diff --git a/chat/locales/en-US.json b/chat/locales/en-US.json
index 5465dda4..1b8bf311 100644
--- a/chat/locales/en-US.json
+++ b/chat/locales/en-US.json
@@ -690,6 +690,8 @@
   "settings.browserOptionReset": "Reset to default",
   "settings.browserOptionSave": "Save",
   "settings.browserOptionTitle": "Browser Path",
+  "settings.alwaysOpenIncognito": "Always open links in incognito/private mode",
+  "settings.alwaysOpenIncognito.help": "When enabled, left-clicking any URL link in chat opens it in your browser's incognito/private window instead of a normal tab. Also applies when opening an image from the profile viewer or the profile itself in your browser.",
   "settings.cache": "Profile cache",
   "settings.cache.expiryDays": "Maximum age",
   "settings.cache.expiryDays.description": "The amount of days that a profile's data will be kept on your computer. If a profile's data hasn't been used since then, it will be cleared to make space.",
diff --git a/electron/About.vue b/electron/About.vue
index a9c845af..3bf7deeb 100644
--- a/electron/About.vue
+++ b/electron/About.vue
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@
 
 <script lang="ts">
   import * as remote from '@electron/remote';
-  import { clipboard, shell } from 'electron';
+  import { clipboard, ipcRenderer, shell } from 'electron';
   import Vue from 'vue';
   import l, { setLanguage } from '../chat/localize';
   import LocalizedText from '../components/localized_text';
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@
           url = `${base}?template=bug.yml`;
         }
         try {
-          void shell.openExternal(url);
+          ipcRenderer.send('open-url-externally', url);
         } catch (e) {
           console.warn('Failed to open issue page', e);
         }
diff --git a/electron/Index.vue b/electron/Index.vue
index e72fb79d..cecafd17 100644
--- a/electron/Index.vue
+++ b/electron/Index.vue
@@ -878,7 +878,6 @@
           'open-url-externally',
           `https://www.f-list.net/c/${this.profileName}`
         );
-        //await remote.shell.openExternal(`https://www.f-list.net/c/${this.profileName}`);
 
         // tslint:disable-next-line: no-any no-unsafe-any
         (this.$refs.profileViewer as any).hide();
diff --git a/electron/Settings.vue b/electron/Settings.vue
index 8f1ca741..5a1e49d2 100644
--- a/electron/Settings.vue
+++ b/electron/Settings.vue
@@ -1059,6 +1059,25 @@
                     </p>
                   </small>
                 </label>
+
+                <div class="mb-3" v-if="!isMac">
+                  <label class="control-label" for="alwaysOpenIncognito">
+                    <div class="form-check">
+                      <input
+                        class="form-check-input"
+                        type="checkbox"
+                        id="alwaysOpenIncognito"
+                        v-model="settings.horizonAlwaysOpenIncognito"
+                      />
+                      <label class="form-check-label" for="alwaysOpenIncognito">
+                        {{ l('settings.alwaysOpenIncognito') }}
+                      </label>
+                    </div>
+                    <small class="form-text text-muted">{{
+                      l('settings.alwaysOpenIncognito.help')
+                    }}</small>
+                  </label>
+                </div>
                 <h5>
                   {{
                     l('settings.experimental', {
diff --git a/electron/browser_windows.ts b/electron/browser_windows.ts
index abc89d78..d6873b26 100644
--- a/electron/browser_windows.ts
+++ b/electron/browser_windows.ts
@@ -1067,7 +1067,7 @@ export function createAboutWindow(
 
