Chrome for Android quietly gets a fun way to personalize your new tab page

Google has been gradually adding more customization options to Chrome across platforms, and now Android users are getting a feature that makes the browser feel a little more personal.

A new “Appearance” menu, first spotted last year, is now rolling out widely in Chrome for Android. The feature lets you customize how your new tab page looks with wallpapers, colors, and themed backgrounds.

The feature is now available in Chrome for Android version 151.0.7922.71, where it appears as a new option under “Customize new tab page” in the three-dot menu when viewing the new tab page.

After selecting the new “Appearance” option, you’ll see a customization panel with four different choices. The first option is Chrome Default, which restores the browser’s standard look.

If you’d rather add a personal touch, you can choose “Upload an image” to use one of your own photos as the new tab background.

For users who prefer something simpler, Chrome Colors offers a selection of preset color themes. There’s also an option to have Chrome automatically refresh your chosen color every day if you’d like a regularly changing look.

Finally, Theme Collections provides a gallery of curated wallpapers organized into categories including Landscape, Architecture, Earth, Patterns, Illustrations, and Gradients. Each category contains multiple backgrounds to choose from, and these collections can also be set to refresh daily.

Desktop browsers have long offered extensive customization options, but Chrome on Android has remained relatively plain by comparison. This new Appearance menu finally brings some welcome personalization to the mobile experience without adding unnecessary complexity.

Thanks to Android Authority reader Joe Dissolvo for the tip.