How do I fix external links opening in the same pane instead of a new tab in Microsoft Edge Split Screen?

Microsoft Edge Split Screen has no documented setting that automatically opens every cross-domain link in a new tab; use Ctrl+click, middle-click, or right-click → Open link in new tab to preserve the original page in its split pane.

Split Screen places two webpages side by side inside one browser tab, so an ordinary click follows the link in the active pane unless the website itself requests a new tab/window.^1^

Keep both split panes and open the link in another tab

For each link, use one of these standard Edge interactions:

• Ctrl+click the link to open it in a background tab.
• Middle-click the link with the mouse wheel.
• Right-click the link and select Open link in new tab.
• To create a blank tab first, press Ctrl+T; Microsoft documents this as opening and switching to a new tab.^2^

These methods leave Website A unchanged in its current split pane.

What the Split Screen link control does

If your Edge version displays Open links in the other split screen in the Split Screen options, that control routes links to the opposite pane. It does not classify external domains or create an independent tab.^3^

Therefore:

• Turn it on if links should replace the page in the opposite split pane.
• Turn it off if links should navigate within their current pane.
• Neither state provides “open every external website in a new tab.”

An extension also cannot reliably override every link: sites can implement navigation through scripts rather than ordinary links. Since settings and an extension have already been tested, there is no additional documented global switch to enable the requested domain-based routing.

If separate tabs are preferable

To convert the existing split pair into two normal tabs without closing either page:

1. Select More options (…) at the upper-right of the split view.
2. Select Separate two tabs.
3. Edge exits Split Screen and retains both pages as individual tabs.^1^

For a native automatic rule such as “external domain → new tab,” submit a feature request with Alt+Shift+I, which opens Edge’s feedback dialog.^4^

References

1. Multitask with Split Screen Browsing | Microsoft Edge
2. Keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Edge
3. Turn On or Off Open Links in other Split Screen in Microsoft Edge
4. Accessibility with the new Microsoft Edge | Microsoft Support