How to change your browser home page

This article explains how to change the home page of your web browser.

1. What is a home page?
2. Changing the home page in Internet Explorer 7
3. Changing the home page in Safari
4. Changing the home page in Firefox

What is a home page?

The home page is quite simply the first page that is loaded when you start your web browser and the page that loads when you click the Home icon.

The initial home page set in your browser will generally depend on which browser you are using and whether it has been customised. Some computer manufacturers will set the home page to point you to their own website. Some internet providers will set the home page to point to their website.

It is possible to set your home page in all browsers. For those which use tabs, you can set several pages to load when you start.
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Changing the home page in Internet Explorer 7

Start Internet Explorer 7. Click on the Tools menu and select Internet Options:

Click the General tab:

You can manually enter the name or names for the page or pages you wish to load when starting Internet Explorer 7. Just type the addresses into the text box, one address on each line:

You can also set your home page using the three buttons below the textbox:

Click Use Current to use the page or pages currently open for your home page(s). Click Use default to reset the home page back to the original. Click Use blank if you don't want to load up a home page at all.

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Changing the home page in Safari

Start Safari. Click on the Safari menu and click Preferences:

Click on the General tab:

You have two options for setting your home page:

You can manually enter the address of the page you wish to set as your home page. Click Set to Current Page to use the currently loaded page as your home page.

You can also choose what happens when you open a new browser window:

• Load up your home page
• Load an empty page
• Use the page in your current browser window
• Open your bookmarks

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Changing the home page in Firefox

Start Firefox, click the Tools menu and click Options:

Click on the Main tab:

Choose an option for which page to display when Firefox starts.

• Go to your home page
• Load a blank page
• Continue from the page(s) loaded the last time you were using Firefox:

You have various options available to set your home page:

Manually enter the page or pages you wish to set for your home page or pages. For multiple pages, you will need to separate the addresses with a semi-colon. Click Use Current Page to use the page or pages currently open in Firefox as your home page or pages. Click Use Bookmark if you want to select your home page from your bookmarks, this will open your bookmarks for you to select which one you wish to use. Click Restore to Default to change back to your original home page settings.

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This page last updated 23rd July 2007

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