diff --git a/css/newTabPage.css b/css/newTabPage.css
index 26937cede..2aa0bea58 100644
--- a/css/newTabPage.css
+++ b/css/newTabPage.css
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ body:not(.is-ntp) #ntp-content {
     height: 100%;
     margin: auto;
     object-fit: cover;
+    transition: 0.2s filter, 0.2s transform;
+    transform: scale(1.03);
+}
+
+.ntp-blur #ntp-background {
+    filter: blur(12px);
 }
 
 #ntp-background-controls {
diff --git a/css/searchbar.css b/css/searchbar.css
index c019556c0..e9efeaec0 100644
--- a/css/searchbar.css
+++ b/css/searchbar.css
@@ -11,6 +11,15 @@
   -webkit-user-select: none;
   max-height: calc(100% - 125px);
   overflow-y: auto;
+  transition: 0.2s opacity, 0.2s visibility;
+  opacity: 1;
+  visibility: visible;
+}
+
+#searchbar.searchbar-hidden {
+  opacity: 0;
+  visibility: hidden;
+  pointer-events: none;
 }
 
 body:not(.is-ntp) #searchbar,
diff --git a/js/browserUI.js b/js/browserUI.js
index eab152329..0f79fb1c3 100644
--- a/js/browserUI.js
+++ b/js/browserUI.js
@@ -43,6 +43,19 @@ function addTab (tabId = tabs.add(), options = {}) {
     destroyTab(tabs.getSelected())
   }
 
+  // if the tab is a new, blank tab, replace it with the custom new tab page
+  let isCustomUrl = false
+  if (!tabs.get(tabId).url && !tabs.get(tabId).private) {
+    const newTabUrl = settings.get('newTabUrl')
+    if (newTabUrl === 'customUrl') {
+      const customUrl = settings.get('newTabCustomUrl')
+      if (customUrl) {
+        tabs.update(tabId, { url: customUrl })
+        isCustomUrl = true
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   tabBar.addTab(tabId)
   webviews.add(tabId)
 
@@ -50,7 +63,8 @@ function addTab (tabId = tabs.add(), options = {}) {
     switchToTab(tabId, {
       focusWebview: options.enterEditMode === false
     })
-    if (options.enterEditMode !== false) {
+    // Don't enter edit mode for custom URLs - just show the website
+    if (options.enterEditMode !== false && !isCustomUrl) {
       tabEditor.show(tabId)
     }
   } else {
diff --git a/js/navbar/tabEditor.js b/js/navbar/tabEditor.js
index 14cf3db20..56dc56e8b 100644
--- a/js/navbar/tabEditor.js
+++ b/js/navbar/tabEditor.js
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ var urlParser = require('util/urlParser.js')
 var keyboardNavigationHelper = require('util/keyboardNavigationHelper.js')
 var bookmarkStar = require('navbar/bookmarkStar.js')
 var contentBlockingToggle = require('navbar/contentBlockingToggle.js')
+var newTabPage = require('newTabPage.js')
+var settings = require('util/settings/settings.js')
 
 const tabEditor = {
   container: document.getElementById('tab-editor'),
@@ -45,8 +47,18 @@ const tabEditor = {
     if (showSearchbar !== false) {
       if (editingValue) {
         searchbar.showResults(editingValue, null)
+        searchbar.el.classList.remove('searchbar-hidden')
       } else {
         searchbar.showResults('', null)
+        const newTabUrlMode = settings.get('newTabUrl')
+        const isNTP = (newTabUrlMode === 'backgroundImage' && currentURL === '') ||
+                      (newTabUrlMode === 'customUrl' && currentURL === settings.get('newTabCustomUrl'))
+        
+        if (isNTP) {
+          searchbar.el.classList.add('searchbar-hidden')
+        } else {
+          searchbar.el.classList.remove('searchbar-hidden')
+        }
       }
     }
 
@@ -79,6 +91,8 @@ const tabEditor = {
     searchbar.hide()
 
     document.body.classList.remove('is-edit-mode')
+    document.body.classList.remove('ntp-blur')
+    searchbar.el.classList.remove('searchbar-hidden')
 
     webviews.hidePlaceholder('editMode')
   },
@@ -94,6 +108,11 @@ const tabEditor = {
     keyboardNavigationHelper.addToGroup('searchbar', tabEditor.container)
 
