jQuery/JavaScript - Allow CTRL + Click to open link in new tab

Question

Is there a way in jQuery or JavaScript to enable the user to CTRL + Click a link to open a link in a new tab like example element?

Answer 1

On Macintosh keyboards, this is the ⌘ Command key. On Windows keyboards, this is the Windows key (⊞ Windows).

For more see this page:

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/KeyboardEvent/metaKey

Answer 2

In case anyone wants to disable page navigation on regular click, to make an ajax call or something, but still wants to keep the default ctrl+click and right-click and middle-click(mouse scroll button) , that is the way:

$('#link').bind('click', function(e) {
  if (!e.ctrlKey && e.which != 2 && e.which != 3) {
    e.preventDefault();
    // some logic:
    $('#box').append('<br>').append($('<a>').html('not paging but doing something! Now try with CTRL'));
  }
});

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<div id="box">
  <a id="link" href="http://stackoverflow.com/questions/26823884/">this question</a>
</div>

JQuery documentation says:

event.which also normalizes button presses (mousedown and mouseupevents), reporting 1 for left button, 2 for middle, and 3 for right. Use event.which instead of event.button.

Answer 3

Check to see if the Ctrl key is pressed, and open the link using window.open. The link may not open in a new tab though. See the discussion here.

jQuery('#some-link').bind('click', function(e) {
   e.preventDefault(); 
   if (e.ctrlKey){
     window.open('http://someurl.com','_blank')
   }
});

See JSFiddle