# External Links not opening in new tab
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [September 13, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092 "2016-09-13T16:53:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@james-007](https://meta.discourse.org/u/james-007)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/1 "2016-09-13T16:53:19Z")
Despite using this option
User Preferences: “default other external links in new tab: Open external links in a new tab by default.”
My links are stil opened in the same tab. Am I missing something or is it a bug?
Cheers!
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### Author:  [@cpradio](https://meta.discourse.org/u/cpradio)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/2 "2016-09-13T16:56:55Z")
Got an example? As there are several topics on this already, which have been solved in the past.
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### Author:  [@FlyingSwitzerland](https://meta.discourse.org/u/FlyingSwitzerland)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/3 "2016-09-13T16:58:25Z")
Why there’s no category in this topic 😕 ?
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### Author:  [@cpradio](https://meta.discourse.org/u/cpradio)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/4 "2016-09-13T17:26:41Z")
I just tested this on my sandbox, and it seems to be working as expected.
[https://sandbox.cpradio.org/t/external-website-testing/299](https://sandbox.cpradio.org/t/external-website-testing/299)
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### Author:  [@james-007](https://meta.discourse.org/u/james-007)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/5 "2016-09-13T18:03:37Z")
@cpradio
The link of your sandbox is doing the same. Its opening the external links in the same browser tab.
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### Author:  [@cpradio](https://meta.discourse.org/u/cpradio)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2016, 6:04pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/6 "2016-09-13T18:04:46Z")
You’d have to sign up for an account and enable the option in your User Preferences section. I have it enabled, and it opens in a new tab just fine.
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### Author:  [@james-007](https://meta.discourse.org/u/james-007)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2016, 6:07pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/7 "2016-09-13T18:07:52Z")
can we set it up in a way where it becomes a standard function and works even for guests. In other words, all external links to be opened in new tab for all users/guests.
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### Author:  [@cpradio](https://meta.discourse.org/u/cpradio)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/8 "2016-09-13T18:09:24Z")
Not to my knowledge. The `default open external links in new tab` is for setting the default for users, not guests.
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### Author:  [@james-007](https://meta.discourse.org/u/james-007)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/9 "2016-09-13T18:22:55Z")
@cpradio, i would recommend the team to considered it as a global feature of the forum.
Majority of my users and guest clicks on external link which are opened in the same tab and they don’t return!
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### Author:  [@Yuun](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Yuun)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/10 "2016-09-13T18:28:14Z")
There’s already an admin setting to set this as a global default, actually. I don’t know if it overrides already set user preferences, though.
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### Author:  [@james-007](https://meta.discourse.org/u/james-007)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/11 "2016-09-13T18:34:04Z")
@sam where can I find this global default setting? I am really surprised how did I miss on that one!
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### Author:  [@Mittineague](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Mittineague)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/12 "2016-09-13T18:43:44Z")
Yes, there are a lot “defaults” under Admin → Settings → User Preferences
AFAIK most defaults are set for new accounts based on what the settings are at the time the account is created.
Note that the settings will affect only registered members and not anonymous visitors. (i.e. they are “User Preferences” as in “Member Preferences”)
Non-logged in visitors have the option to use their browser to either leave (a click or back button) or stay (a middle-click or right-click open new tab).
IMHO forcing new tabs for external links for them is a (albeit minor) form of browser hijacking because it alters expected behavior without their intent and is a poor idea more likely to irritate visitors than retain them.
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### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/13 "2017-03-13T01:53:16Z")
> [@Mittineague](#):
>
> IMHO forcing new tabs for external links for them is a (albeit minor) form of browser hijacking
And it’s even worse for people who use screen readers.
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### Author:  [@fellowshipforums](https://meta.discourse.org/u/fellowshipforums)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2018, 1:23am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/14 "2018-03-13T01:23:30Z")
I am also having an issue here. I have a hyperlink in my category description, and I would like to it open in the new tab. I have checked the box in my user settings to open external links in a new tab, but its not working when the link is in a description. Is this a bug?
[https://www.fellowshipforums.com/c/past-exams/fall-2017](https://www.fellowshipforums.com/c/past-exams/fall-2017)
See the “Timer” Hyperlink for an example.
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### Author:  [@Francois\_Douville](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Francois_Douville)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/15 "2018-04-26T13:20:38Z")
Why external links don’t work for non-members?
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### Author:  [@Mittineague](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Mittineague)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2018, 4:28pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/16 "2018-04-26T16:28:37Z")
Simply that non-members don’t have preference settings until they become members.
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### Author:  [@Francois\_Douville](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Francois_Douville)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2018, 4:31pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/17 "2018-04-26T16:31:49Z")
Weird that is not by default or at least we have a choice to let them open links in new tab (non-members). Would it be possible?
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### Author:  [@Mittineague](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Mittineague)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/18 "2018-04-26T16:34:18Z")
Entirely possible. That’s exactly what right-click open in new tab does.
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### Author:  [@Francois\_Douville](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Francois_Douville)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2018, 4:35pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/19 "2018-04-26T16:35:21Z")
Hehe yes I know but it is not the same thing… I mean that the choice we have with members, would be great to have it for non-members also
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### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092/20 "2018-04-26T17:52:41Z")
Have you set `default other external links in new tab`?
It’s off by default because it takes away people’s right to choose how to use their browser. For people who use screen readers, having a page open in a new tab when you don’t know it is very confusing.
[Next page](https://meta.discourse.org/t/external-links-not-opening-in-new-tab/50092.md?page=2)