Desktop app: option to open clicked links in system default browser instead of in-app side panel

[hog0427]

Feature request

Environment: Claude Code desktop app 2.1.175, macOS 26.5.2

Current behavior: When clicking a URL in the chat transcript in the desktop app, the link always opens in the built-in side panel browser pane. There is no setting, keyboard modifier, or context-menu action to open it in the system default browser instead.

Requested: An option to open clicked links directly in the system default browser (e.g. Chrome). Any of these would work:

• A setting like "openLinksInExternalBrowser": true in settings.json or a desktop app preference
• A keyboard modifier (e.g. Cmd+click) that bypasses the side panel
• A context-menu item "Open in default browser" on links

Use case: I share prefilled web-tool links (with URL fragments) in chat and need them to open in Chrome where my extensions and sessions live. The side panel is great for the agent's own browsing, but user-clicked links should be able to break out to the real browser. Current workaround is wrapping every link in an open -a "Google Chrome" '<url>' bash block for the Run button, which adds noise to every message.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[vvivekranjan]

@hog0427,
Hi, I would like to work on this issue. Would you please assign this issue to me?

[SilverKold]

This feature is very much needed indeed. 🙂
External browser has all the passwords saved, payment cards etc etc stored in it.