Brave-browser: Dashboard on new tab page should be customizable

[bsclifton]

Currently, a randomly chosen image will as a background and there are "top site" tiles being shown

Users should have the ability to:

• [x] turn off the background images https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/4523
  
  
  
  • [ ] if disabled, user should be able to customize the gradient or have a solid color (https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/11962)
  
  
• [ ] choose a category for (or somehow customize) the images (ex: landscapes)
• [ ] be able to provide your own backgrounds https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/5838
• [x] turn off the "top site" tiles https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/4510
• [ ] change the size or number of "top site" tiles being shown https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/6619
• [x] be able to change what opening a new tab does https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/2999
• [x] blank new tab page https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/4509
• [ ] Be able to edit and add "top sites" https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/7493

(issue carried over from browser-laptop)

[srirambv]

• [ ] Should also cover #404

[ExpandingMan]

It would be really nice if the new tab page also allowed you to replace the new tab "top sites" with the users own customizable list of bookmarks as in opera and vivaldi (in those browsers there is simply a special bookmarks folder which shows up in new tab as "speed dial"). Presumably this wouldn't even require changing the actual UI since the components are already there for "top sites".

[perariontaeadastra]

please introduce disabling of the tab background images. it is an issue, when working over slow Internet and Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection. Screen refresh time goes up significantly.
It should look like this I think:

Thank you.

[aviaryan]

please introduce disabling of the tab background images. it is an issue, when working over slow Internet and Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection. Screen refresh time goes up significantly.

Exactly, Brave is said to be faster than Chrome but a default like this actually acts against it. With a fast internet, this doesn't matter but when on a metered plan and in a 3G area, this means I will have to go back to Chrome.

[deadcoder0904]

Yes to add I would love to have the following while removing background image

I think its really stupid to save lots of bandwidth while giving away so much bandwidth for new images everytime I open a new tab. The images are really amazing but atleast don't change them everytime I open a new tab. Changing them everyday can be an alternative till then :)

[socketbox]

Am I naive to think that the brave-core/components/brave_new_tab_ui/brave_new_tab.js file, which is responsible for a good amount of a new tab's appearance, resides in a location and format that would allow it to be replaced by a non-minified and uncompressed version that the user can hack? I've searched for it locally, but can't find it.

[eljuno]

+1 from Community for "turn off" setting
https://community.brave.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-turn-off-homepage-new-tab-photo-wallpaper/37587?u=eljuno

+1 from Community for adding more "top sites" https://community.brave.com/t/adding-new-links-to-new-tab-page/41858?u=eljuno

[Bunderant]

I saw this mentioned in the old thread on this, but I think it's important that the "top sites" be more customizable than just display size and enabling/disabling. It's nice that they can be pinned already, but strange that the pinned items get jumbled together with the unpinned ones, especially when just getting started with Brave and there isn't enough browsing history to lend "top sites" any substantial weight.

Bonus points if the "Add new tab" tooltip actually contains the icon links for pinned sites.

[snertev]

+1, especially for a solid color background instead of image loading.

[Brave-Matt]

Another +1:
https://community.brave.com/t/how-do-i-set-a-new-tab-to-open-showing-my-home-page/39708/2

[martin-labanic]

I would really appreciate the ability to disable the top sites list.

[dhondtlaurens]

Yes, i used to have following extension on chrome (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/empty-new-tab-page/dpjamkmjmigaoobjbekmfgabipmfilij) but this doesn't work on brave browser.

[itsthejb]

Suggestion: I'm using the following app with Nextcloud https://github.com/jancborchardt/unsplash/, which gets splash images from https://unsplash.com. Really impressed with the images, it would be great to use something like this with Brave also

[kbrafford]

I love the background image when I am on the host itself, but when I fire up brave over an RDP connection the image kills my productivity and I have to carefully remember to shrink the size of the browser before opening up a new tab. It would be nice to set that to a solid color for accounts that I use remotely like this.

[gaelanlloyd]

Agreed, I'd like to have more control over the "new tab" window, including being able to just load about:blank and show nothing.

[srirambv]

+1 from https://community.brave.com/t/how-to-stop-the-stupid-stats-screen-coming-up/41633/3.

@rebron this one needs to be prioritized as well. Quite a lot of feedback from community and on this thread itself

[jordwalke]

I just started trying out brave. The new tab screen makes brave feel slow (even if it's not), and it flickers somewhere between two and three times flashing white and a dark image) which is jarring and makes the new tab experience feel lower quality. Other than that I've been enjoying Brave.
I would like to just set the new tab page to a blank HTML solid color and only add any functionality if it doesn't slow down new tab performance.

