When should website links open a new tab?
Opening every external link in another tab is often justified as a way to keep visitors on a website. Yet an old tab remaining open does not establish that someone will return to it. Make the decision around the task instead of an unmeasured engagement claim. Reading a source linked from an article is different from consulting instructions halfway through a detailed form. Those two situations can reasonably lead to different interface choices.
Classify links by task rather than domain
Our original teaching scenario starts with a project page linking to a manufacturer’s technical document. If reading that document is the next activity, continuing in the same tab with a normal route back may be understandable. Elsewhere, someone may need the document while entering measurements in an enquiry. A separate supporting view can then help preserve context. Describe the work that would be interrupted before deciding how the link should open.
Do not make new tabs a universal requirement
W3C technique G200 recommends limiting new windows and tabs to situations where they are necessary, such as protecting the context of a form in progress. It is an implementation technique, not a certificate of complete accessibility compliance. Keep behaviour consistent across the design. People can also choose to open ordinary links in another tab through their browser’s own controls. The website does not have to make that decision on their behalf for every destination.
Explain an unexpected change before the click
If a new tab is justified, add a concise explanation beside the link. Do not assume a diagonal arrow means the same thing to everyone. “Measurement guide — opens a new tab” describes both destination and behaviour. Keep the explanation visually associated with the link and available to screen reader users. Check that it does not disappear on mobile. A small footnote at the bottom of the page does not resolve uncertainty at the moment of interaction.
Distinguish a document from a web page
A link labelled “View catalogue” could open a product page or a substantial PDF. Stating the file format and verified file size helps set expectations. Avoid one blanket rule that treats every PDF as a download and every external address as a new tab. Whether a file opens inside the browser can depend on device settings. Our technical document library guide looks separately at the relationship between documents and product information.
Do not rely on a tab to preserve entered data
Opening instructions separately does not guarantee that form data will survive every interruption. A page can refresh, a session can expire or the browser can close. For a lengthy process, evaluate saving and resuming as separate product requirements. Avoid casually storing sensitive entries on the device. The decision discussed here is about helping someone consult supporting information; it should not be presented as a complete persistence or recovery solution.
Apply the decision through a small link inventory
Select representative links from home, project, product and contact pages. Record each destination, user task, same-tab or new-tab choice and visible label. Follow them on a phone and with a keyboard to check that returning remains understandable. Record broken destinations during the same review. Our task-based usability guide and website design service can help connect these small decisions to the full journey. Revisit the inventory when major documents or external services change.
Frequently asked questions
Should all external links open a new tab?
No. The current task and the need to return provide a more useful basis for the decision than the domain name alone.
Does opening a new tab retain the visitor?
An old tab remaining open is not evidence of interest or return. Do not infer that outcome from the interface behaviour.