Previously in SharePoint site when you click on the navigation link, the default behavior was to open internal links in the same browser tab and external links in a new browser tab. Now, Microsoft is releasing a new feature which will allow users to manage the experience for each navigation link item to open in the same tab or in a new tab.

This new feature will add new Open in a new tab option in navigation link settings. Open in a new tab option is available while adding new navigation links or editing existing navigation links. Using this feature, users will have the option to be able to choose to open navigation links in the same tab or in a new tab for:

• SharePoint site navigation – header and footer
• Hub site navigation
• Global navigation in SharePoint app bar

This feature is available for both SharePoint communication sites and team sites navigation.

Follow below steps to configure navigation link item to open in a new tab:

1. Go to your SharePoint site and click on Edit link at the bottom of the vertical navigation (or to the right of the horizontal navigation).

2. Hover in between the existing navigation links in the menu where you want to add a new link and select + icon.

3. On the Add a link dialog box, choose Link under Choose an option dropdown and enter web address & display name for the navigation link.

4. You can see the new Open in a new tab option at the bottom of Add a link dialog box. Select the Open in a new tab checkbox to open the navigation link in a new browser tab.

5. Click OK on Add a link dialog box and then Save the navigation settings. Now, when you click on the newly added navigation link item, it will open the associated web address in a new browser tab.

Note: The new open in new tab experience will not work on the footer navigation links when initially available. This will become available with future release at a later date.

Release Timeline

• Targeted Release: Microsoft began rolling out this feature in early September and it is expected to complete the rollout by late September.
• Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out this feature in late September and expects to complete the rollout by mid-October.

You can read more about this feature and rollout (General Availability) information at Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 93318.

Microsoft is currently rolling out a SharePoint app bar that features global navigation on all modern SharePoint sites. The SharePoint app bar brings a consistent navigation experience to every site on your intranet, featuring quick access to important sites across the organization with global navigation, personally relevant sites, news feed and the files.

The first tab in app bar is a Global navigation. Global navigation is the only app bar tab that can be customized. When global navigation is disabled or not configured, the default home icon redirects to the SharePoint start page.

Prerequisite for enabling global navigation

• To enable & customize global navigation, you must set up a home site in SharePoint Online
• Site owner (or higher) permissions on the home site

Enable the global navigation in SharePoint

After setting up a home site in your tenant, follow below steps to enable the SharePoint global navigation:

1. Go to your SharePoint home site.

2. Click on Settings icon & then select Global navigation

3. From the global navigation settings, switch the Enable global navigation toggle to On.

Customize the global navigation in SharePoint

From global navigation settings, you can add logo & title for global navigation, select navigation source and edit global navigation links.

Global navigation logo & title

Adding logo for global navigation is optional. If you do not add a logo, the app bar will continue to display the default home icon. If you want to add a logo for global navigation, you should consider below recommended specifications:

• The logo size should be 20×20 pixels
• PNG file type
• Transparent background recommended

Title is required for global navigation which will be displayed at the top of the global navigation pane.

Choose Navigation source

Depending on the home site’s configuration, you can choose the global navigation source using different options.

If your home site is a hub site, you can choose navigation source from below two options:

1. Home site navigation: Select this option to display the home site’s navigation.
2. Hub or global navigation: Select this option to display the home site’s hub navigation.

If your home site is not a hub site, you can still have below two options:

1. Home site navigation: Select this option to display the home site’s navigation.
2. Hub or global navigation: Select this option to create a special navigation for the global navigation panel. You can add global navigation links using Edit global navigation option.

See all the different ways you can set up global navigation, here.

Edit global navigation

You can create the new global navigation menu or make edits to the selected global navigation source if needed by selecting Edit global navigation.

1. Hover over the location in the menu where you want to add a link/label and click +.
2. On the Add a link dialog box, choose one of the following link options:
   • Link to add a link to any site/list/library, page (internal or external to your company).
   • Label to add a label that is not hyperlinked.
3. On the Add a link dialog box, in the Address box, enter the URL for the link you want to add if adding a link.
4. In the Display name box, enter the display text for the link or label. This is the text that will show up on the menu.
5. Click OK

Notes

• Make sure that all users have read (or higher) permissions on the home site to view the global navigation links.
• You can use audience targeting on the menu links in global navigation.
• Implementing global navigation may take up to 24 hours for the changes to take effect for users.