How to Open External URLs as Download or in a New Window in WooCommerce

The WooCommerce Product Attachment Pro plugin gives you control over how external URLs behave when customers click them. You can choose whether an external URL should:

• Open in the same window (default)
• Open in a new browser window (new tab)

This setting is especially useful when linking to third-party websites, videos, or external documents.

Why Use This Setting?

Opening external URLs in a new window helps you:

• Keep customers on your store page
• Avoid losing visitors to third-party sites
• Improve navigation and user experience
• Safely link to external resources like YouTube, Google Docs, or help pages

Steps to Open External URLs in a New Window

1. Go to Product Attachment → Settings

   Locate the option Open External URL in New Window

   Select Yes to enable opening links in a new tab

   • Select No to keep the default same-window behavior
2. Click Save Changes

Frontend Example

When this option is enabled:

• External links (such as YouTube or third-party URLs) open in a new browser tab
• Your WooCommerce product or order page remains open

This prevents users from leaving your store unintentionally.

Use Case Example

If you add a YouTube video URL as a product attachment:

• Enabling this option ensures the video opens in a new tab
• Customers can watch the video and return to your store easily

Important Notes

• This is a global setting and applies to all external URLs
• Works only for external links, not uploaded files
• Does not affect site performance
• Compatible with most WooCommerce themes

Conclusion

The option to open external URLs in a new window is a simple but effective way to improve user experience and retain visitors on your WooCommerce store. By enabling this setting, you ensure customers can view third-party content without leaving your product or order pages.