User Problem

Currently, links configured within the Confluence Cards macro always open in the same tab - regardless of whether the destination is internal (another page on the same Confluence site) or external (any URL outside the site).
This is a single, site-wide behavior with no user-level or admin-level setting to control it. Users cannot choose to have external links open in a new tab while keeping internal links in the same tab (or vice versa).

This behavior also applies to every user and Card macros across the Confluence product.

Why This Matters

• Inconsistent UX - Cards macro behaves differently from Smart Links, making navigation unpredictable.
• Context loss - External links navigate users away from Confluence unexpectedly.
• Accessibility - Screen-reader and keyboard-only users rely on consistent link behavior to maintain orientation.
• No admin control - Administrators cannot enforce a link-opening policy aligned with their org's standards.

Suggestion

Add a configurable option (site-level and/or user-level) to control the default link-opening behavior in the Cards macro.
💡Ideally, it will also be useful to surface a visual indicator (e.g., an external-link icon), so users know before clicking that a link will leave the current site.

Current Workarounds

Currently there is no known workaround for this behavior. A workaround will be added here when available