Your Edge start page on Android is either packed with news, wallpapers, and modules you never open, or stripped down to a bare search box. The Page Layout picker on the new tab page fixes both.
Pick one of four presets, or switch to Custom and toggle each module yourself. You'll also find out where the picker lives and what to try when a layout refuses to stick.
In this guide, I have covered:
Contents
Open the Page Layout Picker in Edge on Android
Your Edge start page is either too busy or too bare, and the fix sits right on the page. The Page Layout picker decides what Edge shows around the search box, and you open it from a new tab instead of digging through Settings.
- Open Microsoft Edge on your Android phone.
- Open a new tab so the Edge start page loads.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and tap Customize. Edge opens the start page editor.
- Tap Layout from the editor sheet. Edge lists the four layout presets.
- Pick the layout you want. Edge applies it immediately and the start page refreshes.
TIP: If the Customize link hides itself after you switch to Focused, the same picker lives under the More 
menu → Settings → New Tab Page → Layout.
The layout changes the new tab page only. How Edge opens tabs, including InPrivate tabs, is a separate setting, and our guide to opening new tabs and InPrivate tabs in Edge on Android covers those options.
The Four Homepage Layouts and What They Show
Not sure how Focused, Inspirational, Informational, and Custom differ? Each preset trades visual noise for content in its own way, so the choice comes down to how much you want on screen.
- Focused: hides the background image and the news feed. You get the search box and your shortcuts on a plain background.
- Inspirational: shows a daily background image with a short news feed under the search box.
- Informational: stacks the background image, the news feed, and extra modules like stories and quick links.
- Custom: lets you toggle each module on or off so the start page matches your taste.
Pick Focused for a search-first start page with nothing else competing for attention. Inspirational is the lightest preset that still shows imagery. Informational loads the most content, and Custom opens up the individual toggles.
Build a Custom Homepage Layout in Edge on Android
None of the four presets feels right? Custom is the only layout that exposes every module on the start page, so you can keep the wallpaper and drop the news feed, or the other way round.
- Open the layout picker using the steps in the first section.
- Pick Custom.
- Tap Customize on the Custom card.
- Toggle each module On or Off to decide what appears on the start page. The change applies the moment you back out of the list.
You’ll know it worked when the start page reloads with only the modules you left switched on.
On recent Edge builds, an Improve Quality of Shortcuts on Homepage toggle sits under Microsoft Services. Turn it on if your shortcut row is full of duplicate or low-quality tiles.
Use a Specific Site as Your Homepage
Want Edge to open one particular website every time you launch it? Layout presets will not do that. They change what surrounds the search box, while the home button URL is a separate setting.
Our guide on setting a site URL as the Edge Android homepage and home icon walks through the steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the layout questions that come up most often on Android.
How do I make the Edge Android homepage clean with no news or background image?
Pick Focused in the Page Layout picker. It hides the background image and the news feed, leaving only the search box and your shortcuts on a plain background.
What is the difference between Focused, Inspirational, and Informational layouts?
Focused shows only the search box and shortcuts. Inspirational adds a daily background image and a small news feed. Informational adds more content modules on top of that, including stories and quick links. Custom lets you toggle each module on or off individually.
Can I use my own picture as the Edge Android homepage background?
Edge Android lets you pick from a list of built-in wallpapers. It does not currently let you upload your own picture as the homepage background. Pick the closest match from the list, or stay on Focused for a plain background.
Why is my Edge Android layout not changing?
Force-quit Edge from the recent apps screen, then reopen a new tab. If the old layout still shows, update Edge from the Play Store. On a corporate-managed phone, your IT admin’s policy can override the layout choice.
How do I open a specific website every time I launch Edge on Android?
Layout presets only control what Edge shows around the search box. To open a specific site when you tap the home button, set the homepage URL using the steps earlier in this article.
That is what I did, but…. (Microsoft Forum)
Thanks anyway!
Perfect!
Hi
Thanks for your fast reply 😃!
Unfortunately, this did not work for me, neither did a clean reinstall from Google Play after rebooting.
Maybe it’s just another Huawei issue??
Best regards, Martin
Ouch! Sorry to hear that, Martin.
Yes – that might be the case with Huawei, but chances are very rare for a phone manufacturer to inflict the browser elements (unless intentionally done!).
Anyways, keep trying or you may consider writing a feedback letter to Edge developers.
Thank you
The “Sandwich” Menu and therefore the Page Layout Option ist missing in Edge on my Huawei mediapad (but not on my Huawei P20Pro…). How come? Any thoughts?
Hi Martin,
The exact same thing happened when I first install the Edge on my Android phone. I had to kill the Edge from the task manager and reboot the phone. I hope this will fix your issue.
Also, make sure that you update Edge Android and running on the latest version.
How to set up my own sites icon shortcuts on start page, just like in some other browsers. Or add my own site addresses to most visited pages.
Hi Miro, there is no way to add a site icon to the shortcut page since it’s AI-based.
However, if you frequently visit the same site again and again, then Edge will automatically add site links as a most visited page.