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When opening a new tab in Google Chrome, the focus will sometimes (and only sometimes) not be on the address bar, which instead contains the text chrome://new-tab-page-third-party/:

Google chrome address bar reading 'chrome://new-tab-page-third-party/'

When this happens, the DuckDuckGo logo (I use their new tab page) does not load as normal either, and only my 'most visited sites' appear.

The problem first started appearing a few weeks ago. I can't find any rhyme or reason in when it occurs and when it doesn't, and cannot replicate it reliably. It just happens sometimes.

prashant's answer to this question by dialex does NOT solve the issue - I already have the bookmarks bar enabled as standard, and the problem still occurs.

Why does this happen, and what can I do to address it?

EDIT: in response to a comment by user1686, this is my empty chrome://policy page: a chrome://policy page with no policies set

Drubbels
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  • Anything unusual in `chrome://policy/`? – u1686_grawity Jun 20 '21 at 09:23
  • Seems to be empty. – Drubbels Jun 20 '21 at 09:27
  • How do you use DDG's new tab page? Is that through a Chrome extension? – u1686_grawity Jun 20 '21 at 09:31
  • I am having the same problem. For me, it's usually the "first" new tab (in a while?) that doesn't behave properly. Subsequent new tabs behave properly. – McKay May 10 '22 at 18:26
  • @McKay Try the "new Tab Redirect" extension. Might work. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/new-tab-redirect/icpgjfneehieebagbmdbhnlpiopdcmna – 1NN May 11 '22 at 15:47
  • @1nn I don't want to install an extension, especially a closed source one with no privacy policy. Scary. – McKay May 12 '22 at 22:58
  • @McKay you & OP never detailed HOW you use DuckDuckGo as asked by another comment: 1)How do you use DDG's new tab page? 2)Is that through a Chrome extension? 3)Does disabling/switching (to a new tab page or search engine) that fix this issue? Workaround: Ctrl+L is a keyboard shortcut to jump/focus on URL/Search bar – gregg May 14 '22 at 12:46
  • Does this happen when running Chrome in Incognito mode? Are you on Windows, which version, and is it fully updated? – harrymc May 15 '22 at 09:51
  • @gregg 1) "How do I use the new tab page" is a very vague question. Here's some things you might mean: a) I don't recall setting a custom new tab page. I did change my search engine (but FWIW, not to DDG, but to another search engine option provided by chrome out of the box). I believe when I changed my search engine, it changed my new tab page automatically. b) I mostly don't use the page itself. I don't care about the content, c) I press ctrl+t to create a new tab, and I expect my cursor to be in the address bar, so I start typing, and sometimes focus isn't there. It's annoying. – McKay May 15 '22 at 15:58
  • @gregg I do use that workaround, but it messes with my flow, which is why I added a b bounty. – McKay May 15 '22 at 16:01
  • @harrymc This does not happen in incognito mode. Incognito mode doesn't use a new tab page. I use incognito mode frequently, but it doesn't have this same behavior. It focuses on the address bar every time. I'm using Windows 11, and I keep both windows and chrome up to date. Both have had recent updates that haven't change the behavior. – McKay May 15 '22 at 16:01
  • The next best thing to incognito mode is to disable all extensions, to see if one of them causes this behavior. – harrymc May 15 '22 at 16:35
  • @harrymc I am not using any extensions. – McKay May 15 '22 at 16:39

2 Answers2

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Well, Its Because DDG ( DuckDuckGo) doesn't have a NTP set by default.

According to @jxramos, ( on this post)

This CL creates a new default NTP for third-party search providers that do not have their own NTP define. It shows the most-visited tiles centered on the screen and can display a background is a chrome theme extension is installed. https://github.com/chromium/chromium/commit/dc334612cb78fa2233eb34c1355b6ee905f57cdc

I suggest changing the search engine to Google to check if the error happens then too

To change the engine:

  1. Type: chrome://settings/searchEngines?search=search+engine

  2. Navigate to Search Engines .

  3. In the Drop down menu, select Google ( or DuckDuckGo or your preferred engine)

Et Voila! It must be fixed.

But, If you want to continue using DDG, well , I would have do more research.

Glorfindel
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Lucifer
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    NTP? New Tab Page? If DuckDuckGo (DDG) causes this, then why do you offer it as a search engine option in step 3? Maybe the OP set their 'On startup' to open 'specific page' which is DDG, but thats only on startup not the new tab page... – gregg May 11 '22 at 15:50
  • Well, for that reason exactly. I do not know how OP set up their DuckDuckGo. I cannot comment or ask for clarification in the answer. I am just 10 rep away from commenting. But this answer has been tried and works. And Yes , Your observation is likely correct – Lucifer May 12 '22 at 06:25
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    This doesn't solve my problem. I'm using a search engine that does have a new tab page. Sometimes I see the new tab page and the address bar receives focus, sometimes I don't. – McKay May 12 '22 at 22:59
  • So, does your browser show `chrome://new-tab-page-third-party/:` ? – Lucifer May 13 '22 at 11:33
  • Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. – McKay May 15 '22 at 15:34
  • So does it not focus when it shows `chrome://new-tab-page-third-party/:` and focus correctly when it does not show `chrome://new-tab-page-third-party/:` ?? also you can press control e to shift your focus back to address bar ( it starts a search in google) – Lucifer May 16 '22 at 05:51
  • @Lucifer That is correct. When it shows the new tab page, it does not show `chrome://new-tab-page-third-party/` in the address bar, and it focuses the address bar. But sometimes, it has `chrome://new-tab-page-third-party/` in the address bar, and it doesn't focus the address bar, but I can use a keyboard shortcut to focus the address bar, but I want a better solution. – McKay May 17 '22 at 06:05
  • I mean it might seem stupid for me to suggest , but have you tried clearing your cache, re installing your browser? also can you tell me what plugins/extensions and bookmarks you have? Some users reported that removing plugins like [these](https://code.google.com/archive/p/smoothgestures-chromium/issues/134) or [bookmarks](https://superuser.com/a/920997/1691377) { you said that you have tried enabling the bookmarks bar, right?} helps mitigate the problem. – Lucifer May 18 '22 at 11:02
  • I want to add that the focus changes to the main body of the browser and you can confirm that by pressing Alt and Tab – Lucifer May 18 '22 at 11:07
  • @Lucifer Yes, I have tried those things. I don't have plugins. Showing or hiding the bookmarks bar doesn't help. Alt tab changes the active window (in windows, mac doesn't have an "alt" key), I think you just mean "tab". but I don't particularly care what has focus. I already have a keyboard workaround when this bug shows up. – McKay May 20 '22 at 18:54
  • sorry, I meant Command+Tab. Well, in that case , I am out of answers for now. :( I'll get back if I get to know more – Lucifer May 24 '22 at 07:09
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You can also press F6, control+L or control+e to focus your address bar if it does not focus automatically ( it starts searching in google )

Also, There is a bug with opening a new tab with Smart Gestures

This answer took a different approach which is why I added another answer thread for it

Glorfindel
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Lucifer
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  • This is a workaround, not a fix, but maybe good enough for some people. Also seems to be [stolen from my comment?](https://superuser.com/questions/1657867/sometimes-no-focus-on-address-bar-chrome-new-tab-page-third-party?noredirect=1#comment2657170_1657867). That bug SEEMS to be our issue so great find, but it says it was fixed, maybe someone can [re-open it](https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=40977)? – gregg May 16 '22 at 13:37
  • Yeah, I use this. It might be helpful for some people, but I want a better solution. – McKay May 17 '22 at 06:03