diff --git a/.changeset/plenty-laws-buy.md b/.changeset/plenty-laws-buy.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..498a9ecb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/plenty-laws-buy.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"gitbook": minor
+---
+
+Add support for site customization option to change how external links open.
diff --git a/bun.lock b/bun.lock
index 6fe99724d..096de72ae 100644
--- a/bun.lock
+++ b/bun.lock
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@
     "react-dom": "^19.0.0",
   },
   "catalog": {
-    "@gitbook/api": "^0.122.0",
+    "@gitbook/api": "^0.123.0",
   },
   "packages": {
     "@ai-sdk/provider": ["@ai-sdk/provider@1.1.0", "", { "dependencies": { "json-schema": "^0.4.0" } }, "sha512-0M+qjp+clUD0R1E5eWQFhxEvWLNaOtGQRUaBn8CUABnSKredagq92hUS9VjOzGsTm37xLfpaxl97AVtbeOsHew=="],
@@ -651,7 +651,7 @@
 
     "@fortawesome/fontawesome-svg-core": ["@fortawesome/fontawesome-svg-core@6.6.0", "", { "dependencies": { "@fortawesome/fontawesome-common-types": "6.6.0" } }, "sha512-KHwPkCk6oRT4HADE7smhfsKudt9N/9lm6EJ5BVg0tD1yPA5hht837fB87F8pn15D8JfTqQOjhKTktwmLMiD7Kg=="],
 
-    "@gitbook/api": ["@gitbook/api@0.122.0", "", { "dependencies": { "event-iterator": "^2.0.0", "eventsource-parser": "^3.0.0" } }, "sha512-zZ40xlJsfh4aed4zkEAcLtuSNRbPmyG9HZ0zqVXqeUiqsm6gm2uhdY0VDL+zYxcDXDqbPcA1fiubfivdfe3LtA=="],
+    "@gitbook/api": ["@gitbook/api@0.123.0", "", { "dependencies": { "event-iterator": "^2.0.0", "eventsource-parser": "^3.0.0" } }, "sha512-BszoIk4H/wWb0jnGSJPSSXSAO8tV4B4/LHwl5ygfERHqk9rOGpM/U7+yOlmbX/tnm30vE+MQ3QQ5i8hN8wVk1w=="],
 
     "@gitbook/cache-do": ["@gitbook/cache-do@workspace:packages/cache-do"],
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 9e82307ae..7423660b4 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
     "workspaces": {
         "packages": ["packages/*"],
         "catalog": {
-            "@gitbook/api": "^0.122.0"
+            "@gitbook/api": "^0.123.0"
         }
     },
     "patchedDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/gitbook/e2e/util.ts b/packages/gitbook/e2e/util.ts
index 937b776d7..fdbd2a342 100644
--- a/packages/gitbook/e2e/util.ts
+++ b/packages/gitbook/e2e/util.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
     CustomizationThemeMode,
     type CustomizationThemedColor,
     type SiteCustomizationSettings,
+    SiteExternalLinksTarget,
 } from '@gitbook/api';
 import { type BrowserContext, type Page, type Response, expect, test } from '@playwright/test';
 import deepMerge from 'deepmerge';
@@ -317,6 +318,9 @@ export function getCustomizationURL(partial: DeepPartial<SiteCustomizationSettin
         aiSearch: {
             enabled: true,
         },
+        externalLinks: {
+            target: SiteExternalLinksTarget.Self,
+        },
         advancedCustomization: {
             enabled: true,
         },
diff --git a/packages/gitbook/src/components/SiteLayout/ClientContexts.tsx b/packages/gitbook/src/components/SiteLayout/ClientContexts.tsx
index b20eeb42d..ddeabdf62 100644
--- a/packages/gitbook/src/components/SiteLayout/ClientContexts.tsx
+++ b/packages/gitbook/src/components/SiteLayout/ClientContexts.tsx
@@ -1,15 +1,17 @@
 'use client';
 
-import type { CustomizationThemeMode } from '@gitbook/api';
+import type { CustomizationThemeMode, SiteExternalLinksTarget } from '@gitbook/api';
 import { ThemeProvider } from 'next-themes';
 import type React from 'react';
+import { LinkSettingsContext } from '../primitives';
 
 export function ClientContexts(props: {
     nonce?: string;
     forcedTheme: CustomizationThemeMode | undefined;
+    externalLinksTarget: SiteExternalLinksTarget;
     children: React.ReactNode;
 }) {
-    const { children, forcedTheme } = props;
+    const { children, forcedTheme, externalLinksTarget } = props;
 
