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Open a Menu Item in a New Tab

1 min read Updated Sep 2026 General WordPress

To open a menu item in a new tab, check Open link in a new tab on that item. You can do this on the Menus screen or in the Customizer. In a block theme, use the Open in new tab setting on the link.

The menus you see depend on your theme. A classic theme shows Customize in Appearance, plus Menus and Widgets when it supports them. A block theme shows Editor in place of Customize, unless the theme or a plugin adds Customizer settings. It shows Menus or Widgets only when it supports them. Polestar, Ultra and the Puro theme are classic themes.

Classic Admin Screens

  1. Go to AppearanceMenus.
  2. Click Screen Options at the top right and check Link Target.
  3. Select the menu and click Select.
  4. Click the down arrow on the menu item to open it.
  5. Check Open link in a new tab.
  6. Click Save Menu.

The Open link in a new tab checkbox on a menu item at Appearance > Menus

Customizer

  1. Go to AppearanceCustomizeMenus.
  2. Click the gear icon (Menu Options) and check Link Target under Show advanced menu properties.
  3. Select the menu and click the menu item to open it.
  4. Check Open link in a new tab.
  5. Click Publish.

The Open link in a new tab checkbox on a menu item in the Customizer

Block Themes

  1. Go to AppearanceEditorNavigation and select the menu.
  2. Select the menu item.
  3. Turn on Open in new tab in the block settings. The same toggle is in the link popup that opens from the Link toolbar button.
  4. Click Save.

The Open in new tab setting for a navigation link in the Site Editor

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