[srirambv]

+1 from @marc1uk via #2833 for blank new tab which was an option in muon

[karansapolia]

Don't know if this happens with everyone else too, but whenever I open a new tab and enter a web address and navigate to it, first after 1-2 seconds of a light gray blank background, the Brave new tab page flashes and then the website renders. Feels like the tab window waits for the 'new tab' page to render first, blocking the requested website till then. And this usually costs extra 1-2 seconds for all new tab page navigations. Seems to be a performance problem. Please allow opening new tabs to a blank page.

[paucc]

I agree. Adding a simple option to remove the background photos and display instead a #444444 grey colour, would be perfect.

[karansapolia]

A simple blank page as an option without any other feature/bloat will help a lot.

[jordwalke]

The new private browsing page is really slow too.

[mailopl]

Also "about:blank" or "chrome-extension://hddnkoipeenegfoeaoibdmnaalmgkpip/toby.html#" should be allowed as a new page. This blocks me personally from transferring.

[lansalot]

Another +1 to lose the image per user setting. It's so slow over RDS, it makes opening a tab painful.

Given how much the authors trumpet the speed of Brave, it's a dumb move to introduce something that purposely slows it down. Also, if on a metered connection, there's the bandwidth aspect of course.

[srirambv]

+1 from https://community.brave.com/t/start-page-thumb-shortcuts/43115

It’s better to add an option to set favorite site shortcuts. Hope future updates will give the ability to control shortcuts

[georles]

+1 to have option for no image at new tab

[leobel96]

+1

[edcarr]

+1

[bambusdani]

+1

[volia2]

+1

[beccanet]

Rather than add a whole plethora of new settings, couldn't the new tab page simply honor the applied theme that users can already set in Settings? I applied a theme I've been using in Chrome for a while, and it only applied the part that is in the header of the browser (the background for the tabs), not on the new tab page. So every time I open the new tab page it's some random image (many of which are uninspiring---I care absolutely nothing about rockets and space, nor seeing roads or buildings), when I have a theme I'm content with already set, which is being ignored.

[SMargell]

Please allow for user control of the background image or the choice to NOT LOAD an image and instead default to the current theme. This is not an unreasonable ask.

[Tj3n]

+1 :( the images arent my taste and it's irritating and annoying, most other feature are great, there should be a way to customize new tab

[lovvtide]

+1 Please let me disable the image. Otherwise a great project!

[deniztoprak]

High quality background images on dashboard should be an opt-in feature rather than a default setting. It doesn't add any functionality to the browser and consumes bandwidth without the user's consent. It could be a nice plugin though.

[tp0]

If anyone is worried about consuring bandwidth, the images are loaded from a local location and not from the web. I verified this by extracting the .pak file containing them.

(I also manged to remove them by deleting them and re-packing the pak file. Then the new tab page displayed a solid (purple) color background. It is a pretty crappy hack and I don't remember the exact steps right now.)

[jangorecki]

Just wanted to note that this is the most frequently upvoted issue on this project, having at the moment 80 upvotes. Second one has only 28. I hope priorities are amended to take into account demand for that feature, that is missing comparing to old Brave version.
I cannot stand those random pictures at start of each new tag, that use memory without any reason. I am surprised that decision on such design change was accepted. The more low-end device you have the less practical is to use Brave.
It seems to be way to long to resolve this issue considering how popular it is.

[conscienta]

+1000

For a project such as this, one in which speed testing is published (and great), adding images that flicker/lag upon opening a tab—an action we do countless times a day—only proves to worsen the experience.

Baffling that it's enabled by default.

[conscienta]

Just noticed this was first requested nearly 10 months ago. Insane, it's the only thing that makes me want to ditch using it.

I wonder if those images were paid placements? Seems the only rational explanation.

[bsclifton]

Hi there folks

Just wanted to share that we ARE working on making the new tab page better (and more customizable). Here's where we're at for the moment:

• @karenkliu is working on the overall design and experience
• @cezaraugusto will be leading development on this page (he's updating shields at the moment). He'll be getting some help from a few other devs once we start

Thanks for your patience! We'll get there soon 😄

[bradleyrichter]

We understand that devs need more control and certainly need to disable images when using RDC or remote VMs. We addressed this in Muon with a simple tab setting to hide the images as well as choices for what is displayed in the new tab window. We will re-implemented these in Core first, and then continue with new tab features for customization.

