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How to create a Web Tab in Setup

Create a Web Tab from Setup to give users one-click access to an external page inside Salesforce. No code is required.

By Dipojjal Chakrabarti · Founder & Editor, Salesforce DictionaryLast updated Jun 16, 2026

Create a Web Tab from Setup to give users one-click access to an external page inside Salesforce. No code is required.

  1. Open the Tabs setup page

    From Setup, enter Tabs in the Quick Find box and select Tabs. In the Web Tabs related list, click New to launch the wizard.

  2. Pick a layout and style

    Choose Full page width for a full application or the column layout for a compact widget. Select a Tab Style for the icon and color shown in the navigation bar, then click Next.

  3. Name the tab and set the URL

    Enter the Tab Label and Tab Name, then supply the web address in the Button or Link URL field. Insert merge fields if you want to pass context, and set a frame height for the embedded area.

  4. Set visibility and add to apps

    Choose the default tab visibility per profile (Default On, Default Off, or Tab Hidden), select which custom apps include the tab, and click Save.

Tab Layoutrequired

Full page width or column. Controls whether the embedded page fills the content area or sits in a narrower frame.

Tab Stylerequired

The color and icon shown for the tab in the navigation bar and App Launcher.

Tab Labelrequired

The display name users see on the tab. The Tab Name (API name) is generated from it and cannot contain spaces.

Button or Link URLrequired

The external web address the tab loads in its frame. Merge fields can be inserted to build the URL dynamically.

Gotchas
  • If the target site sends X-Frame-Options or a frame-ancestors policy, it will refuse to load in the iframe and show a blank box. Test the exact URL first.
  • A tab opened from the navigation bar has no record in scope, so record-specific merge fields resolve to empty. Drive context from a record-page button instead.
  • An HTTP destination is usually blocked as mixed content because the Salesforce session runs over HTTPS. Use an HTTPS URL.
  • The tab is hidden until you set its visibility per profile or permission set and add it to the relevant custom apps.

See the full Web Tab entry

Web Tab includes the definition, worked example, deep dive, related terms, and a quiz.