Hi @George_1 ,
Based on the behavior you described, this does not look like a Catalog Item configuration issue.
The important observation is:
- Normal left-click from the full AI Search results page works.
- The issue occurs from the header/Typeahead Search.
- Recently Viewed entries also open as about:blank / about:blank#blocked.
- The same issue can occur for multiple AI Search sources, not only Catalog Items.
That points to the Service Portal AI Search Typeahead/Recently Viewed navigation layer rather than the Catalog Item itself.
Recommended approach:
1. Do not customize the Catalog Item or its target page.
2. Verify whether the portal is using OOB AI Search widgets:
- Typeahead Search
- Faceted Search
- Homepage Search
If the Typeahead Search widget was cloned/customized before an upgrade, compare it with the current OOB version. ServiceNow specifically notes that older cloned/customized search widgets may not be compatible with newer AI Search behavior.
3. Verify the AI Search Results Action for the affected indexed source.
AI Search Results Actions control the navigation payload used when a result is selected in Service Portal.
If the same Catalog Item opens correctly from the Faceted Search page but fails only from Recently Viewed in the header, the Results Action itself is probably not the primary issue, but it is worth validating with the OOB configuration.
4. Test the same scenario in a clean OOB portal.
Use the same Search Application Configuration and Search Results Configuration.
If it reproduces there, I would treat it as an OOB product issue rather than implementing a widget customization.
5. Check your current release and patch level.
There have been multiple AI Search defects related to Recently Viewed/navigation and opening links in new tabs.
For example, ServiceNow has previously documented:
PRB1707587
AI Search Suggestion and Recently Viewed navigation issues in portal.
PRB1725734
Recently Viewed and suggested result navigation failing for Service Portal in specific scenarios.
PRB1785294
Recently Viewed Catalog Item navigation not using the correct target URL.
There is also a documented AI Search issue:
PRB1848428
where opening an AI Search generated link in a new tab resulted in:
about:blank#blocked
That PRB is not necessarily the exact same issue you are seeing, but it confirms that this behavior has occurred in the AI Search navigation layer before.
6. If you are already on a current supported patch and the issue reproduces with the OOB Typeahead Search widget, I would raise a Now Support case.
Include:
- Release and patch level
- AI Search application/plugin versions
- Portal sys_id
- Search Application Configuration
- Search Results Configuration
- Affected search source
- Browser/network console output
- OOB reproduction showing that Faceted Search works but Typeahead/Recently Viewed fails
I would avoid modifying the OOB Typeahead Search widget just to intercept right-click behavior because that creates upgrade maintenance and may only mask the underlying navigation defect.
Temporary workaround:
Until the issue is confirmed/fixed, users can open the result from the full AI Search results page where navigation is working correctly.
ServiceNow documentation:
AI Search in Service Portal:
https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/zurich/platform-user-interface/service-portal/ai-search.html
AI Search result behavior:
https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/xanadu/platform-administration/ai-search/viewing-search-results-ai...
Related ServiceNow Community discussion:
https://www.servicenow.com/community/now-assist-forum/ai-search-how-to-open-catalog-item-link-from-t...
There is also a related Zurich discussion where right-clicking a search-related link resulted in about:blank#blocked:
https://www.servicenow.com/community/product-launch-forum/issue-with-open-in-new-tab-button-in-help-...
So I would first validate OOB Typeahead Search + current patch level, and if the issue reproduces there, raise it with Now Support rather than customizing the portal.
Hope this helps!
If this response helped, please mark it as Helpful.
If it resolves your issue, please Accept it as Solution.
Kind Regards,
Abhishek Pal