(from Muon)

All of the images are Creative Commons licensed and we are certainly not being paid to display them. We receive countless inquires from photographers who want to contribute images to this feature and we will that in the new feature set as an opt-in approach.

Until the background image disabling lands, you can now install chrome extensions that override the new tab page. ( I confirmed this works in Version 0.61.51 release channel)

example: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/blank-new-tab-page-dark/fhdjnnbfgbgheebemnjaopachfanifhh
(although it has a side effect of also blanking out the new tab ear label)

As @bsclifton said, thanks for your patience and we appreciate all of the direct feedback from the community.

[conscienta]

Great news, thanks. Please roll this one out quickly :D Other than these images this browser is exceptional.

[naryfa]

When is this option finally coming??? Is it even coming at all, or are we just being played?

[paucc]

@naryfa Hold your horses, they just said it's being developed.

[Dennisvm82]

Is there a way to adjust the time? I would like to use the 24-hour time notation.

[jordwalke]

I can't wait to switch back to Brave once this is fixed!

[cndouglas]

@Dennisvm82

Is there a way to adjust the time? I would like to use the 24-hour time notation.

This is being tracked in #1308.

[ff6347]

I don't understand this. Brave is a browser that does all those nice things to protect you and your privacy and there are comments like these below:

I can't wait to switch back to Brave once this is fixed!

Really? This is the reason why you don't use Brave?

When is this option finally coming??? Is it even coming at all, or are we just being played?

What? This is an open source free of charge browser and you claim that the developers are playing you?

it's the only thing that makes me want to ditch using it.

Again. What? You value your privacy lower than seeing a random image when opening an new tab?

I hope priorities are amended to take into account demand for that feature,

Even though this is a high frequented issue, it should not be a priority. This is a nice add-on nothing more.

With a fast internet, this doesn't matter but when on a metered plan and in a 3G area, this means I will have to go back to Chrome.

As some other user proved, these images are bundled with the software and don't take up any bandwidth.

Dear Brave team. You are doing an amazing job creating a safe browser. Please don't take it personally. Please keep on doing this! Cheers 🍸

[jangorecki]

Really? This is the reason why you don't use Brave?

If it is not usable because of amount of memory that opening a new tab requires then it is not surprising. Try some low end atom netbook having integrated gpu and 2 gb of mem. You can run xubuntu really nicely on that, problem starts when you want to open new tab. Not even mentioning about the machine that you access remotely and use Brave over RDP.

[conscienta]

The images cause bad lag on my (very powerful) Yosemite machine, I can't click anything for 2-3 seconds when opening a new tab. Have to disable HW accel in the options to fix it.

[kbrafford]

Fabian, the issue makes the otherwise very desirable browser absolutely useless in a few cases, for a needless graphical flourish.

It’s easy to see how a developer who spends 100% of his or her time with a nice machine would never notice the issue, which is why we brought it up.

[ff6347]

I get the low memory problem. IMO this issue still reads like little issue description and a lot like feature requests and complaining.

[kbrafford]

It’s not just low memory. I run Brave on a cloud host with tons of cores and 256GB of memory, and access it from a 24-core computer with 128GB, but because I have to use RDP Brave is totally useless...only because of the start screen.

[paucc]

@kbrafford You can use the workaround pointed by Brad:

Until the background image disabling lands, you can now install chrome extensions that override the new tab page. ( I confirmed this works in Version 0.61.51 release channel)

example: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/blank-new-tab-page-dark/fhdjnnbfgbgheebemnjaopachfanifhh
(although it has a side effect of also blanking out the new tab ear label)

And please, can we limit this issue's use to only help the developers and not to ignite another online discussion?

[jangorecki]

Maybe you could just split this issue into 2+ smaller ones so blank new page could be easily rolled out without waiting months for full blown customisation of dashboard? Months are passing and such a simple request to fix this regression (comparing to old brave) is blocked by features that many users might not even need.

[conscienta]

Maybe you could just split this issue into 2+ smaller ones so blank new page could be easily rolled out without waiting months for full blown customisation of dashboard? Months are passing and such a simple request to fix this regression (comparing to old brave) is blocked by features that many users might not even need.

This (x1000).

[karenkliu]

@rebron, our product manager for the New Tab page is working on splitting these into smaller issues.

[matigous]

Waiting...