   // Handle external links
   about.webContents.setWindowOpenHandler(({ url }) => {
-    electron.shell.openExternal(url);
+    openURLExternally(url);
     return { action: 'deny' };
   });
 
diff --git a/electron/chat.ts b/electron/chat.ts
index 96b6e699..713a498c 100644
--- a/electron/chat.ts
+++ b/electron/chat.ts
@@ -47,10 +47,9 @@ const webContents = remote.getCurrentWebContents();
 require('@electron/remote/main').enable(webContents);
 
 import Axios from 'axios';
-import { exec, execFileSync, execSync, spawn } from 'child_process';
+import { exec } from 'child_process';
 import * as path from 'path';
 import * as qs from 'querystring';
-import * as fs from 'fs';
 import { getKey } from '../chat/common';
 import { EventBus } from '../chat/preview/event-bus';
 import { init as initCore } from '../chat/core';
@@ -108,230 +107,6 @@ if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production') {
     console.log(`%c${l('consoleWarning.body')}`, 'font-size: 16pt; color:red');
   });
 }
-let browser: string | undefined;
-let executablePath: string | undefined;
-
-function openIncognitoWindows(url: string): void {
-  if (settings.browserPath && settings.browserPath.length > 0) {
-    executablePath = settings.browserPath;
-    log.debug('incognito.open.customPath', executablePath);
-  } else if (executablePath === undefined) {
-    //Default to Edge path
-    executablePath =
-      'C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft\\Edge\\Application\\msedge.exe';
-    if (browser === undefined)
-      try {
-        //tslint:disable-next-line:max-line-length
-        browser = execSync(
-          `FOR /F "skip=2 tokens=3" %A IN ('REG QUERY HKCU\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Shell\\Associations\\UrlAssociations\\http\\UserChoice /v ProgId') DO @(echo %A)`
-        )
-          .toString()
-          .trim();
-      } catch (e) {
-        console.error(e);
-      }
-
-    log.debug('incognito.open.win32.ProgId', browser);
-
-    try {
-      let ftypeAssocmd = execSync(`ftype ${browser}`).toString().trim();
-      log.verbose('incognito.open.win32.ftype', ftypeAssocmd);
-      let match = ftypeAssocmd.match(/"([^"]+\.exe)"/);
-      if (match?.[1]) executablePath = match?.[1];
-    } catch (e) {
-      log.error('incognito.open.win32.ftype.error', e);
-
-      // Fallback: Query registry directly for modern ProgIds (like Vivaldi)
-      try {
-        const regQuery = execSync(
-          `REG QUERY "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\${browser}\\shell\\open\\command" /ve`,
-          { encoding: 'utf8' }
-        ).toString();
-        const regMatch = regQuery.match(/"([^"]+\.exe)"/);
-        if (regMatch?.[1]) {
-          executablePath = regMatch[1];
-          log.debug('incognito.open.win32.registry.fallback', executablePath);
-        }
-      } catch (regError) {
-        log.error('incognito.open.win32.registry.error', regError);
-      }
-    }
-
-    log.debug('incognito.open.exePath', executablePath);
-  }
-  //"Everything is chrome in the future!" -🧽
-  let incognitoArg: string = '-incognito';
-
-  switch (path.basename(executablePath).toLowerCase()) {
-    case 'chrome.exe':
-    case 'chromeapp.exe':
-    case 'brave.exe':
-    case 'vivaldi.exe':
-      incognitoArg = '-incognito';
-      break;
-    case 'msedge.exe':
-      incognitoArg = '-inprivate';
-      break;
-    case 'firefox.exe':
-    case 'floorp.exe':
-    case 'librewolf.exe':
-    case 'waterfox.exe':
-    case 'palemoon.exe':
-    case 'zen.exe':
-      incognitoArg = '-private-window';
-      break;
-    case 'opera.exe':
-      incognitoArg = '-private';
-      break;
-  }
-
-  spawn(executablePath, [incognitoArg, url]);
-}
-
-// --- Linux incognito helpers ------------------------------------------------
-// Resolve an executable to an absolute path using PATH; Otherwise, return the
-// original command.
-function resolveExecutable(cmd: string): string {
-  if (path.isAbsolute(cmd)) return cmd;
-  try {
-    const resolved = execFileSync('which', [cmd], { encoding: 'utf8' })
-      .trim()
-      .split('\n')[0];
-    if (resolved) return resolved;
-  } catch {
-    // Ignore: we'll try spawn with the raw token. Oh god.