     tabEditor.input.addEventListener('input', function (e) {
+      if (newTabPage.hasBackground) {
+        document.body.classList.add('ntp-blur')
+      }
+      searchbar.el.classList.remove('searchbar-hidden')
+
       // handles all inputs except for the case where the selection is moved (since we call preventDefault() there)
       searchbar.showResults(this.value, {
         isDeletion: e.inputType.includes('delete')
diff --git a/js/newTabPage.js b/js/newTabPage.js
index ab7b0f886..e66a6dbe2 100644
--- a/js/newTabPage.js
+++ b/js/newTabPage.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 const path = require('path')
 const statistics = require('js/statistics.js')
+const settings = require('util/settings/settings.js')
+const webviews = require('webviews.js')
 
 const newTabPage = {
   background: document.getElementById('ntp-background'),
@@ -9,6 +11,15 @@ const newTabPage = {
   imagePath: path.join(window.globalArgs['user-data-path'], 'newTabBackground'),
   blobInstance: null,
   reloadBackground: function () {
+    const newTabUrl = settings.get('newTabUrl')
+    if (newTabUrl === 'blank') {
+      newTabPage.background.hidden = true
+      newTabPage.hasBackground = false
+      document.body.classList.remove('ntp-has-background')
+      newTabPage.deleteBackground.hidden = true
+      return
+    }
+
     fs.readFile(newTabPage.imagePath, function (err, data) {
       if (newTabPage.blobInstance) {
         URL.revokeObjectURL(newTabPage.blobInstance)
@@ -32,32 +43,52 @@ const newTabPage = {
       }
     })
   },
+  pickImage: async function () {
+    var filePath = await ipc.invoke('showOpenDialog', {
+      filters: [
+        { name: 'Image files', extensions: ['jpg', 'jpeg', 'png', 'gif', 'webp'] }
+      ]
+    })
+
+    if (!filePath || filePath.length === 0) {
+      // User cancelled the file picker - reset to blank if no image was previously set
+      if (!newTabPage.hasBackground) {
+        settings.set('newTabUrl', 'blank')
+      }
+      return
+    }
+
+    await fs.promises.copyFile(filePath[0], newTabPage.imagePath)
+    settings.set('newTabUrl', 'backgroundImage')
+    newTabPage.reloadBackground()
+  },
+  removeImage: async function () {
+    await fs.promises.unlink(newTabPage.imagePath)
+    settings.set('newTabUrl', 'blank')
+    newTabPage.reloadBackground()
+  },
   initialize: function () {
     newTabPage.reloadBackground()
 
-    newTabPage.picker.addEventListener('click', async function () {
-      var filePath = await ipc.invoke('showOpenDialog', {
-        filters: [
-          { name: 'Image files', extensions: ['jpg', 'jpeg', 'png', 'gif', 'webp'] }
-        ]
-      })
+    newTabPage.picker.addEventListener('click', newTabPage.pickImage)
 
-      if (!filePath) {
-        return
-      }
+    newTabPage.deleteBackground.addEventListener('click', newTabPage.removeImage)
 
-      await fs.promises.copyFile(filePath[0], newTabPage.imagePath)
-      newTabPage.reloadBackground()
+    webviews.bindIPC('uploadNewTabBackground', function () {
+      newTabPage.pickImage()
     })
 
-    newTabPage.deleteBackground.addEventListener('click', async function () {
-      await fs.promises.unlink(newTabPage.imagePath)
-      newTabPage.reloadBackground()
+    webviews.bindIPC('removeNewTabBackground', function () {
+      newTabPage.removeImage()
     })
 
