When to Open Links in a New Tab

Published on December 9, 2019 (↻ April 16, 2025), filed under and (RSS feed for all categories).

Always open links in the same tab unless doing so could 1) disrupt a process, 2) risk data loss, or 3) confuse users.

This rule is an ad hoc one, yet also one based on industry heuristics like Jakob’s Law and user research around non-HTML links.

It could also be rephrased as follows:

Don’t tamper with hyperlinks unless you are certain to improve the user experience.

This really is it, for default link behavior is good while it’s always smart to keep an eye out for the user.

This really is it even when we run into advice that confuses user focus with self focus, as this recent quote from Web Designer Depot exemplifies:

External links, for instance, should always open in a new browser tab. Your goal in designing a website is to get more visitors to convert. Letting an external link replace your website in the open tab will only decrease the chances of that happening. In some cases, internal links shouldn’t be opened in the same tab either. So, be sure to think about this the next time you add a link to your site.

(This thinking is known to be tempting for novice website owners, yet it makes for a really bad practice.)

Always open links in the same tab, unless you are certain that you help the user. Users know how to open new tabs and windows, and they do so when they choose to.

To regain his “Singing Sword” and seek redress, Prince Valiant has followed the trail of Angor Wrack, the Sea King, to Jerusalem.

Figure: Too busy to be forced to stay on that website. (Copyright King Features Syndicate, Inc., distr. Bulls.)

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About Me

Jens Oliver Meiert, on November 9, 2024.

I’m Jens (long: Jens Oliver Meiert), and I’m a web developer, manager, and author. I’ve worked as a technical lead and engineering manager for small and large enterprises, I’m an occasional contributor to web standards (like HTML, CSS, WCAG), and I write and review books for O’Reilly and Frontend Dogma.

I love trying things, not only in web development and engineering management, but also in other areas like philosophy. Here on meiert.com I share some of my experiences and views. (I value you being critical, interpreting charitably, and giving feedback.)