-  }
-  return cmd;
-}
-
-const LINUX_INCOGNITO_FLAGS: Record<string, string> = {
-  // Chromium family
-  chrome: '--incognito',
-  'google-chrome': '--incognito',
-  'google-chrome-stable': '--incognito',
-  'google-chrome-beta': '--incognito',
-  'google-chrome-unstable': '--incognito',
-  chromium: '--incognito',
-  'chromium-browser': '--incognito',
-  brave: '--incognito',
-  'brave-browser': '--incognito',
-  vivaldi: '--incognito',
-  'vivaldi-stable': '--incognito',
-  'vivaldi-snapshot': '--incognito',
-
-  // why is edge on linux lol
-  'microsoft-edge': '--inprivate',
-  'microsoft-edge-stable': '--inprivate',
-  'microsoft-edge-beta': '--inprivate',
-  'microsoft-edge-dev': '--inprivate',
-
-  // Firefox family (default behaviour, kept explicit)
-  firefox: '-private-window',
-  'firefox-bin': '-private-window',
-  'firefox-esr': '-private-window',
-  librewolf: '-private-window',
-  waterfox: '-private-window',
-  palemoon: '-private-window',
-  zen: '-private-window',
-  icecat: '-private-window',
-  floorp: '-private-window',
-
-  // Opera
-  opera: '--private',
-  'opera-beta': '--private',
-  'opera-developer': '--private'
-};
-
-function extractExecCommand(desktopFilePath: string): string | undefined {
-  try {
-    const desktopFile = fs.readFileSync(desktopFilePath, { encoding: 'utf8' });
-    const match = desktopFile.match(/^\s*Exec\s*=\s*(.+)$/m);
-    if (!match) return undefined;
-
-    // Remove desktop entry field codes (%u, %U, etc.) per spec.
-    const execValue = match[1].replace(/%[a-zA-Z]/g, '').trim();
-    const tokens = execValue.match(/(?:[^\s"']+|"[^"]*"|'[^']*')+/g) ?? [];
-
-    return tokens.find(
-      token =>
-        token !== 'env' &&
-        !/^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*=/.test(token) &&
-        token.length > 0
-    );
-  } catch (err) {
-    log.error('incognito.open.linux.exec.read.error', desktopFilePath, err);
-    return undefined;
-  }
-}
-
-function openIncognitoLinux(url: string): void {
-  let desktopId: string | undefined;
-  try {
-    desktopId = execFileSync('xdg-settings', ['get', 'default-web-browser'], {
-      encoding: 'utf8'
-    }).trim();
-  } catch (err) {
-    log.error('incognito.open.linux.desktopId.error', err);
-  }
-
-  // & oh my god.
-  const candidatePaths =
-    desktopId === undefined
-      ? []
-      : [
-          // user locations because these files take priority in freedesktop spec
-          path.join(
-            remote.app.getPath('home'),
-            '.local/share/applications',
-            desktopId
-          ),
-          path.join(
-            remote.app.getPath('home'),
-            '.local/share/flatpak/exports/share/applications',
-            desktopId
-          ),
-          // system locations
-          path.join('/usr/local/share/applications', desktopId),
-          path.join('/usr/share/applications', desktopId),
-
-          // flatpak and snap system locations (???)
-          path.join(
-            '/usr/local/share/flatpak/exports/share/applications',
-            desktopId
-          ),
-          path.join('/var/lib/flatpak/exports/share/applications', desktopId),
-          // ? does snap live here or am i fucking pedantic
-          path.join('/var/lib/snapd/desktop/applications', desktopId)
-        ];
-  // okay we're out of hell.
-  const desktopFilePath = candidatePaths.find(p => fs.existsSync(p));
-  let browserCommand = desktopFilePath
-    ? extractExecCommand(desktopFilePath)
-    : undefined;
-
-  if (!browserCommand) {
-    log.warn(
-      'incognito.open.linux.fallback',
-      desktopId,
-      desktopFilePath ?? 'no desktop file found'
-    );
-
-    // ! Last resort:
-    // ! We are in hell. Hope that god has given us Firefox.
-    browserCommand = 'firefox';
-  }
-
-  const resolvedCommand = resolveExecutable(browserCommand);
-
-  log.debug('incognito.open.linux.browserCommand', resolvedCommand);
-
-  const incognitoArg =
-    LINUX_INCOGNITO_FLAGS[path.basename(browserCommand).toLowerCase()] ??
-    '-private-window'; // again, we pray to god we have firefox. :)
-
-  spawn(resolvedCommand, [incognitoArg, url]);
-}
-
 const wordPosSearch = new WordPosSearch();
 
