# Non-http URLs are not opened when clicked

**URL:** <https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/non-http-urls-are-not-opened-when-clicked/1393>\
**Category:** UXP Plugin API\
**Created:** [November 7, 2019, 8:06am UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/non-http-urls-are-not-opened-when-clicked/1393 "2019-11-07T08:06:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Uladzimir.Poddubny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Uladzimir.Poddubny](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/Uladzimir.Poddubny)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 8:06am UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/non-http-urls-are-not-opened-when-clicked/1393/1 "2019-11-07T08:06:56Z")

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I’m working on a plugin and I need to open some external application from this plugin. I knew that `shell.openExternal` opens only http-like URLs, so I put a `<a href="myapp://some-params">Click here to open</a>` tag - and it worked. But after latest updates it doesn’t work. And `shell.openExternal` still doesn’t open non-http URLs either.

I’ve checked the latest release notes - it seems that something was done with `shell.openExternal`.

Does Adobe XD not allow opening any external URLs anymore? Or is it going to add full support for opening non-http URLs?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![pklaschka](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/pklaschka/32/3162_2.png) [@pklaschka](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/pklaschka)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 11:56am UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/non-http-urls-are-not-opened-when-clicked/1393/2 "2019-11-07T11:56:24Z")

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Hi @Uladzimir.Poddubny ,

`shell.openExternal` only works for https urls (per specification). There was a “bug” that allowed for alternative domains on macOS before, but this was fixed with the current release, cf. [https://adobexdplatform.com/plugin-docs/changes.html#smaller-fixes-and-improvements](https://adobexdplatform.com/plugin-docs/changes.html#smaller-fixes-and-improvements).

There will, later, probably be a way to open it in such a way, as visible in @kerrishotts’s comment in your feature request from December and the changelog, but until then, there (to my knowledge) is no way to open such a URL. As a backup, you might be able to try to open a website that redirects to such a URL (I don’t know if that might work for you)…

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**Author:** ![ashryan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/ashryan/32/1177_2.png) [@ashryan](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/ashryan)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/non-http-urls-are-not-opened-when-clicked/1393/3 "2019-11-11T17:13:24Z")

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Marked this as a “solution” for anyone looking for the same information. Obviously, this isn’t the solution you’re looking for @Uladzimir.Poddubny, but for now, it is the latest information about what’s possible.

Thanks @pklaschka for the answer. We can update this if any more info is available.