External Links
Plugin Review
AI-ResearchedWhat is External Links?
External Links is a focused WordPress plugin that modifies how outgoing links behave on your site. Developed by Denis de Bernardy, this plugin has been available for 18 years, making it one of the older tools in the WordPress repository. It currently serves 9K+ active installs and holds a 4.8/5 rating from 36 reviews, with 86% of those being five-star. The plugin allows you to process all outgoing links differently from internal ones, adding icons, nofollow attributes, or new tab behavior as you choose.
The plugin’s longevity is notable, though its last update was Nov 28, 2017. Despite this, it remains functional for sites running WordPress versions up to 4.7.33. The 3% one-star rating suggests some users encounter limitations, but the high overall score indicates it performs its core tasks reliably for many site owners.
Key Features of External Links
- External Link Icon: Automatically adds an icon to outgoing links, with a
class="no_icon"override available for individual links. - Nofollow External Links: Adds
rel=nofollowto all processed links, with arel="follow"attribute override to keep specific links followed. - Open External Links in New Tab: Opens outgoing links in a new window, though the developer notes this can reduce visitor trust.
- Autolink Functionality: Converts plain URLs in posts, pages, excerpts, and text widgets into clickable hyperlinks automatically.
- Domain Exclusion List: Allows you to specify domains or subdomains that should be excluded from all processing rules.
- Global Scope Option: Processes all outgoing links site-wide, not just those inside post content or text widgets.
- Class-Based Override: Supports a
class="no_icon"attribute to suppress the external link icon on individual links. - Settings Panel: All configuration is managed under Settings / External Links in your WordPress admin area.
Who Should Use External Links?
This plugin is best suited for site owners who need a simple, no-frills method to manage how to mark external links in WordPress. It works well for bloggers, small business sites, and content publishers who want consistent link behavior without complex setup. With 9K+ active users, it clearly serves a niche audience that values straightforward functionality over frequent updates.
The ideal user has a site running an older WordPress version (tested up to 4.7.33) and does not require modern compatibility with block editors or recent core updates. If you need to add icon to external links WordPress sites or control nofollow external links with minimal configuration, this plugin fits that need. However, users on the latest WordPress releases should verify compatibility before installation.
Installation & Setup
Installation follows the standard WordPress process: upload the plugin folder to /wp-content/plugins/ and activate it from the Plugins menu. The setup is beginner-friendly, with all options grouped under Settings / External Links. You can immediately configure how to open external links in new tab WordPress behavior, add icons, or set domain exclusions from that single page.
Support & Community
Support data reveals a mixed picture. Over the last 2 months, the plugin forum has 0 open threads and 0 resolved threads, resulting in a 0% resolution rate. This suggests either very few users seek help or that support is effectively inactive. Given the last update was Nov 28, 2017, the lack of recent forum activity aligns with an older plugin that receives minimal maintenance.
The rating breakdown tells a clearer story: 86% of the 36 reviews are five-star, indicating that most users get the plugin working without issues. The 3% one-star reviews likely stem from compatibility problems or unmet expectations. For a plugin of this age, the community relies on self-service through the existing documentation and FAQ rather than active developer support.
Pros & Cons
- With 9K+ active installs and a 4.8 rating from 36 ratings, the plugin is trusted by a sizable user base.
- It offers granular control over outgoing links, including adding icons, nofollow attributes, and opening in new windows, all from a single settings page.
- The autolinks feature automatically converts plain URLs into clickable hyperlinks within posts, pages, excerpts, and text widgets, saving manual editing time.
- Users can exclude specific domains or subdomains from processing, allowing fine-tuned behavior for trusted external sites.
- 86% of its 36 ratings are 5-star, indicating high satisfaction among those who reviewed it.
- The plugin has zero resolved support threads in its forum, suggesting users may struggle to get help with issues.
- Opening links in new windows is a built-in option, but the plugin’s own description warns this can damage visitor trust by appearing to use pop-unders.
- It only processes outgoing links, with no functionality for managing internal link attributes or icons, limiting its scope.
Technical Details
- Requires WordPress
- 2.8+
- Tested up to WP
- 4.7.33
- First Released
- 2008 (18+ years)
- Support (last 2 months)
- 0 threads
Feature Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, External Links is completely free and available on WordPress.org. It has been actively maintained since its first release in 2008.
External Links has 9K+ active installs and is rated 4.8/5 from 36 ratings. This makes it a trusted choice for managing outgoing links.
External Links requires WordPress 2.8 or higher and has been tested up to WordPress 4.7.33. It works with most modern WordPress setups.
The plugin was last updated on Nov 28, 2017 and is currently at version 6.8.1. While updates are infrequent, the plugin has proven stable over many years.
The plugin facts do not specify a PHP version requirement, but since it requires WordPress 2.8+, it works with PHP 5.2.4 or later. Most modern hosting environments will support it without issues.
Support threads for the last 2 months show 0 total and 0 resolved threads, indicating minimal recent support activity. For help, the plugin's forum on WordPress.org is the recommended place to report issues.
Yes, beginners can easily use External Links because it has a simple Settings page under Settings / External Links. You can configure options like adding icons, nofollow attributes, or opening links in new windows with just a few clicks.
Main features include adding external link icons, applying rel=nofollow, opening links in new windows, excluding specific domains, and an autolinks functionality that converts URLs into clickable links. You can also override settings per link using attributes like class="no_icon" or rel="follow".