Solved MS Edge Starting Page Question

Generally, as late as this morning, Microsoft Edge opened to a new tab, showing a refresh icon, a home icon, a large search window (almost all the way across the top), and a favorites icon just to the right of the search window.
The remainder of the page showed a scenic backdrop (a standard Windows backdrop that occasionally changed), and a smaller search window (about 8") containing the standard magnifier icon and the words "search the web", as well as a copilot icon I (could never get rid of that!).

During the day, as I used my computer, I must have inadvertently changed the Edge settings, because now my opening page no longer has the scenic background, but instead has an endless number of advertising windows on a white background, as far down as I can scroll.

Please help me get back to the basic scenic background, hopefully permanent when I find one I like, rather than randomly changing. I would also like to get rid of the copilot icon in the small search window, if possible.

Any help would be appreciated.

Use the page settings icon then turn everything off except background whereyou can edit it. If you have the switch - play around with the new look option.





Not found a way to get rid of copilot in the search bar.

I had this happen. While on the start page, right-click and select "View Background." It will be solid white. Close the tab and reopen the start page.

LSF said:

help me get back to the basic scenic background, hopefully permanent when I find one I like, rather than randomly changing.

Click to expand...

LSF said:

now my opening page no longer has the scenic background, but instead has an endless number of advertising windows on a white background, as far down as I can scroll.

Click to expand...

These guys may be right and that's all it is but I'm guessing that you may have grabbed a piece of malware in your browsing, either a browser redirect or adware.. Please post a screenshot of this browser window you are seeing. I'm only surmising here since I haven't seen the browser window you are describing.

If their suggestions don't work for you and it turns out to be malware, here's the way I would approach it.
In Edge settings (3 dots>settings) I would clear cookies and history. Also look at your extensions to make sure you haven't inadvertantly installed a rogue extension.

Download and install Malwarebytes and AdwCleaner. Close the browser and run each of them. Quarantine/remove anything they find.

Restart. If the issue still exists, export your favorites and reset Edge back to default. Report back and we can tell you how if this step becomes necessary..

As per Post #2 with additional changes to Home page.

New Tab page > Gear(Page settings) > Everything Off including New look.

If you switch New Look On, and go back there is stuff turned On in the "Old" Look, so you have to re-do the Page settings.

That should give you an almost blank page with just a Search bar.

Additionally:
Settings > Start, home, and new tab page.

I have used about:blank for Home page for decades.

Don't use the start page,

Thank you all for your responses.
Starting from the top:

Fabler2: Your suggestions have (at least for now) allowed me to get back to my desired home page settings. I will see if they hold, and when I get the courage, modify them as required. Thank you.
Re. your 2nd reply, it appears that I'm already set up per your recommendation, but can you tell me how to reach the setting options that you show?

Lavik: Good info, thank you.

TairikuOkami: Bonjourr looks like a promising add-on, if needed. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

glasskuter: Thanks for your suggestion. I have been using Malwarebytes for years on my other 2 Windows 7 computers, but havent thought about using it on Win 11 (I guess because I'm still exploring Win 11's built-in capabilities). Thank you for jogging my memory: I will install Malwarebytes on this new computer.

Helmut: I hadn't considered about:blank (probably don't need it right now). Could you please direct me to the page where I can view these settings?

LSF said:

Fabler2: Your suggestions have (at least for now) allowed me to get back to my desired home page settings. I will see if they hold, and when I get the courage, modify them as required. Thank you.
Re. your 2nd reply, it appears that I'm already set up per your recommendation, but can you tell me how to reach the setting options that you show?

Click to expand...

Edge settings - Start, home, and new tab page

Thank you!

LSF said:

Thank you!

Click to expand...

Checked Edge on another machine which is the same version,



and the settings are slightly different

This is the home page I had,



so this is how I had to change it on this Edge.

Opened the setting icon for this home page,



edit background:




Turned background on then selected my options.



Same version of Edge but on a different PC and slight variations in the settings