You're trying to create an email link in Webflow, but clicking it opens a blank tab instead of launching the user's email client. This usually happens when the mailto: protocol is missing or incorrectly configured.
1. Use the Text Link Element Correctly
- Select the element you want to make an email link—typically a Text Link or Link Block with text inside.
- In the Element Settings panel, under the Link Settings, choose "Email" from the dropdown.
- In the email field, type your full email address (e.g.,
name@example.com). - Webflow will automatically prepend
mailto: to the link on publish.
2. Double-Check the Published Link
- After publishing, hover over the link on your live site (not in the Designer).
- Make sure the browser shows a bottom-left preview like this:
mailto:name@example.com
- If it doesn’t, you may have inserted the email as a normal URL, which opens as a blank tab.
3. Use a Manual Mailto Link (If Needed)
If you're using a Button or custom HTML Embed, follow these guidelines:
- For buttons or link blocks, use the "URL" link option (not "Page" or "Section").
- Type in the full mailto link manually:
mailto:name@example.com
- Do not enter just the email address (e.g.,
name@example.com)—the browser treats it as a webpage, leading to an empty tab.
4. Avoid Misconfigured Link Types
- If you recently changed the link type (e.g. from Page to Email), Webflow may have retained the old configuration.
- Remove the link element and re-add it to eliminate residual settings.
Summary
To make text link to an email correctly in Webflow, ensure the link is set to Email type in Link Settings and that it's using the correct mailto: format. Clicking the link should then open the default mail client, not a blank browser tab.