Can we rebuild it?

Can we rebuild Empty New Tab Page?

Build a Chrome extension like Empty New Tab Page — a Empty New Tab Page alternative you own.

If you want a distraction-free start screen, you can easily build your own Empty New Tab Page. Creating a custom Chrome extension takes minutes and serves as the ultimate lightweight alternative, letting you control the exact background color, dark mode behavior, and zero-tracking privacy of every new tab you open.

The listing record

What Empty New Tab Page does

For those who don't want to worry which recently visited pages show up on the new tab page, who prefer plain over noisy, simple over complex. Version 1.2.0 adds dark mode support. Version 1.3.0's only change is to use manifest_version 3. For this extension, this does not affect behavior at all. The change is required to keep the extension listed in Chrome Web Store.

What the store says

★ 4.4 from 1.2K ratings · 100K users

Pulled live from the Chrome Web Store listing at analysis time.

Can PlugThis rebuild Empty New Tab Page?

Why build your own Empty New Tab Page alternative

• Choose your exact preferred background color or custom wallpaper
• Add personal shortcuts, clocks, or search bars if desired
• Ensure zero analytics, telemetry, or future monetization
• Instant load times with zero external network requests

What it costs vs what you'd save

The starter prompt

Build a minimalist new tab Chrome extension using Manifest V3 that overrides the new tab page with a completely blank screen. Include automatic dark mode detection using CSS media queries so it renders pure white or dark gray depending on the system theme, and ensure zero external scripts or network calls.

Features you could add that Empty New Tab Page doesn't have

Because you own the code, these are a follow-up prompt away — tap one to add it to the prompt above.

• Custom Color Picker — Add a subtle settings panel to choose custom hex colors or subtle gradients for your tab.
  + add to prompt
• Minimalist Clock — Include an optional, clean typography clock or date display in the center.
  + add to prompt
• Local Quick Links — Add a few private, hardcoded or user-managed bookmarks without tracking.
  + add to prompt

Questions about rebuilding Empty New Tab Page

How to build it yourself

1. 1
   Open PlugThis and start a new build

   Head to PlugThis and start a new Chrome extension. You're describing a Empty New Tab Page alternative you'll own outright — no store subscription.

2. 2
   Paste the starter prompt

   Paste the starter prompt above. PlugThis expands it into a full Manifest V3 extension — popup, content scripts, and service worker included.

3. 3
   Review, tweak, and load it

   Review the generated code, ask for tweaks in plain English, then download and load the unpacked extension in Chrome to try it.

4. 4
   Publish it (optional)

   When you're happy, publish your Empty New Tab Page alternative to the Chrome Web Store — or just keep it as a private tool for yourself.

More teardowns

We run the same teardown on any Chrome extension — what it does, whether a self-built alternative holds up, and the prompt to make one. Tear down another extension, or see the extensions we've actually rebuilt and filmed — real build times, real prompts, real recordings.