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What Does rel=”noopener noreferrer” Mean and Should You Use It?

Rel= ‘noopener noreferrer’

Clicking a link might seem harmless, but it can open the door to unexpected security issues. 

If your website opens external links in a new tab, there’s a chance that page could quietly take control of your original site or steal referral data, without you even knowing. This trick is called tabnabbing, and yes, it’s real. 

That’s where the rel=”noopener noreferrer” attribute comes in. It’s a small piece of code that tells the browser to block that behavior and keep your visitors safe. You might’ve seen it added automatically in WordPress or other platforms and wondered, “What does this even do?” 

In this article, we’ll explain what rel=”noopener noreferrer” means, how it works, when to use it, and whether it affects SEO in any way. 

Because protecting your users shouldn’t be complicated. Let’s make it simple.

What Does rel=”noopener noreferrer” Mean?

When you add a link that opens in a new tab using target=”_blank”, you might notice a small HTML attribute added to the link—rel=”noopener noreferrer”. It may look technical, but it serves a real purpose.

rel=”noopener noreferrer” is an HTML attribute you can add to external links to improve security and protect privacy.

<a href=”https://outreachmonks.com” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>Visit Site</a>

Here’s what it includes:

  • noopener – Prevents the new tab from being able to access or control your original page
  • noreferrer – Stops the browser from passing your page’s URL (referrer) to the new site

This tag is often added automatically by platforms like WordPress, Blogger, and Ghost when you create external links that open in new tabs.

If you’re curious whether a link on your site already includes this attribute, you can easily check. 

Just open your page in a browser, right-click on the area with the link, and choose “Inspect”. This opens your browser’s developer tools.

Use the Find option (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) and search for rel=”noopener noreferrer” in the code. If it’s there, you’re good.

rel=noopener noreferrer

You can also check directly in WordPress by opening the page or post in the code editor and searching for the same snippet.

What Is rel=”noreferrer”?

The rel=”noreferrer” attribute is used to stop the browser from passing referrer information to the site you’re linking to. That means when someone clicks a link on your page, the destination site won’t see where the visitor came from. 

Normally, if someone clicks a link, the browser sends a “referrer”—the URL of the page they were just on. But with noreferrer, that info is blocked. This helps protect user privacy, especially when you’re linking to unfamiliar or third-party websites.

For example:

<a href=”https://example.com” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer”>Visit Example</a>

In this case, example.com won’t know the click came from your site.

It’s often used together with noopener in the full tag: rel=”noopener noreferrer”—which also adds a layer of security (covered next). But you can use noreferrer on its own if you’re mainly concerned about hiding the referrer info. 

What Is rel=”noopener”?

The rel=”noopener” attribute is used to stop the new tab or window (opened using target=”_blank”) from having any control over the page that opened it.

📌 Why Do Some Sites Use Only rel="noopener" Without noreferrer?Some websites only use rel=”noopener” because they want to protect their site from tabnabbing, but they still want to know where visitors are coming from.

Using just noopener keeps the site safe, and leaving out noreferrer allows the browser to send referrer info (like the page URL) to the site being linked to. This is helpful if the site owner uses tracking or analytics.

So it’s not wrong—it’s just a choice based on whether they care more about privacy or tracking.

Why Use rel=”noopener noreferrer”?

Using rel=”noopener noreferrer” is one of the easiest ways to make your external links safer and more privacy-friendly.

Here’s why it matters:

  • It protects your site from tabnabbing: When you open a link in a new tab (target=”_blank”), the new page can sometimes access your original page. This can be a security risk. Adding rel=”noopener” blocks that access.
  • It hides your referrer info: With rel=”noreferrer”, the site you’re linking to won’t know where the visitor came from. This helps protect your visitors’ privacy, especially when linking to unfamiliar or third-party sites.
  • It can improve browser performance: Since rel noopener noreferrer stops certain background connections between tabs, it reduces resource usage in some cases—making your site run a bit smoother.
  • It adds a layer of safety to all external links: Especially for blogs, business sites, or any content with outbound links, using noopener noreferrer is a best practice.
  • CMS platforms add it automatically: If you’re using platforms like WordPress, Blogger, or Ghost, you might have seen rel noopener noreferrer already added to your links. It’s there to protect your site—even if you didn’t insert it manually.
  • It’s better than doing nothing: Even if you don’t fully understand how tabnabbing works, adding noreferrer noopener ensures your links don’t become a security hole over time.

rel=”noopener noreferrer” is a simple, smart addition to any link that opens in a new tab. It keeps your users safer and your site more trustworthy.