 webContents.on('context-menu', (_, props) => {
@@ -399,7 +174,12 @@ webContents.on('context-menu', (_, props) => {
       id: 'openLink',
       label: l('action.openBrowser'),
       click(): void {
-        electron.ipcRenderer.send('open-url-externally', props.linkURL);
+        // explicit opt-out. always a normal window, even with always-incognito on
+        electron.ipcRenderer.send(
+          'open-url-externally',
+          props.linkURL,
+          'normal'
+        );
       }
     });
     menuTemplate.push({
@@ -412,19 +192,16 @@ webContents.on('context-menu', (_, props) => {
       }
     });
 
-    if (process.platform === 'win32')
+    if (process.platform === 'win32' || process.platform === 'linux')
       menuTemplate.push({
         id: 'incognito',
         label: l('action.incognito'),
-        click: () => openIncognitoWindows(props.linkURL)
-      });
-    else if (process.platform === 'linux')
-      menuTemplate.push({
-        id: 'incognito',
-        label: l('action.incognito'),
-        click: () => {
-          openIncognitoLinux(props.linkURL);
-        }
+        click: () =>
+          electron.ipcRenderer.send(
+            'open-url-externally',
+            props.linkURL,
+            'incognito'
+          )
       });
   } else if (hasText)
     menuTemplate.push({
diff --git a/electron/common.ts b/electron/common.ts
index 802e71b3..4d57c0f7 100644
--- a/electron/common.ts
+++ b/electron/common.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ export class GeneralSettings {
   risingDisableWindowsHighContrast = false;
   browserPath = '';
   browserArgs = '%s';
+  horizonAlwaysOpenIncognito: boolean = false;
   zoomLevel = 0.0;
   horizonCustomCss: string = '';
   horizonCustomCssEnabled: boolean = false;
diff --git a/electron/main.ts b/electron/main.ts
index 86b996b5..8ef8c15d 100644
--- a/electron/main.ts
+++ b/electron/main.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ import * as electron from 'electron';
 import log from 'electron-log'; //tslint:disable-line:match-default-export-name
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
-import { execFile } from 'child_process';
+import { execFile, execFileSync, execSync, spawn } from 'child_process';
 // import * as url from 'url';
 import l from '../chat/localize';
 import { defaultHost, GeneralSettings } from './common';
@@ -671,7 +671,253 @@ function normalizeUrl(linkUrl: string): string {
   return encodeURI(linkUrl).replace(/%25([0-9a-f]{2})/gi, '%$1');
 }
 
