How to get two-line home page shortcuts on Google Chrome after v124 update

Update 28/10/24 12:25 pm (IST): If the previous workarounds are failing after recent updates, try the following workaround suggested by a Redditor:

search and go to chrome://flags/

search and ENABLE “M129 flags” then relaunch

search and DISABLE “NTP Modules redesigned” then relaunch

Update 23/08/24 2:45 pm (IST): Those looking to get back the two-line shortcuts on Chrome might be in luck. A Redditor shared a potential workaround. Here are the steps you must follow:

Go to chrome://flags, find #ntp-journeys-module-text-only and set to Enable or Disable

Multiple users have confirmed that this did the trick for them.

Update 21/06/24 10:14 am (IST): After the recent Chrome update, it appears that there’s no known workaround to get back the previous UI You can head here for more details. If we do come across any workaround, we’ll update the article.

Original article published on April 24, 2024 follows:

The recent Chrome v124 update has introduced a new change to the home page shortcuts layout. Prior to the update, home page shortcuts showed up in two rows, with each row having 5 shortcuts. Now, with v124, the shortcuts show up in a single row of 10. Check out the screenshot shared by a Redditor below for reference:

If you too are frustrated with the new change and want to get back the old two-line homepage shortcuts, then you’re in luck. You’ll have to mess around with some Chrome flags, but it’ll get the job done. I also want to point out that while these flags might work for now, it’s possible that you might run into issues later down the line. For instance, those who tried to workaround the new Chrome UI found themselves with misaligned favicons after the Chrome v124 update. With that out of the way, let’s check out the steps to revert this change.

Steps to get back the two-line homepage page shortcuts

Follow these steps:

1. In your Chrome address bar, type chrome://flags/ and press Enter.
2. Locate the flags named “Temporarily unexpire M122 flags” and “Temporarily unexpire M123 flags.” Click the dropdown menu next to each flag and select “Enabled.”
3. Click the blue “Relaunch” button at the bottom of the flags page. Chrome will close and reopen with the newly enabled flags.
4. Once Chrome restarts, navigate back to chrome://flags/. Search for “NTP Single Row Shortcuts.” Click the dropdown menu next to this flag and select “Disabled.”
5. Click the “Relaunch” button once more. This will finalize the changes and bring back the two-row shortcut layout on the New Tab page in Chrome.

This workaround was suggested by users on Reddit and the official community forums. Several others have confirmed that it did the trick for them.

User feedback on the change

Google Chrome users have taken to platforms like Reddit and the support forums to express their dissatisfaction with the new change. Even though it might seem like a minor tweak, when you’ve been using something for months or years, a sudden change might disrupt your workflow. More importantly, the new UI doesn’t appear to bring any advantage over the previous layout.

I’ve added a few complaints from users for reference:

Like, it was fine one second and then I opened a new tab an suddenly it was only one row. Like, why would they change that in the update??? It’s so pointless, and if anything it just makes google harder to use now as I have to learn the new layout. (Source)

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Are we forced to have the obnoxious single line for shorcuts now? I was able to disable it in flags before, but now that option is entirely gone (Source)

Thought I would try here to see if anyone knows how to fix this. The shortcuts on the Google page used to be in two rows. Now it’s one long horizontal row. (Source)

That said, it’s important to remember that using Chrome flags is a temporary solution. Google might remove the flags entirely in future updates, or they could cause unforeseen problems. If you’re comfortable with the potential drawbacks and miss the two-line layout, this method should bring it back for now. However, if stability is your top priority, you might want to wait and see if Google reintroduces the option to customize the shortcut layout in a future update.

If you found this article helpful, consider tapping the like button. In case you have another workaround that you wish to share with fellow Chrome users, please do so via the comments section below. That’s it from my side!