🛠️ Using rel="noopener noreferrer" in WordPress

WordPress automatically adds rel="noopener noreferrer" to any external link that opens in a new tab. This is done to improve security and protect user privacy, especially when using target="_blank".

Can You Remove It?

Yes, you can remove it if needed. While editing a link in the WordPress editor:

  • Click on the link settings.
  • Uncheck the box that says “Search engines should ignore this link (mark as nofollow)” or similar options.

Using rel="noopener noreferrer" in WordPress

⚠️ We don’t recommend removing it unless you fully understand the risks—it’s there for a good reason. 

Is It Bad for SEO?

No, using rel=”noopener noreferrer” does not hurt your SEO.

A lot of people confuse it with rel=”nofollow”, but they do very different things. noopener and noreferrer are mainly used for security and privacy, not for controlling search engine behavior.

📌 What Is rel="nofollow"?

rel="nofollow" is an HTML tag that tells search engines not to pass any SEO value through the link. It’s different from noopener and noreferrer, which are used for security and privacy, not for SEO control.

Here’s what matters:

  1. It doesn’t block link value – These tags don’t stop search engines from visiting or following the link, unless nofollow is also added.
  2. Safe for linking out – You can still link to helpful resources or partners without worrying about losing SEO benefits.
  3. Useful for security – The main goal is to prevent security risks like tabnabbing, not to change how search engines see your site.

So, if you see rel=”noopener noreferrer” in your code, no stress. It’s there to keep things safe, not to mess with your rankings.

Conclusion

Adding rel=”noopener noreferrer” is a small but smart way to make your links safer and more privacy-friendly, especially for external links that open in new tabs. It helps prevent tabnabbing, protects user data, and works well with most CMS platforms.

You don’t have to overthink it—just use it where it makes sense, and your site stays secure and clean.

Secure your links, protect your visitors, and let your content click with confidence. 

FAQs About rel=”noopener noreferrer”

Do All Browsers Support rel=noopener noreferrer?

Yes, all modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge support both noopener and noreferrer. Older browsers may not fully support them, but the impact is minimal today.

Will Using rel=noopener noreferrer Affect Affiliate Tracking?

It might. If you rely on referrer data for tracking conversions (like in some affiliate programs), noreferrer can block that. In those cases, you can choose to use only noopener.

Can I Use Noopener Or Noreferrer Without Target=_blank?

Technically, yes—but they only matter when used with target=_blank. Without opening a new tab, these attributes don’t do anything meaningful.

Does rel=noopener noreferrer Need To Be On Internal Links?

No, it’s meant for external links that open in a new tab. Internal links (within your own domain) usually don’t need it unless there’s a specific reason related to tracking or custom behavior.

Can I Add rel=noopener noreferrer To Image Links Or Buttons?

Yes, you can use it on any clickable element (like image links or buttons) that uses target=_blank. The rules apply the same way—it's about how the link behaves, not the element type.

What Happens If I Forget To Add rel=noopener noreferrer?

If you forget it on an external link that opens in a new tab, your site becomes more vulnerable to tabnabbing or malicious redirection. It's not a visible issue for users—but it's a hidden risk.

Does rel=noopener noreferrer Need To Be On Mobile Links Too?

Yes. Even though mobile browsers behave slightly differently, it's still a good practice to include it. Security risks like tabnabbing can affect mobile users too, especially on Android browsers.

Sahil Ahuja

Sahil Ahuja

Sahil Ahuja, the founder of Outreach Monks and a digital marketing expert, has over a decade of experience in SEO and quality link-building. He also successfully runs an e-commerce brand by name Nolabels and continually explores new ways to promote online growth. You can connect with him on his LinkedIn profile.

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