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External Links in New Window / New Tab

By WebFactory

Site Administration & Utilities / URL Redirects & 301 Management

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

External Links in New Window / New Tab Review - In-Depth Analysis

Open external links in a new window or new tab. SEO optimized and XHTML Strict compliant.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.78/10

User Rating

4.5/5 (based on 77+ reviews)

Active Installations

30,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

5 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This plugin opens external links in a new tab or a new window. You can set URLs that should either be forced to open in a new window or ignored.

The plugin produces XHTML Strict compliant code and is search engine optimized (SEO). This is done using JavaScript's window.open() function. It adds only a few lines of vanilla JavaScript to the page and does not require any external libraries like jQuery.

Most other plugins perform a hack by altering the target parameter. This plugin handles the links client-side, which lets search engines follow the links properly. Also, if a browser does not support JavaScript, the plugin is simply inactive and does not result in any errors.

If you need a more advanced plugin, with more options try our free WP External Links plugin.

Comparing to Alternatives

External Links in New Window / New Tab is a straightforward plugin designed to simplify opening external links in new tabs or windows. It competes with several plugins offering similar functionalities but stands out for its simplicity and minimal setup.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Very simple and minimal setup required
Effectively restores easy external link management after WordPress 6.3 changes
Works flawlessly with minimal user intervention
Highly rated by users for reliability and ease of use
No complex configuration needed

Weaknesses

Does not support advanced link customization features
Limited to opening links in new windows or tabs only
No pro version with extended features
May have compatibility issues with certain ad scripts

User Sentiment Analysis

With a strong majority of 5-star ratings and very few low ratings, users generally express high satisfaction with this plugin's ease of use and effectiveness. Positive reviews highlight its simplicity and how it addresses recent WordPress changes.

Positive highlights

'This plug-in has fixed an ‘improvement’ from WP 6.3' — mocha24
'Works perfectly! Great plugin, great support!' — mhscodafweb
'Work perfect. It is working perfectly after installation. Don’t need any setup or configuration.' — boonpraserd
'Simple, elegant plug-in. This one’s going to save me a good deal of time.' — philsimon
'Works as expected, minimal setup. Download, activate, you are done.' — Christian Saborio

Common complaints

Weaknesses

Limited functionality beyond opening links in new tabs/windows
No advanced customization options
No paid version with additional features
Potential issues with compatibility with certain ad scripts

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users seeking a simple, no-fuss solution to open external links in new tabs or windows, especially those affected by WordPress 6.3 changes to link management.

Not ideal for

Users needing advanced link customization, additional link management features, or integration with advertising scripts may find this plugin insufficient.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers a straightforward way to open external links in new tabs or windows with minimal setup and no configuration needed.

Final Verdict

External Links in New Window / New Tab is a highly rated, simple plugin that effectively addresses the inconvenience introduced by WordPress 6.3 regarding external link management. Its ease of use and minimal setup make it an excellent choice for users wanting a quick solution without additional complexity.

While it lacks advanced features and a pro version, its reliability and user satisfaction make it a solid option for those who only need basic functionality. Users requiring more customization or integration should consider alternative plugins.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free External Links in New Window / New Tab plugin.

External links

New tab

New window

Screenshots

FAQ

Just use standard Plugin overview page in WordPress admin section and deactivate it or rename plugin folder /wp-content/plugins/open-external-links-in-a-new-window over FTP access.