In this article, we will delve into the process of adding websites to the “Most Visited” section in Chromium’s New Tab Page. This feature allows users to have quick access to their most frequently visited sites every time they open a new tab. While Chromium does this automatically by tracking your browsing habits, there are ways to manually manipulate this feature.
Please note that these methods might not work in newer versions of Chromium as the implementation of the “Most Visited” section may have changed.
To add websites to the "Most Visited" section in Chromium’s New Tab Page, you can either edit the "Top Sites" database or modify the Preferences file. Alternatively, you can use the "Speed Dials" extension to customize your new tab page with visual bookmarks.
Method 1: Editing the “Top Sites” Database
This method involves editing the “Top Sites” sqlite3 database.
Step 1: Close Chromium/Chrome
Before you begin, ensure that Chromium or Chrome is closed. This is to prevent any conflicts or potential data loss while editing the database.
Step 2: Install a GUI Editor for sqlite3
To edit the database, you’ll need a GUI editor for sqlite3. sqlitebrowser is a good option. To install it, run the following command in your terminal:
sudo apt-get install sqlitebrowserThe sudo command is used to execute the command as an administrator. apt-get is the package handling utility in Ubuntu (a Linux distribution). install is the command used to install a new package, and sqlitebrowser is the name of the package we want to install.
Step 3: Open the “Top Sites” Database
After installing sqlitebrowser, you can open the “Top Sites” database by running the following command:
sqlitebrowser ~/.config/chromium/Default/Top\ SitesThe ~/.config/chromium/Default/Top\ Sites path is where the “Top Sites” database is stored.
Step 4: Modify the “thumbnails” Table
In the “Browse Data” tab, open the “thumbnails” table. You will see more entries in this table than are shown in the “Most Visited” section. To reorder the sites, change the url_rank values. If you are inserting in the middle, remember to shift half of the url_ranks. To add a new URL, change all url_ranks to move the new URL into the “Most Visited” section.
Step 5: Save Changes
After making the necessary changes, save them and close the sqlitebrowser.
Method 2: Blacklisting and Preferences File
This method involves editing the Preferences file.
Step 1: Close Chromium/Chrome
Again, ensure that Chromium or Chrome is closed before you begin.
Step 2: Open the Preferences File
Open the JSON config file ~/.config/chromium/Default/Preferences with a text editor.
Step 3: Edit the ntp.most_visited_blacklist Section
Search for the ntp.most_visited_blacklist section. Delete all URLs from the most_visited_blacklist section. It’s important to have a backup of the Preferences file before making any changes.
Step 4: Save Changes
After deleting the URLs, save the changes and close the text editor.
Alternative Method: Using the “Speed Dials” Extension
If you prefer a simpler solution, you can use a Chromium extension called “Speed Dials” to replace the new tab page with your predefined visual bookmarks. This extension allows you to customize the page and easily add or rearrange your bookmarks.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve explored how to manually add websites to the “Most Visited” section in Chromium’s New Tab Page. While Chromium does a good job of automatically populating this section based on your browsing habits, these methods give you more control over which websites appear in this section. Whether you choose to edit the “Top Sites” database, modify the Preferences file, or use the “Speed Dials” extension, you now have the knowledge to customize your browsing experience in Chromium to better suit your needs.
Yes, you can add websites to the "Most Visited" section manually by editing the "Top Sites" database or modifying the Preferences file.
To edit the "Top Sites" database, you need to install a GUI editor for sqlite3, such as sqlitebrowser. After installing it, you can open the "Top Sites" database by running the command sqlitebrowser ~/.config/chromium/Default/Top\ Sites. From there, you can modify the "thumbnails" table to reorder or add new URLs.
To modify the Preferences file, you need to open the JSON config file ~/.config/chromium/Default/Preferences with a text editor. Search for the ntp.most_visited_blacklist section and delete the URLs you want to remove from the "Most Visited" section.
These methods might not work in newer versions of Chromium as the implementation of the "Most Visited" section may have changed. It’s always recommended to check the specific version of Chromium you are using and consult the official documentation or community forums for the most up-to-date information.
Yes, if you prefer a simpler solution, you can use the "Speed Dials" extension in Chromium. This extension allows you to replace the new tab page with visual bookmarks, giving you more customization options for your browsing experience.
