Curate External Resources Inside WordPress
Connect the Listing Link and the Direct Page Visit
Replacing a link in one archive is not the same as handling the original WordPress page. Someone may still have the old local URL in a bookmark, an email, or another page. External Permalinks accounts for both paths: generated permalinks use the configured address, and normal singular visits to the local item redirect to that address with a 301 response.
The redirect type is fixed rather than chosen per item. This module is designed for an intentional external destination, not a temporary campaign redirect or a collection of advanced URL rules. When you need separate source-to-target rules, different redirect statuses, or pattern matching, Redirect Manager is the more appropriate tool. External Permalinks keeps the destination attached to the WordPress content entry itself.
Keep Destination Management Close to the Content
The External Permalink meta box gives editors a single place to set or remove the override. The field accepts a full HTTP or HTTPS address, with a maximum length of 2,048 characters. Relative paths, email links, and JavaScript destinations are not supported, so the setting remains focused on web pages rather than every possible link scheme.
Posts and Pages are enabled by default, and other eligible public content types can be selected. On a resource or partner type created with Custom Post Type Builder, this can provide a consistent editorial model: each item has its own WordPress record and, where appropriate, its own external destination. The module does not create that content type or turn a link into imported content from the remote website.
Review Locally Without Triggering the Public Redirect
An editor still needs to review the WordPress item before deciding how it should appear in a collection. External Permalinks skips previews and the Customizer, keeping those workflows separate from an ordinary public visit. This is useful when an entry includes a title, summary, or image that must be checked before its destination is used on the live site.
The stored post slug is not changed by the external override. That makes the behavior easier to understand: the local record remains a WordPress item, but supported public navigation is redirected while the external field is populated. Clearing that field removes the metadata override. It is not a bulk content migration, and the module does not rewrite the rest of your website around the new destination.
Decide Link Behavior Separately From the Destination
Sending a visitor to another website does not automatically mean opening a new browser tab. External Permalinks changes the destination and handles a direct-page redirect; it does not add a new-tab target. Keeping those concerns separate gives the site a clearer policy about where links go and how visitors open them.
Open All External Links in New Tab handles new-tab behavior on its supported content surfaces, while Open Menu Links in New Tab provides a specific option for selected custom menu links. Neither should be assumed to control every theme-generated card automatically. Review the actual output used by your layout rather than expecting a permalink override to also manage HTML attributes, link styling, or all external-link presentation.