-export function openURLExternally(linkUrl: string): void {
+let browser: string | undefined;
+let executablePath: string | undefined;
+
+function openIncognitoWindows(url: string): void {
+  if (settings.browserPath && settings.browserPath.length > 0) {
+    executablePath = settings.browserPath;
+    log.debug('incognito.open.customPath', executablePath);
+  } else if (executablePath === undefined) {
+    //Default to Edge path
+    executablePath =
+      'C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft\\Edge\\Application\\msedge.exe';
+    if (browser === undefined)
+      try {
+        //tslint:disable-next-line:max-line-length
+        browser = execSync(
+          `FOR /F "skip=2 tokens=3" %A IN ('REG QUERY HKCU\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Shell\\Associations\\UrlAssociations\\http\\UserChoice /v ProgId') DO @(echo %A)`
+        )
+          .toString()
+          .trim();
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.error(e);
+      }
+
+    log.debug('incognito.open.win32.ProgId', browser);
+
+    try {
+      let ftypeAssocmd = execSync(`ftype ${browser}`).toString().trim();
+      log.verbose('incognito.open.win32.ftype', ftypeAssocmd);
+      let match = ftypeAssocmd.match(/"([^"]+\.exe)"/);
+      if (match?.[1]) executablePath = match?.[1];
+    } catch (e) {
+      log.error('incognito.open.win32.ftype.error', e);
+
+      // Fallback: Query registry directly for modern ProgIds (like Vivaldi)
+      try {
+        const regQuery = execSync(
+          `REG QUERY "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\${browser}\\shell\\open\\command" /ve`,
+          { encoding: 'utf8' }
+        ).toString();
+        const regMatch = regQuery.match(/"([^"]+\.exe)"/);
+        if (regMatch?.[1]) {
+          executablePath = regMatch[1];
+          log.debug('incognito.open.win32.registry.fallback', executablePath);
+        }
+      } catch (regError) {
+        log.error('incognito.open.win32.registry.error', regError);
+      }
+    }
+
+    log.debug('incognito.open.exePath', executablePath);
+  }
+  //"Everything is chrome in the future!" -🧽
+  let incognitoArg: string = '-incognito';
+
+  switch (path.basename(executablePath).toLowerCase()) {
+    case 'chrome.exe':
+    case 'chromeapp.exe':
+    case 'brave.exe':
+    case 'vivaldi.exe':
+      incognitoArg = '-incognito';
+      break;
+    case 'msedge.exe':
+      incognitoArg = '-inprivate';
+      break;
+    case 'firefox.exe':
+    case 'floorp.exe':
+    case 'librewolf.exe':
+    case 'waterfox.exe':
+    case 'palemoon.exe':
+    case 'zen.exe':
+      incognitoArg = '-private-window';
+      break;
+    case 'opera.exe':
+      incognitoArg = '-private';
+      break;
+  }
+
+  spawn(executablePath, [incognitoArg, url]);
+}
+
+// --- Linux incognito helpers ------------------------------------------------
+// Resolve an executable to an absolute path using PATH; Otherwise, return the
+// original command.
+function resolveExecutable(cmd: string): string {
+  if (path.isAbsolute(cmd)) return cmd;
+  try {
+    const resolved = execFileSync('which', [cmd], { encoding: 'utf8' })
+      .trim()
+      .split('\n')[0];
+    if (resolved) return resolved;
+  } catch {
+    // Ignore: we'll try spawn with the raw token. Oh god.
+  }
+  return cmd;
+}
+
+const LINUX_INCOGNITO_FLAGS: Record<string, string> = {
+  // Chromium family
+  chrome: '--incognito',
+  'google-chrome': '--incognito',
+  'google-chrome-stable': '--incognito',
+  'google-chrome-beta': '--incognito',
+  'google-chrome-unstable': '--incognito',
+  chromium: '--incognito',
+  'chromium-browser': '--incognito',
+  brave: '--incognito',
+  'brave-browser': '--incognito',
+  vivaldi: '--incognito',
+  'vivaldi-stable': '--incognito',
+  'vivaldi-snapshot': '--incognito',
+
+  // why is edge on linux lol
+  'microsoft-edge': '--inprivate',
+  'microsoft-edge-stable': '--inprivate',
+  'microsoft-edge-beta': '--inprivate',
+  'microsoft-edge-dev': '--inprivate',
+
+  // Firefox family (default behaviour, kept explicit)
+  firefox: '-private-window',
+  'firefox-bin': '-private-window',
+  'firefox-esr': '-private-window',
+  librewolf: '-private-window',
+  waterfox: '-private-window',
+  palemoon: '-private-window',
+  zen: '-private-window',
+  icecat: '-private-window',
+  floorp: '-private-window',