[cezaraugusto]

un-assigning myself and assigning @imptrx since it's now part of the new amazing work happening in NTP. cc @rebron please coordinate as needed

[ta32]

chrome allows you to pick a single background image. this is also preferable - i don't like the idea of random images being picked for my browser home page. What if one of them is NSFW, that would be a disaster.

[tp0]

i don't like the idea of random images being picked for my browser home page. What if one of them is NSFW, that would be a disaster.

There are 5 or so images, all landspace or similar, and contrary to an apparent popular belief, they are not fetched from the web, they are in local directory (inside a pak file).

[ta32]

i don't like the idea of random images being picked for my browser home page. What if one of them is NSFW, that would be a disaster.

There are 5 or so images, all landspace or similar, and contrary to an apparent popular belief, they are not fetched from the web, they are in local directory (inside a pak file).

so your saying the images picked for backgrounds aren't updated automatically?
I understand they might be cached but if the browser randomly picks new pictures every month based on a few Instagram accounts then what i said might be possible.

[th3joker21]

I have a theme on my browser so would be nice if the image was transparent so i could see the theme behind the image. I love the stats and the time and the top recent sites.

[ghost]

In my opinion these options should have been implemented from the very beginning. They're really basic feautures and the lack of them makes my Brave experience way worse than it could be.

[bcrownover]

Making someone look at something they didn't choose is one of the biggest reasons people switch from other browsers. I'm happy with a blank tab extension, but I'm looking forward to Brave doing what Brave does best: Giving people a choice.

[cndouglas]

As of the latest nightly build, the background image is off by default, and there is a setting to turn it on.

[bjg222]

The image on the NTP is honestly not a big deal, especially given that it's just bundled with the browser. I do find that 6 recent/frequent sites is not near enough, and leaves a lot of empty space on the NTP. Rather than focus on the image being off by default (it looks far nicer with it on, to me, and an option to turn it off would help those who don't like it), I think some of the usability suggestions, like more recent/frequent sites or pinning of sites would be a more useful priority.

[bcrownover]

Strongly disagree with bjg222 on what is or is not a big deal. I find links to frequently accessed pages or pictures quite distracting when I'm trying to maintain a high degree of focus. I need my opening browser window and new page tabs to be blank. IE, Edge, and Firefox have blank tabs on my work machine. Chrome has been removed now that an extension is providing a blank page function for Brave. Had that not been possible, I probably would have removed Brave.

[nebular]

Also would be interesting to give it an overall different look. This resembles Windows 10 🤮 with that big clock and the icon design, or even worse, that "bing" thing with random backgrounds. Why not just a grid, something really simple? Clocks are already on the topbar / taskbar.

[bsclifton]

We're making some good progress on here - shout out to @imptrx doing the work 😄

As shown above by @cndouglas, you can now toggle the background on/off and coming soon you'll be able to toggle each individual element also (so you can hide stats, clock, tiles, etc)
See https://github.com/brave/brave-core/pull/2762

Stay tuned! I'll update the original post to link to the updated issues and check the boxes for items that have been completed

[fhelwanger]

That's very cool 🎉

In addition to the option to show the background image or not, will we be able to choose a custom image there? Or that should be done by a extension? 🤔

I like images, I just don't like the current ones 😄

[bsclifton]

@fhelwanger you should already be able to override the behavior of the new tab using extensions 😄

There is https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/3556 which tracks being able to customize the backgrounds, but I'm not sure if we'll be able to get to this soon. However, we SHOULD be able to start work on https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/2999 soon, which allows you to choose what the new tab has:

a) Dashboard with images
b) Homepage
c) Default search engine
d) Blank page

There is a project board for those interested - it's not the easiest to read, but it's available here:
https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/projects/19

You can see what is in progress and what has been completed 😄 There are then issues triaged by priority (P1/P2/P3/P4/P5)

[bsclifton]

Another one down - huge thanks to @imptrx for https://github.com/brave/brave-core/pull/2762 😄

(Should be available in Nightly soon!)

You can now enable/disable any element on the new tab page. More coming soon! Thanks for your patience, folks 😄

[ArtexJay]

Allow users to use their own image as new tab background

[ArtexJay]

It would be really nice if the new tab page also allowed you to replace the new tab "top sites" with the users own customizable list of bookmarks as in opera and vivaldi (in those browsers there is simply a special bookmarks folder which shows up in new tab as "speed dial"). Presumably this wouldn't even require changing the actual UI since the components are already there for "top sites".

