Problem

When clicking on external links placed inside deprecated macros like Column or Section in new Confluence Cloud editor, the links open in the same tab instead of a new tab, which is inconsistent with the updated behavior for external links.

Environment

• Confluence Cloud
• Links inside deprecated macros (Column, Section, Legacy-Content)

Steps to Reproduce

1. Create or edit a Confluence page.
2. Insert a Column or Section macro.
3. Add an external link inside the macro.
4. Publish the page.
5. Click on the external link in the published view.

Expected Results

External links open in a new tab by default, consistent with the updated behavior for links in Confluence Cloud.

Actual Results

External links within the deprecated macros open in the same tab, contrary to the expected behavior.

Workaround

A potential workaround is to use smart links outside those macros

With the addition of smart links, users can change the link view to Inline, which provides a hover feature with an external link option. Users can update their link preferences to Inline by following this guide or directly navigating to https://id.atlassian.com/manage-profile/link-preferences.

{}How to Apply Smart Links:{}

1. Create a page.
2. Add a link using /link or paste a link.
3. Click on the link to reveal the option to change to an Inline link.
4. Publish the page.
5. Hover over the link and click the external link icon in the popup.

Additional Workarounds:

• Right-click on the link and select "Open link in new tab" from the browser menu.
• Use keyboard shortcuts:

Notes

• This behavior is specific to links inside deprecated macros and may not occur when links are placed outside these macros.
• The issue may affect user experience, as it deviates from the expected behavior outlined in recent updates to Confluence Cloud.