# Default open external links in a new tab by default doesn't work?
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-open-external-links-in-a-new-tab-by-default-doesnt-work/34452
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [13 Octubre, 2015 10:56 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-open-external-links-in-a-new-tab-by-default-doesnt-work/34452 "2015-10-13T10:56:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Marius\_Corici](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Marius_Corici)
#### Post date: [13 Octubre, 2015 10:56 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-open-external-links-in-a-new-tab-by-default-doesnt-work/34452/1 "2015-10-13T10:56:00Z")
After checked the box for “Open external links in a new tab by default” the system seems not to work. It does not open links from Discourse in new tab in Firefox/Ubuntu.
Any suggestions?
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [13 Octubre, 2015 11:02 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-open-external-links-in-a-new-tab-by-default-doesnt-work/34452/2 "2015-10-13T11:02:57Z")
This will only work for logged in users at the current time though.
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### Author:  [@Marius\_Corici](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Marius_Corici)
#### Post date: [13 Octubre, 2015 11:07 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-open-external-links-in-a-new-tab-by-default-doesnt-work/34452/3 "2015-10-13T11:07:41Z")
I tested being logged in and it seems it doesn’t work. I did tried on Chromium/Ubuntu as well and still doesn’t work. :-/ This feature is great (if works) as the users don’t have to leave the Discourse tab.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [13 Octubre, 2015 11:29 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-open-external-links-in-a-new-tab-by-default-doesnt-work/34452/4 "2015-10-13T11:29:06Z")
OK here is an external link
> **[Example Domain](http://www.example.com)**
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [13 Octubre, 2015 11:29 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-open-external-links-in-a-new-tab-by-default-doesnt-work/34452/5 "2015-10-13T11:29:57Z")
Nope can’t repro. In Chrome / Windows I set the user pref and that link opens in a new tab. Note that only NEW users will be affected by the setting you changed. I think that’s your misunderstanding. **This global does not retroactively set every user’s pref, just NEW users created after you changed it.**
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### Author:  [@Marius\_Corici](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Marius_Corici)
#### Post date: [13 Octubre, 2015 12:06 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-open-external-links-in-a-new-tab-by-default-doesnt-work/34452/6 "2015-10-13T12:06:44Z")
Here is a screen recorder of it. Checking the box to open external links in new tab, refreshing the Discourse tab, and hit an external link.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/8vcr7OmtS-U?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque
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### Author:  [@cpradio](https://meta.discourse.org/u/cpradio)
#### Post date: [13 Octubre, 2015 12:36 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-open-external-links-in-a-new-tab-by-default-doesnt-work/34452/7 "2015-10-13T12:36:29Z")
But that Admin \> Setting is for defaulting the user preference value (at new account creation). Go to your user preferences and see what your setting is set to.
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### Author:  [@Marius\_Corici](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Marius_Corici)
#### Post date: [13 Octubre, 2015 12:51 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-open-external-links-in-a-new-tab-by-default-doesnt-work/34452/8 "2015-10-13T12:51:11Z")
Thanks! Got it. However I consider that that preference should be set it “on” by default.
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### Author:  [@cpradio](https://meta.discourse.org/u/cpradio)
#### Post date: [13 Octubre, 2015 12:51 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-open-external-links-in-a-new-tab-by-default-doesnt-work/34452/9 "2015-10-13T12:51:38Z")
And it will now that you set it in the Admin \> Setting area for new users who sign up. It doesn’t retroactively affect existing users.
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [13 Octubre, 2015 14:30 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-open-external-links-in-a-new-tab-by-default-doesnt-work/34452/10 "2015-10-13T14:30:00Z")