Would love to see this in Brave

[karenkliu]

Hi everyone, I'm the designer for the New Tab Page and this is roughly the order of front-end work that's planned with @rebron, the product manager:

1. Fix Top Tiles
2. Stop pulling from user History
3. Default Top Tiles the user starts with is brave.com, basicattentiontoken.org, and a third one TBD
4. Remove the pin and bookmark tile options, leaving only "X" to get rid of a top site
5. Allow user to add their own website URL as their top tile

6. Update top tile grid so that there is no limit on how many top tiles a user can add

7. Wallpaper

8. Allow users to upload their image and set as wallpaper
9. Add more 'no-image' options, like gradients and setting solid colors

10. Add integration with a stock image library so the user can select from there

11. Stats

12. Make text color white
13. Update labels to match labels in the Shields panel

Currently being fixed: Make clock widget match the user's system time format (12h, 24h).

We will be creating separate issues for these items, which addresses the OP and adds functionality beyond it. This list does not indicate the complete priority of work as there may be non-front-end work that takes precedence. We might also change the order of work as we get more information and user feedback. As @bsclifton already mentioned, you can check the project board for updates:
https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/projects/19

[bjg222]

• Stop pulling from user History

I realize that others here disagree with my preferences, and I am not trying to contradict those opinions, but I propose this functionality at least be maintained as an option rather than being removed completely. I, personally, like this capability (again, before anybody gets mad at me, this is my personal preference, I am not attempting to speak for all users), and use the "most visited sites" tiles pretty often to jump back to places I go a lot.

[rebron]

@bjg222 Thanks for the feedback and datapoint for top tiles pulling from history. We'll revisit when we can add some additional functionality around it (top tiles pulling from history) as well as give users a better sense of what will display next.

[Valinwolf]

Any chance that we will have the option to set a URL as the new tab page anytime soon? It's the one thing that drives me insane about most browsers available today. About the only one that has it is Vivaldi, and maybe Firefox.

[cvoges12]

Can we add the option for a 24 hour based clock instead of 12 hour?

[cndouglas]

24 hour clock issue: #1308

[cvoges12]

@cndouglas Wow, that feature request has been around for a while now. I think the approach they have is to have it detect automatically though. You could simply have a change as an option.

[gaelbbou]

When opening a new tab, is it possible to have a specific url showing instead of the dashboard?

[bsclifton]

@gaelbouvyer we have an issue tracking that, if you'd like to subscribe 😄
https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/2999

It hasn't been completed yet, but it is something we want to do

[LukasBombach]

I'd like to add my own links (bookmarks) to the dashboard. From what I can read it's not possible. I'm a developer too, how can I help?

[ArtexJay]

I'd like to add my own links (bookmarks) to the dashboard. From what I can read it's not possible. I'm a developer too, how can I help?

This would be the closest thing to Opera's/Vivaldi's implementation of speed dials which i think is the best way.

[Lissy93]

I really like the new tab page, but I just want to be able to change the photographs that load. A few of them are cool, but there are some I really don't like. I've spent ages looking through code and trying to trace where they are loaded from, but with no luck.

Could this be a feature in the future? Alternatively, if anyone knows of the top of their head how I can modify them manually, that would be amazing

Thanks very much, and keep up the awesome work Brave Devs! 🚀

[fhelwanger]

@Lissy93 they plan to add it, check this: https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/353#issuecomment-513906098

[rbABRAXAS]

hello Brave Devs, hello everyone

still nothing?

[cgcgcgcgcg]

In Vivaldi I just use the Black New Tab Page extension (that requires the setting below) since I always use dark themes & styles.
This doesn't work in Brave since this Vivaldi setting simply doesn't exist in Brave.

This is a real deal breaker for using Brave.

[Lissy93]

@cgcgcgcgcg - I don't think this is an issue with Brave

[cgcgcgcgcg]

@cgcgcgcgcg - I don't think this is an issue with Brave

It is on my Manjaro Linux and that's why I stopped using Brave.
It's at least problematic to not have new tab settings on a browser to change new tab behavior, and force peeps see that bloated thing every time they click on new tab.

[Lissy93]

I'm able to change it just fine, I'm on Arch which is what Manjaro is based off. I think your using an old version of Brave? It's not an isue with the current version, tested on Windows and Linux (Arch)

[k-kruglov]

I agree that themes should change the new tab page color too (or have this as an option).
When i open new tabs one after another very fast, i see that tab page has the color of the theme but then brave changes it to the default one (i have wallpaper disabled). Give us the option, please. Browser already does this, you just decided that default color of the page should be the orange one for some reason.