     statistics.registerGetter('ntpHasBackground', function () {
       return newTabPage.hasBackground
     })
+
+    settings.listen('newTabUrl', function (value) {
+      newTabPage.reloadBackground()
+    })
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/js/preload/default.js b/js/preload/default.js
index 7b767285f..ea9567533 100644
--- a/js/preload/default.js
+++ b/js/preload/default.js
@@ -61,4 +61,12 @@ window.addEventListener('message', function (e) {
   if (e.data?.message === 'downloadFile') {
     ipc.send('downloadFile', e.data.url)
   }
+
+  if (e.data?.message === 'uploadNewTabBackground') {
+    ipc.send('uploadNewTabBackground')
+  }
+
+  if (e.data?.message === 'removeNewTabBackground') {
+    ipc.send('removeNewTabBackground')
+  }
 })
diff --git a/localization/languages/en-US.json b/localization/languages/en-US.json
index 6fc6a6c53..29614cce1 100644
--- a/localization/languages/en-US.json
+++ b/localization/languages/en-US.json
@@ -179,6 +179,12 @@
     "settingsStartupCreateTask": "Re-open previous tabs",
     "settingsStartupNewTaskandBackground": "Move previous tabs to a background task",
     "settingsStartupNewTaskOnly": "Open a new blank task",
+    "settingsNewTabUrl": "New Tab Page:",
+    "settingsNewTabUrlBlank": "Blank Page",
+    "settingsNewTabUrlCustomUrl": "Custom URL",
+    "settingsNewTabUrlBackgroundImage": "Background Image",
+    "settingsNewTabUrlUploadImage": "Upload Image",
+    "settingsNewTabUrlRemoveImage": "Remove Image",
     "settingsNewWindowOptions": "In new windows: ",
     "settingsNewWindowCreateTask": "Create a new task",
     "settingsNewWindowPickTask": "Show task list",
diff --git a/main/menu.js b/main/menu.js
index f01e979f3..4e5e3a6c5 100644
--- a/main/menu.js
+++ b/main/menu.js
@@ -257,24 +257,6 @@ function buildAppMenu (options = {}) {
             sendIPCToWindow(window, 'zoomOut')
           }
         },
-        // Hidden item to enable shortcut on numpad
-        {
-          label: l('appMenuZoomIn'),
-          accelerator: 'CmdOrCtrl+numadd',
-          click: function (item, window) {
-            sendIPCToWindow(window, 'zoomIn')
-          },
-          visible: false
-        },
-        // Hidden item to enable shortcut on numpad
-        {
-          label: l('appMenuZoomOut'),
-          accelerator: 'CmdOrCtrl+numsub',
-          click: function (item, window) {
-            sendIPCToWindow(window, 'zoomOut')
-          },
-          visible: false
-        },
         {
           label: l('appMenuActualSize'),
           accelerator: 'CmdOrCtrl+0',
diff --git a/pages/settings/index.html b/pages/settings/index.html
index d8e6d629c..fc159e5a3 100644
--- a/pages/settings/index.html
+++ b/pages/settings/index.html
@@ -151,6 +151,21 @@ <h3 data-string="settingsAdditionalFeaturesHeading"></h3>
         </select>
       </div>
 
+      <div class="setting-section">
+        <label for="newTabUrl" data-string="settingsNewTabUrl"></label>
+        <select id="new-tab-url-dropdown" name="newTabUrl">
+          <option value="blank" data-string="settingsNewTabUrlBlank"></option>
+          <option value="customUrl" data-string="settingsNewTabUrlCustomUrl"></option>
+          <option value="backgroundImage" data-string="settingsNewTabUrlBackgroundImage"></option>
+        </select>
+        <input
+          type="text"
+          id="new-tab-custom-url-input"
+          style="margin-left: 0.5em; min-width: 325px"
+          hidden
+        />
+      </div>
+
       <div class="setting-section">
         <label for="newWindowOptions" data-string="settingsNewWindowOptions"></label>
         <select id="new-window-options" name="newWindowOptions">
diff --git a/pages/settings/settings.js b/pages/settings/settings.js
index 64005305f..1176ab069 100644
--- a/pages/settings/settings.js
+++ b/pages/settings/settings.js
@@ -243,6 +243,43 @@ startupSettingInput.addEventListener('change', function() {
   settings.set('startupTabOption', parseInt(this.value))
 })
 
+/* new tab settings */
+
+var newTabUrlDropdown = document.getElementById('new-tab-url-dropdown')
+var newTabCustomUrlInput = document.getElementById('new-tab-custom-url-input')
+
+settings.get('newTabUrl', function (value = 'blank') {
+  newTabUrlDropdown.value = value
+  if (value === 'customUrl') {
+    newTabCustomUrlInput.hidden = false
+  }
+})
+
+settings.listen('newTabUrl', function (value) {
+  newTabUrlDropdown.value = value
+  newTabCustomUrlInput.hidden = value !== 'customUrl'
+})
+
+settings.get('newTabCustomUrl', function (value = '') {
+  newTabCustomUrlInput.value = value
+})
+
+newTabUrlDropdown.addEventListener('change', function () {
+  settings.set('newTabUrl', this.value)
+  newTabCustomUrlInput.hidden = true
+
+  if (this.value === 'customUrl') {
+    newTabCustomUrlInput.hidden = false
+  } else if (this.value === 'backgroundImage') {
+    // Auto-prompt to pick an image when backgroundImage is selected
+    postMessage({ message: 'uploadNewTabBackground' })
+  }
+})
+
+newTabCustomUrlInput.addEventListener('input', function () {
+  settings.set('newTabCustomUrl', this.value)
+})
+
 /* new window settings */
 
 var newWindowSettingInput = document.getElementById('new-window-options')