This worked for me when I used edge > 1 year ago, it may still work: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/new-tab-redirect/i... and set my new tabs to https://aboutblank.page

Also it's open source: https://github.com/jimschubert/newtab-redirect

The only way AFAIK to change the new tab is an extension

You can't set it to about:blank?

It's been a while since I've used the extension (I use FF now) and I can't recall if you can set it to about:blank.

Disclaimer, I created https://aboutblank.page because in some browsers, about:blank was a default white page, and ignored the OS dark mode setting. My site respects the prefers-color-scheme setting, or you can set it to whatever color you want via a query string (see https://github.com/sphars/about-blank/#usage)

You can set "Home" to anything you want, but apparently Home isn't what happens when you open a new tab any more, it's what happens when you click the Home button.

It's pretty icky, and being stuck on this Windows work laptop is shortening the time I'll spend in this gig.

Agree this is a bigger problem for me. Its usually temping clickbait and I end up clicking some of the links and getting distracted.

This seems like a good time to trot out Microsoft’s mission statement:

> Our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

It’s disappointing to see them working against their own mission like this…

Click gear icon at top right of new tab page.

Sadly, Edge updates sometimes re-enable all the clickbait “news” stories. The last time it happened I finally gave up and switched to Firefox.

It’s a shame because I actually liked Edge, and it was the fastest browser in my experience.

Yep can confirm, after every update I have to go re-disable this, it's beyond annoying.

Is there a way to block all the Microsoft news/spam and telemetry at the router and still get just Windows Update?

I am willing to sacrifice Bing.