Sometimes when setting up our wordpress navigation menu we want to link to an external page. So instead of linking to a category or page on our wordpress site we want to link to another on of our sites or another place online that we have a big presence.
For example, on my site I link to my ezine article author page from my navigation menu. If people want to search through my articles over at Ezines then they can click on the link and they will be taken to my author page.
The default setting for this is for any menu link to open in the same window. Now, usually this doesn’t matter if the link goes to another page within your site but when you link to another website then ideally you will want that website to open in a new window so that your original website is still open in case your visitor wants to go back to your site.
This is how you can change the setting so that your menu link opens in a new window.
Opening Menu Link In New Window
1. Click on the Appearance and then Menu on the left hand side of your dashboard.
2. Scroll down and click on Links as shown below. This allows you to add a menu link to an external website address.
Ignore the blacked out bits – these are just some plugin links that I have so you probably won’t have them and I don’t want to confuse you!
3. Now add your external website url where indicated and give this menu tab a name. Then click Add to Menu. You will see this new tab added and then you need to save your new menu settings by clicking Save Menu at the bottom of your screen.
4. At this point the default setting is for this new link to open in the same window. To change this stay in your Menu window and click on the Screen Options tab at the right top corner. Then tick the Link Target box under Show advanced menu properties.
5. Now find your newly named menu link that you have just add and click on it. You will now see an extra option available that enables you to open the link in a new window. This is what it looks like with my ezine article example. Make sure that you tick the Open link in a new window/tab.
Don’t forget to save your new menu again to update the settings.