In SharePoint, "Open link in a new tab" sometimes doesn't work with Link web part

Question

I'm building internal company SharePoint pages and find that when I use the Link web part and select "Open link in a new tab," it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. For example, we have 15 SharePoint pages with an org chart pdf linked on them, and every single one of these has "Open link in a new tab" selected, but all of them open in the same tab.

Also, I just created a news post that contains 3 graphical links using the Link web part, all of which are supposed to open in a new tab. Those exact same 3 links occur elsewhere in the same news post as inline links in the Text web part, and are also supposed to open in a new tab. All 3 graphical links do not open in a new tab, and all 3 inline links do.

I've read that using a URL shortener can get SharePoint to see the link as going to something external and will work properly, but I've also read that URL shorteners present significant security risks so no deal. I've also read that adding target=”_blank” to the URL code might work, but that SharePoint will often bypass or ignore that code.

I'm mostly a front-end user so can't implement any solution requiring more programming than I learned from using Word Perfect in DOS, but am hoping someone might know a fairly simple workaround?

PS Microsoft, it's frustrating for site developers when you offer features that don't work properly.

Answer 1

Hi @CK1104,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Thank you for taking the time to share clear details about what you’ve already tested. I truly understand how inconvenient it can be when the pages don't open the expected way, especially when you’re building pages for others to use.

To start with a bit of context, modern SharePoint pages use a client‑side page router (“smart navigation”) for internal content such as pages and files in your tenant. Because of this router, SharePoint may override the “Open in a new tab” setting and even ignore target="_blank" when the link points to internal SharePoint content. External links usually open in a new tab as expected. This design affects several web parts, including Link, Quick Links, and Hero. Microsoft explains this behavior in their documentation about hyperlinking and the SharePoint Framework router: Hyperlinking considerations in SharePoint Framework.
With that in mind, here are some workarounds that may help depending on what you’re trying to achieve:

1/ Use the File and Media (File Viewer) web part for PDFs like org charts:

If your main goal is simply to let users view the PDF without navigating away from the page, the File and Media web part can be a great option. It displays the content directly on the page, which removes the “new tab” decision entirely and keeps the user in place.

Reference: Use the File and Media web part.

2/ Use a quick user shortcut:

While not a page‑design solution, users can always open any link in a new tab by using Ctrl + Click or middle‑click. This works even when the web part itself forces same‑tab behavior. It’s simple and requires no changes on your side.

3/ To reliably force a new tab for internal links, use data‑interception="off":

In situations where opening a new tab is absolutely required, the only consistent method is to bypass the SharePoint page router. You can do this by combining:

• data-interception="off"
• target="_blank"

This allows your internal SharePoint links to open in a new tab, even when the router would normally override that behavior.

For example:

https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/HR/SitePages/OrgChart.aspx
   Org chart
</a>

Reference: Hyperlinking considerations in SharePoint Framework.

This doesn’t require heavy coding, but it does require placing HTML where attributes are allowed. If your tenant restricts HTML input, you may need help from an admin or a site designer who can add a custom web part or an approved script editor.

4/ Share feedback with the product team:

Since this limitation clearly impacts your workflow, I genuinely recommend submitting feedback directly to Microsoft. The SharePoint engineering team reviews aggregated feedback for future improvements, and user experience issues like this are important for them to hear.

You can do this in SharePoint by selecting Help > Feedback, or through the Microsoft 365 Feedback Hub > Send Feedback > Describe your proposal in detail so the team can consider it for future improvements.

Once you've submitted your feedback, feel free to share the link here in the comments. I’ll be happy to upvote it to help bring more visibility.

As a community moderator, I ask for your understanding that my access to internal development details is limited. My main task is to guide users to the appropriate resources and support channels. Although I have no influence on product design decisions and have limited insight into internal developments, I'll continue to do my best to support you as much as I can.

Thank you again for your time and for raising this important usability concern. If you have any questions or need further support, please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time.

I look forward to your update.

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Answer 2

In SharePoint, the behavior of links in the Link web part can be inconsistent due to how modern SharePoint handles navigation. By default, links to documents and external sites open in a new tab, while links to pages within the same tenant open in the same tab. This might explain why some links you set to open in a new tab are not behaving as expected.

For the Link web part, if you have selected "Open link in a new tab" and it still opens in the same tab, it may be due to the specific context of the link or how SharePoint processes the navigation. Unfortunately, there is no way to manually enforce this behavior for navigation links in modern SharePoint sites, as they follow the default guidelines.

As a workaround, you might consider using the Text web part for hyperlinks, as it allows you to specify how the link opens, including the option to open in a new tab. This seems to be a more reliable method for ensuring that links behave as intended.

Additionally, using URL shorteners or adding target="_blank" may not yield consistent results, as SharePoint may ignore these attributes in some cases. Therefore, sticking with the Text web part for critical links that need to open in a new tab could be your best option.

If you continue to experience issues, it may be beneficial to provide feedback to Microsoft regarding the functionality of the Link web part, as user feedback can help improve future updates.