[onmyouji]

Kinda related to this, please allow us to enable Sponsored Images without any Background Image. Currently the 'Show Sponsored Images' settings is tied to the Background Image.

[madhums]

When can we have a simple dark background (without an image) for new tab page?

[JustWhelmed]

I prefer black backgrounds cause my eyes get strained at night. It's pretty absurd I can't do something that simple with brave considering it's suppose to be chrome but better.

[Valinwolf]

@JustWhelmed yeah. What gets me is you have two choices: random (and usually overly bright) images or a blinding gradient that is absurdly hideous. I want a simple dark new tab or my favorite website to show when I open a new tab, not a blinding image or gradient. However I don't want to bog down the browser or "add an extra link to the chain of trust" by adding new tab extensions.

[rafaelcastrocouto]

It was a great addition to Brave being able to customize the 'New tab' but it's past time go take a step forward. Currently we can hide each panel (rewards, stats, clock and top-sites) and choose between images (sponsored or not) and a predefined gradient.

Things that could be improved:

1. Change the number of links in the top-sites and edit them
2. Resize each panel (small, medium and big would be enough)
3. Change the position of each panel
4. Clock configurations (12PM or 24h, include date, seconds, etc)
5. Choose a local folder/online gallery for the images
6. Change the color of the background gradient
7. Change the color of the text (necessary to keep contrast)
8. Add an option to "edit the new tab html/css"

I can help on this but I don't want to overlap with @bsclifton awesome work.
How can I be of service to improve this?

[vikdb]

I just want to set my own url for the new tab..

[rafaelcastrocouto]

@vikdb I think you should open a new issue for the custom URL since it's a feature that would not live inside the new tab. Instead it would have to be placed somewhere in brave://settings/ probably next to the "on startup" options.

[Valinwolf]

@rafaelcastrocouto it's already part of this issue. Check OP's list, third up linked issue #2999.

[Valinwolf]

@rafaelcastrocouto I would be happy with a "widget" based new tab, where I could select what I want to show and where to show it.

[rafaelcastrocouto]

For those willing to use a custom URL and are open to install an extension (I also think that this shouldn't need one) I recommend Custom New Tab URL Extension it simply does the job that should have been already done by the chromium project a long time ago.

[Valinwolf]

@rafaelcastrocouto as mentioned before, adding an extension adds an additional party you have to trust and it's a basic feature that all browsers _should_ have.

[dancojocaru2000]

Why are there suddenly e-toro ads on the new tab page?

[Valinwolf]

@dancojocaru2000 it's part of brave rewards.

[dancojocaru2000]

@dancojocaru2000 it's part of brave rewards.

Only one problem: I don't have Brave Rewards turned on.

[Valinwolf]

@dancojocaru2000 either way, you can turn them off by clicking the slider-looking icon in the lower right corner and unchecking sponsored images.

[ashwinparthasarathi]

When it comes to customizing the new tab dashboard, I haven't found any documentation about how we can create new Widgets/Panels.

Is that something we can already do? Would love to create my own widgets with things required for me.

[musicbyjing]

Hey devs what's up

[bsclifton]

Quick update - I've submitted a PR just now to fix how top sites work:
https://github.com/brave/brave-core/pull/6584

This should unblock some of these tasks and make them MUCH easier to implement. We have a spec created by @karenkliu and @rebron that we'll look at incrementally implementing. Thanks for your patience folks 😄

[srirambv]

+1 from @specter78 for solid colour background instead of a gradient. Updated the issue in the original issue description

[aaronsantamaria]

+1 for #5838
and
+1 for #6619
https://www.reddit.com/r/brave_browser/comments/jixyhq/dashboardnew_page_customization/

[rafaelcastrocouto]

It's developing but backwards ... 😪
Fixing top sites nor dragging them work anymore.
White icons became invisible.

No requested features delivered after 2 years:

• Can't customize background
• Can't customize top sites
• Not even a dark theme

As a bonus we get an over 500KB brave_new_tab.bundle.js

You can do better than this brave team.
The new tab is the first and most used UI in the browser, it deserves more attention.

[bsclifton]

@rafaelcastrocouto and others - update here about latest changes that were introduced with 1.17
https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/7493#issuecomment-732430639

Now that we're integrated with instant service and other code from Chromium, we can look at pulling in the background image setting code without having to do everything from scratch