to build out your own “uniquely you” design and once you’re done, you’ll package it as an extension, install it and enjoy! Since it’s an extension, you can also share it with your friends and family. Google is also allowing anyone to upload their designs to the Chrome Web Store’s “themes” section using its instructions.

Tab Maker lets you “Share your ideas in every new tab” using images, text, or GIFs that inspire, educate, or inform. Every new tab is a new chance to share what matters to you. By following the instructions below and using the tab “maker” tool on the web, you’ll soon have a highly customized and fun new tab experience without jumping through all of the coding hoops.

Just follow the step-by-step instructions to create your design and fill in a Google Sheet with links to your content. When you’re done, you’ll get a ZIP file with your extension, ready to share with the world. Collaborating with others and updating the content is easy too: just edit the Google Sheet, and everything will be automatically updated.

How does it work?

A few quick use cases for Tab Maker include creating a gallery of galaxies so you can learn something new about space each time you open a new tab, seeing pictures of cats and dogs (but mostly dogs), getting design inspiration from emerging artists, and getting the latest news and updates from local independent businesses.

The Tab Maker page also has several FAQs regarding the design and implementation of your own creations, so be sure to read through it thoroughly before getting started. I’d personally love to see this become the next “iGoogle” tool, but highly personal. Despite its haphazardous nature, I truly do miss that tool, but it’s a product of a tech generation past, so if we see anything like it in the future, I believe Google would want it to be something very personalized and “you”.