+
+  // Opera
+  opera: '--private',
+  'opera-beta': '--private',
+  'opera-developer': '--private'
+};
+
+function extractExecCommand(desktopFilePath: string): string | undefined {
+  try {
+    const desktopFile = fs.readFileSync(desktopFilePath, { encoding: 'utf8' });
+    const match = desktopFile.match(/^\s*Exec\s*=\s*(.+)$/m);
+    if (!match) return undefined;
+
+    // Remove desktop entry field codes (%u, %U, etc.) per spec.
+    const execValue = match[1].replace(/%[a-zA-Z]/g, '').trim();
+    const tokens = execValue.match(/(?:[^\s"']+|"[^"]*"|'[^']*')+/g) ?? [];
+
+    return tokens.find(
+      token =>
+        token !== 'env' &&
+        !/^[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*=/.test(token) &&
+        token.length > 0
+    );
+  } catch (err) {
+    log.error('incognito.open.linux.exec.read.error', desktopFilePath, err);
+    return undefined;
+  }
+}
+
+function openIncognitoLinux(url: string): void {
+  let desktopId: string | undefined;
+  try {
+    desktopId = execFileSync('xdg-settings', ['get', 'default-web-browser'], {
+      encoding: 'utf8'
+    }).trim();
+  } catch (err) {
+    log.error('incognito.open.linux.desktopId.error', err);
+  }
+
+  // & oh my god.
+  const candidatePaths =
+    desktopId === undefined
+      ? []
+      : [
+          // user locations because these files take priority in freedesktop spec
+          path.join(
+            electron.app.getPath('home'),
+            '.local/share/applications',
+            desktopId
+          ),
+          path.join(
+            electron.app.getPath('home'),
+            '.local/share/flatpak/exports/share/applications',
+            desktopId
+          ),
+          // system locations
+          path.join('/usr/local/share/applications', desktopId),
+          path.join('/usr/share/applications', desktopId),
+
+          // flatpak and snap system locations (???)
+          path.join(
+            '/usr/local/share/flatpak/exports/share/applications',
+            desktopId
+          ),
+          path.join('/var/lib/flatpak/exports/share/applications', desktopId),
+          // ? does snap live here or am i fucking pedantic
+          path.join('/var/lib/snapd/desktop/applications', desktopId)
+        ];
+  // okay we're out of hell.
+  const desktopFilePath = candidatePaths.find(p => fs.existsSync(p));
+  let browserCommand = desktopFilePath
+    ? extractExecCommand(desktopFilePath)
+    : undefined;
+
+  if (!browserCommand) {
+    log.warn(
+      'incognito.open.linux.fallback',
+      desktopId,
+      desktopFilePath ?? 'no desktop file found'
+    );
+
+    // ! Last resort:
+    // ! We are in hell. Hope that god has given us Firefox.
+    browserCommand = 'firefox';
+  }
+
+  const resolvedCommand = resolveExecutable(browserCommand);
+
+  log.debug('incognito.open.linux.browserCommand', resolvedCommand);
+
+  const incognitoArg =
+    LINUX_INCOGNITO_FLAGS[path.basename(browserCommand).toLowerCase()] ??
+    '-private-window'; // again, we pray to god we have firefox. :)
+
+  spawn(resolvedCommand, [incognitoArg, url]);
+}
+
+export type ExternalOpenMode = 'auto' | 'normal' | 'incognito';
+
+export function openURLExternally(
+  linkUrl: string,
+  mode: ExternalOpenMode = 'auto'
+): void {
+  const wantsIncognito =
+    mode === 'incognito' ||
+    (mode === 'auto' && settings.horizonAlwaysOpenIncognito);
+
+  // A private-window flag is meaningless for mailto: and friends, and macOS has
+  // no incognito path -- both fall through to the normal open below.
+  if (wantsIncognito && isWebUrl(linkUrl)) {
+    if (process.platform === 'win32') {
+      openIncognitoWindows(linkUrl);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (process.platform === 'linux') {
+      openIncognitoLinux(linkUrl);
+      return;
+    }
+  }
+
   const browserPath = resolveCustomBrowser();
 
   // No custom browser, or not a web link: let the OS handle it.
@@ -1576,9 +1822,12 @@ async function onReady(): Promise<void> {
     }
   );
 
-  electron.ipcMain.on('open-url-externally', (_e, _url: string) => {
-    openURLExternally(_url);
-  });
+  electron.ipcMain.on(
+    'open-url-externally',
+    (_e, _url: string, mode: ExternalOpenMode = 'auto') => {
+      openURLExternally(_url, mode);
+    }
+  );
 
   setMainWindow(
     browserWindows.createMainWindow(