no, they shouldn’t. Offcourse there are exceptions, more of this afterwards.

people tend to forget the new tab/window was opened and hit the back-button mercilessly without any result. They also don’t like to deal with dozens of tabs/windows. People should be in control! This is also one of the main fundamentels of user-interface.

Developpers should be advised that if users want to close the application or leave a site, they will (doesn’t matter which or how many obstacles there are). The more obstacles there are the more negative the user experience will be.

Using New Windows Keeps Users on my Site, doesn’t it?

Not really no. Users will only stay on your website, cause you provide them information they want. Not because the browser window is still open. If users want to return to a Website, they’ll use the back button. If a new window is used, the back button in this window is reset, so users won’t be able to do return to your site using this common method (cue frustrated users).

Since large web-sites (Google, Amazon, AOL, Yahoo & Co.) open links in the same window (unless it is explicitly stated that links are opened in new windows), users tend to assume that the link on an unknown page will be opened in the same window.

Therefor users expect the link to be opened in the same window.

What should I do?

Warn them! This is mostly forgotten by alot of developers.

1. warn the user that the link will be opened in a new window.

Using the href title attribute you let the user know that the link opens in a new window when he hovers the link. You could also simply put “opens in a new window” behind the link but that doesn’t always look good.

2. provide an icon to open the link in a new window.

Here you let the user choose. If the user wants to open the link in a new window he can simply click on the icon provided next to the link. These icons can be found everywhere on the net.

3. allow users to select how the links should be opened.

Using this simple script the viewer can choose if he wants all links to be opened using tabs or not. You need to make sure that the checkbox is visible and users understand what it is good for.

source code:

<form>
    <input type="checkbox" onclick="linkopener(this.checked)" id="linksnewwin">
    Open external links in a new tab?
</form>

javascript code:

<script language="javascript">
    function linkopener(a) {
        var b = a ? "_blank" : "_self", c = document.links, i = c.length;
        while (i--) { if (c[i].href.indexOf(window.location.host) === -1) c[i].target = b; }
    }
</script>

exceptions !

There are instances when using a new window is a good idea. For example:

• The link is for a document, such as a PDF or Word file. Opening a new window will allow the image or document to download in the background. It also prevents users from accidentally closing the browser window when they close the document.
• The link is for a large image. In this case, a new window allows the Web user to keep a browser window open while the image is being downloaded.
• The link is for a printable version of an article or Web page. Here, a new window allows users to keep the current window open while they print the article or page in the background.
• The link may interrupt an ongoing process. For instance, if users are filling a web-form and the form provides the link to terms of service or privacy policy below the form it is reasonable to enforce this link to open in a new window to not interrupt the ongoing process. This is important in sign-up forms and crucial in checkout-forms. Otherwise users may lose the information they’ve already typed in and close the browser window in response.

Final word !

Most of the time, opening links in the current window is by far the best solution. If you do need to open links in a new window, at least warn users beforehand