# Add setting to open "obsidian://" links: in new pane / in active pane **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature requests\ **Tags:** keyboard-shortcut, ui-ux\ **Created:** [November 8, 2020, 12:53am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/add-setting-to-open-obsidian-links-in-new-pane-in-active-pane/8262 "2020-11-08T00:53:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![malecjan](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@malecjan](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/malecjan)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2020, 12:53am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/add-setting-to-open-obsidian-links-in-new-pane-in-active-pane/8262/1 "2020-11-08T00:53:36Z")
Each option has it’s use-cases. - in new pane in order to preserve a workspace in Obsidian, just like opening html file does not close tabs in internet browser. - in active pane in order to preview one-by-one links from other application which is open side-by-side with Obsidian, just like current browsing search results within Obsidian. ### Proposed solution E.g. checkbox in settings “open obsidian:// links in new pane”. Also, add two hotkeys to change proposed setting conveniently in real time. With one toggle hotkey it would be complicated to set reliably e.g. by AutoHotkey script. ### Current workaround Missing. Link always activates Obsidian and replaces file open in active pane (tested in v0.9.10 with custom css). ### Related feature requests, … - [Activate existing pane for a note rather than opening in active or new pane](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/activate-existing-pane-for-a-note-rather-than-opening-in-active-or-new-pane/5543) - [Open all links in a targeted pane](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/open-all-links-in-a-targeted-pane/5545) - [Url scheme focusses on already opened note instead of opening it twice](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/url-scheme-focusses-on-already-opened-note-instead-of-opening-it-twice/7752) - related existing functionality: [html “target” attribute](https://www.w3schools.com/tags/att_a_target.asp). But that requires editing each link to change the global behavior (AFAIK). ---
**Author:** ![Nils](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Nils](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/Nils)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2020, 12:38pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/add-setting-to-open-obsidian-links-in-new-pane-in-active-pane/8262/2 "2020-11-08T12:38:54Z")
I proposed this as an option for the url scheme. Edit: Actually it is just a side note in my [proposal about not opening notes twice](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/url-scheme-focusses-on-already-opened-note-instead-of-opening-it-twice/7752). Feel free to repurpose/reformulate/repost/split. ---
**Author:** ![malecjan](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@malecjan](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/malecjan)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/add-setting-to-open-obsidian-links-in-new-pane-in-active-pane/8262/3 "2020-11-08T19:11:32Z")
@Nils Sorry, I did not find that proposal when writing this one. I added your to section “Related feature requests”. ---
**Author:** ![Nils](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Nils](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/Nils)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2020, 9:15am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/add-setting-to-open-obsidian-links-in-new-pane-in-active-pane/8262/4 "2020-11-17T09:15:21Z")
@malecjan Sorry for the late reply. I found it (was on mobile last time otherwise I would have linked to it directly). I edited my post to include the link. ---
**Author:** ![gi0vanni](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/gi0vanni/32/9660_2.png) [@gi0vanni](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/gi0vanni)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 10:53pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/add-setting-to-open-obsidian-links-in-new-pane-in-active-pane/8262/5 "2021-07-17T22:53:07Z")
I agree this would be great. @malecjan my code builds the URI on the fly, so I would be able to use the html ‘target’ attribute you mention, but I couldn’t get it to work and I don’t see it documented on the [URI help page](https://help.obsidian.md/Advanced+topics/Using+obsidian+URI), do you have an example that works? thanks!! ---
**Author:** ![malecjan](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@malecjan](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/malecjan)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2021, 11:22pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/add-setting-to-open-obsidian-links-in-new-pane-in-active-pane/8262/6 "2021-07-25T23:22:40Z")
@gi0vanni Examples available from my previous link work well in Google Chrome for me. [Original example](https://www.w3schools.com/tags/tryit.asp?filename=tryhtml_a_target) opens link in new tab while changing “target” attribute from `_blank` to `_self` or `_top` changes the behavior as desired. I did not test this in Obsidian as I did not consider it to be solution for my needs. Feel free to e.g. create separate feature request for support of “target” attribute in Obsidian if it does not work yet. ---
**Author:** ![gi0vanni](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/gi0vanni/32/9660_2.png) [@gi0vanni](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/gi0vanni)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 12:43am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/add-setting-to-open-obsidian-links-in-new-pane-in-active-pane/8262/7 "2021-07-26T00:43:47Z")
thanks, I don’t seem to be able to make it work. In the meantime, I am pinning the daily page, so links to other pages open in a new pane by default. thanks!! ---
**Author:** ![sharik14](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@sharik14](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/sharik14)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2022, 8:17pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/add-setting-to-open-obsidian-links-in-new-pane-in-active-pane/8262/8 "2022-12-10T20:17:43Z")
+1 for this and related feature requests