     /**
      * A bug in ThemeProvider is causing the nonce to be included incorrectly
@@ -22,7 +24,9 @@ export function ClientContexts(props: {
 
     return (
         <ThemeProvider nonce={nonce} attribute="class" enableSystem forcedTheme={forcedTheme}>
-            {children}
+            <LinkSettingsContext.Provider value={{ externalLinksTarget }}>
+                {children}
+            </LinkSettingsContext.Provider>
         </ThemeProvider>
     );
 }
diff --git a/packages/gitbook/src/components/SiteLayout/SiteLayout.tsx b/packages/gitbook/src/components/SiteLayout/SiteLayout.tsx
index f81d1c2bd..e23bfddf4 100644
--- a/packages/gitbook/src/components/SiteLayout/SiteLayout.tsx
+++ b/packages/gitbook/src/components/SiteLayout/SiteLayout.tsx
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ export async function SiteLayout(props: {
                     forcedTheme ??
                     (customization.themes.toggeable ? undefined : customization.themes.default)
                 }
+                externalLinksTarget={customization.externalLinks.target}
             >
                 <SpaceLayout
                     context={context}
diff --git a/packages/gitbook/src/components/primitives/Link.tsx b/packages/gitbook/src/components/primitives/Link.tsx
index e15a01ca1..bff7eadc2 100644
--- a/packages/gitbook/src/components/primitives/Link.tsx
+++ b/packages/gitbook/src/components/primitives/Link.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import NextLink, { type LinkProps as NextLinkProps } from 'next/link';
 import React from 'react';
 
 import { tcls } from '@/lib/tailwind';
+import { SiteExternalLinksTarget } from '@gitbook/api';
 import { type TrackEventInput, useTrackEvent } from '../Insights';
 import { type DesignTokenName, useClassnames } from './StyleProvider';
 
@@ -30,6 +31,15 @@ export type LinkProps = Omit<BaseLinkProps, 'href'> &
         classNames?: DesignTokenName[];
     };
 
+/**
+ * Context to configure the default behavior of links.
+ */
+export const LinkSettingsContext = React.createContext<{
+    externalLinksTarget: SiteExternalLinksTarget;
+}>({
+    externalLinksTarget: SiteExternalLinksTarget.Self,
+});
+
 /**
  * Low-level Link component that handles navigation to external urls.
  * It does not contain any styling.
@@ -39,6 +49,7 @@ export const Link = React.forwardRef(function Link(
     ref: React.Ref<HTMLAnchorElement>
 ) {
     const { href, prefetch, children, insights, classNames, className, ...domProps } = props;
+    const { externalLinksTarget } = React.useContext(LinkSettingsContext);
     const trackEvent = useTrackEvent();
     const forwardedClassNames = useClassnames(classNames || []);
 
@@ -53,9 +64,14 @@ export const Link = React.forwardRef(function Link(
             });
         }
 
-        // When the page is embedded in an iframe, for security reasons other urls cannot be opened.
-        // In this case, we open the link in a new tab.
-        if (window.self !== window.top && isExternalLink(href, window.location.origin)) {
+        if (
+            isExternalLink(href, window.location.origin) &&
+            // When the page is embedded in an iframe, for security reasons other urls cannot be opened.
+            // In this case, we open the link in a new tab.
+            (window.self !== window.top ||
+                // If the site is configured to open links in a new tab
+                externalLinksTarget === SiteExternalLinksTarget.Blank)
+        ) {
             event.preventDefault();
             window.open(href, '_blank');
         }
@@ -73,6 +89,9 @@ export const Link = React.forwardRef(function Link(
                 {...domProps}
                 href={href}
                 onClick={onClick}
+                {...(externalLinksTarget === SiteExternalLinksTarget.Blank
+                    ? { target: '_blank', rel: 'noopener noreferrer' }
+                    : {})}
             >
                 {children}
             </a>
diff --git a/packages/gitbook/src/lib/utils.ts b/packages/gitbook/src/lib/utils.ts
index d7a98610d..1f139874e 100644
--- a/packages/gitbook/src/lib/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/gitbook/src/lib/utils.ts
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ export function defaultCustomization(): api.SiteCustomizationSettings {
         aiSearch: {
             enabled: true,
         },
+        externalLinks: {
+            target: api.SiteExternalLinksTarget.Self,
+        },
         advancedCustomization: {
             enabled: true,
         },