# Third Party External Link

The third party external link component is used to notify a user that the action they are taking will take them to a new external website.

## Guidance

Use this pattern when the user is in the middle of a task or application to let them know that the action they are taking will move them away from the current site and or process. This serves as a warning where the user can then decide to remain where they are in the application or process.

Any PDF link, whether internal or external, is not a use case for using the third-party link component.

- PDF links should use the regular [link style](/foundation/typography/links/).
- Add "(PDF)" at the end of link.

**Any non .gov and .mil links will be treated as external whether they belong to a government agency or not, no exceptions.**

## Accessibility

### Accessibility
- Ensure that external links have unique, descriptive text—avoiding repetitive phrases like "read more"—and, if necessary, include appropriate ARIA labels to provide additional context for screen reader users.
- Clicking a third-party external link will initiate a modal dialog notifying users that they are leaving a CMS website. Please reference the Modal Dialog for further accessibility guidance.

### Accessibility testing

#### General accessibility testing
- Regularly verify that third-party external links remain up-to-date.
- Ensure that external links point to secure (HTTPS) websites to protect user data and privacy.
- Test that third-party external links open in new tabs/windows.

#### Keyboard testing
- Users should be able to navigate between links with a keyboard by using the “Tab” key. 
- Users should be able to activate a link by pressing the “Enter” key.
- Users should be able to activate hover and focus states with a keyboard.

#### Screen reader testing
- Use screen readers (e.g., NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver) to verify that external link indicators are announced appropriately.
- Screen readers must explicitly mention "external link" or "opens in a new window" within the link text to alert users they are leaving the current site.