📱Open External URL

Open web URLs inside your app or in the device's default browser.

What is Open External URL?

Open External URL lets you control how web links open in your app. You can display them inside a temporary in-app browser window - keeping users within your app - or hand them off to the device's default browser when the external context is needed.

• In-App Browser - opens the URL in a temporary browser window inside your app. The user can close it and return to your app with a single tap. Best for web pages, articles, or Terms of Service.

• System Browser - opens the URL in the device's default browser (Safari on iOS, Chrome on Android). Best for file downloads or external services that require the user's saved passwords or browser history.

Prerequisites

This feature is available in all plans. See all plans

Implementation

Choose your integration method below: Bubble.io Plugin (No-Code), JavaScript SDK (Code), or AI Agents (for AI-powered editors like Lovable, Base44, and Replit).

Initialization

Bubble.io Plugin

Check Plugin

Before starting, verify if the Natively plugin is already installed in your Bubble project.

1. Open your Bubble editor and navigate to the Plugins tab in the left sidebar.

2. Check Installed Plugins: Look through your list of installed plugins for "Natively iOS & Android app builder".

   • If it IS installed: Check the version number. If an update is available (e.g., you see a button saying "Update"), click it to ensure you have the latest features and bug fixes.

• If it is NOT installed: Click the + Add plugins button, search for "Natively", and click Install.

JavaScript SDK

Check SDK

Before writing any logic, ensure the Natively SDK is correctly installed and up-to-date in your codebase.

1. Open your project's main HTML file (or header settings) and look for the Natively script tag inside the <head> section.

2. Install/Update: If missing or outdated, add the following code. You can specify the SDK version in the URL (e.g., @2.26.0).

<head>
  <script async onload="nativelyOnLoad()" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/natively@2.26.0/natively-frontend.min.js"></script>
</head>

To ensure you are using the most up-to-date version, check the Natively GitHub releases page for the latest version number.

AI Agents

Initialize the SDK

AI-powered editors like Lovable, Base44, and Replit use the JavaScript SDK to implement Natively features. Before implementing any feature, the Natively SDK must be initialized in your project.

Copy the line below and paste it into your AI agent to check and set up the Natively SDK in your project.

Check if the following Natively SDK script is present in the <head> of index.html. If missing or outdated, add it: <script async onload="nativelyOnLoad()" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/natively@2.26.0/natively-frontend.min.js"></script><script>function nativelyOnLoad() { window.natively.setDebug(true); console.log("✅ Natively SDK loaded successfully."); }</script> For reference: https://docs.buildnatively.com/guides/integration/how-to-get-started https://github.com/buildnatively/js-sdk/releases

Setup Logic

Bubble.io Plugin

[Action] Natively - Open external url

• URL - the web URL to open.

• Open in external browser - Yes/No:

  • Yes - opens in the system browser.

  • No - opens in the in-app browser.

JavaScript SDK

// ============================================================================
// NATIVELY OPEN EXTERNAL URL - DOCUMENTATION & EXAMPLES
// ============================================================================

// No initialization required — openExternalURL is available directly
// on the global window.natively object.

// ============================================================================
// ALL AVAILABLE METHODS
// ============================================================================
// window.natively.openExternalURL(url, external)
//   - Opens a web URL either in the in-app browser or the system browser.
//   - url: string — the web URL to open. Must start with https://
//   - external: boolean — true = system browser, false = in-app browser

// --- Open External URL. In-App Browser Example. Start ---

window.natively.openExternalURL("https://example.com/", false);

// --- Open External URL. In-App Browser Example. End ---


// --- Open External URL. System Browser Example. Start ---

window.natively.openExternalURL("https://example.com/", true);

// --- Open External URL. System Browser Example. End ---

AI Agents

AI-powered editors like Lovable, Base44, and Replit use the JavaScript SDK to implement Natively features.

Copy the line below and paste it into your AI agent.

[Your feature description] using the Natively Open External URL SDK: // window.natively.openExternalURL(url, external) — opens a web URL. url: string — must start with https://. external: boolean — true opens in system browser, false opens in in-app browser. For reference: https://docs.buildnatively.com/guides/integration/open-external-url

Replace the placeholder at the beginning with a description of what you want to build - for example: "Open the Terms of Service page in the in-app browser when the user taps the link".

How to use

Internal URLs - keep specific domains in your app's main view

If you want a specific domain to always open directly inside your app's main WebView - without any browser UI or close button - add it to your Internal URLs whitelist in the Natively Dashboard Settings. This is useful when your app spans multiple subdomains or when you use a third-party service that must stay within your app context.

Default behavior for unwhitelisted domains

Any link your app navigates to on a domain not in your Internal URLs whitelist will automatically open in the in-app browser - even without calling openExternalURL. Use openExternalURL with external: true when you specifically need the system browser for one of those links.

Use the in-app browser for content

Open articles, Terms of Service, Help Center pages, or any web content the user should read and then return from. The in-app browser shows a close button, so users can always get back to your app with a single tap.

Use the system browser for downloads and external services

File downloads and external services that rely on saved passwords or browser history should always use external: true. These require the full system browser context to work correctly.

Troubleshooting

URL opens in the wrong browser

Check the external parameter - true forces the system browser, false forces the in-app browser. Both values override the Internal URLs whitelist. If you're not using openExternalURL and the URL is opening unexpectedly, check your Internal URLs whitelist in the Natively Dashboard Settings.

URL opens inside the app instead of the in-app browser

If you're not calling openExternalURL, the domain may be whitelisted in Internal URLs, causing it to open in the app's primary WebView. Either remove it from the whitelist, or explicitly call openExternalURL(url, false) to force the in-app browser.

In-app browser not showing close button or navigation bar

The domain is likely whitelisted in Internal URLs and opens in the app's primary WebView instead. Either remove it from the whitelist or explicitly call openExternalURL(url, false) to force the in-app browser.

Not working in a web browser

This is a native feature and will not work in a standard web browser. Test on a real device using a Natively build or the Preview app.