How to Change the Default Home Page in the Registry
By Steve Gregory
The Windows operating system allows you to change the default home page of your browser by editing the Windows Registry. The registry contains the configuration settings used by Windows to operate the computer. Editing the registry is not always recommended because if you make a mistake, you can destabilize the operating system. Fortunately, editing the registry to change the home page is fairly simple and will take less than 10 minutes to accomplish.
Log in to Windows under an administrative account. You need administrator privileges to edit the registry.
Click the "Start" button and select "Run." Type "regedit" in the pop-up box and click "OK." The Windows Registry will open.
Navigate to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" using the folder tree on the left of the screen. Click on "Software," "Microsoft," "Internet Explorer" and then "Main." A new pane will open on the right side of the screen.
Right-click on "StartPage" on the right side of the screen. Select "Modify" from the pop-up window. A new window will display the current home page.
Delete the current home page and type in the new home page URL. Click the "OK" button.
Reboot your computer. The computer needs to be restarted for the registry changes to take effect. Open the Web browser. Check to see that the home page is the new entry made in the registry.
References
Warnings
- Do not play around in the Windows Registry. Follow the instructions exactly or you will damage the operating system.
Writer Bio
An avid technology enthusiast, Steve Gregory has been writing professionally since 2002. With more than 10 years of experience as a network administrator, Gregory holds an Information Management certificate from the University of Maryland and is pursuing MCSE certification. His work has appeared in numerous online publications, including Chron and GlobalPost.