fix: open links in default browser instead of within the app (#165)

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [0.0.16] - 2026-05-02
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Links Open in Default Browser.** Clicking links in chat responses now opens them in the user's default browser instead of navigating within the app or spawning a new Electron window (#165).
+
 ## [0.0.15] - 2026-04-28
 
 ### Added

package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "open-webui",
-  "version": "0.0.15",
+  "version": "0.0.16",
   "license": "AGPL-3.0",
   "description": "Open WebUI Desktop",
   "main": "./out/main/index.js",

src/main/index.ts

@@ -1236,6 +1236,10 @@ if (!gotTheLock) {
 
     // Log webview guest renderer crashes for diagnostics — the existing
     // 'crashed' listener in Content.svelte surfaces these to the user.
+    //
+    // For webview guests we also intercept navigation and popup events
+    // so that external links open in the user's default browser instead
+    // of navigating the webview or spawning a new Electron window (#165).
     app.on('web-contents-created', (_event, contents) => {
       contents.on('render-process-gone', (_e, details) => {
         if (details.reason !== 'clean-exit') {
@@ -1245,6 +1249,30 @@ if (!gotTheLock) {
           )
         }
       })
+
+      if (contents.getType() === 'webview') {
+        // ── Popups (target="_blank" links) → open in default browser ──
+        contents.setWindowOpenHandler(({ url }) => {
+          openUrl(url)
+          return { action: 'deny' }
+        })
+
+        // ── In-page navigation to a different origin → open externally ──
+        // This catches regular link clicks (no target) that would navigate
+        // the webview away from the Open WebUI instance.
+        contents.on('will-navigate', (event, url) => {
+          try {
+            const currentOrigin = new URL(contents.getURL()).origin
+            const targetOrigin = new URL(url).origin
+            if (targetOrigin !== currentOrigin) {
+              event.preventDefault()
+              openUrl(url)
+            }
+          } catch {
+            // Malformed URL — let it through so Chromium can handle/reject it
+          }
+        })
+      }
     })
 
     // ─── IPC Handlers ─────────────────────────────────

src/renderer/src/lib/components/Main/Connections/Content.svelte

@@ -268,7 +268,6 @@
       src={connUrl}
       class="flex-1 min-h-0 border-none"
       style="display: {view === 'connected' && activeConnectionId === connId ? 'flex' : 'none'}"
-      allowpopups
       partition="persist:connection-{connId}"
       preload={contentPreloadPath}
     ></webview>