# A link reloads the whole page

> Why a link loads the normal way instead of instantly, and how to tell which rule caught it.

Source: https://arraystory.com/docs/ajaxpress/link-reloads-the-whole-page/

Some links are deliberately left to load the normal way. When a link you expected to be instant reloads the whole page (and restarts a player), one of these is usually the reason.

## Ask AjaxPress directly

Open the page with the link, open the browser console (<kbd>F12</kbd>, then **Console**), and run, with the link's full address:

```js
AjaxPress.shouldBypass('https://example.com/the-link/')
```

- `true`: AjaxPress leaves this address to the browser. See checks 1, 2, 4 and 7.
- `false`: the address is fine, so it's the link itself or the click. See checks 3, 5 and 6.

## 1. Is it really a link to your site?

Compare the link's address with your site's, character by character:

- `www.example.com` and `example.com` are different sites.
- `http://` and `https://` are different too.
- A subdomain, such as `shop.example.com`, is a different site.

Fix old links, and make sure **Settings → General** has your real address.

## 2. Does it match an Exclude Links pattern?

A short plain pattern matches anywhere in the address: `shop` also matches `/workshop/`. Review **Settings → AjaxPress → Advanced → Exclude Links**. See [Exclude links](https://arraystory.com/docs/ajaxpress/exclude-links/).

## 3. Does the link have a `target`?

Right-click the link, choose **Inspect**, and look for `target="_blank"`, `_top` or `_parent`. Page builders sometimes add these without telling you. Also check for a `<base target="…">` in the page's `<head>`.

## 4. Is it a file, or in wp-admin?

Links to uploaded files (anything under `/wp-content/`), to `/wp-admin/`, to `/wp-json/`, and links with a `download` attribute always load normally.

## 5. Were you holding a key?

<kbd>Ctrl</kbd>, <kbd>Cmd</kbd>, <kbd>Shift</kbd> or <kbd>Alt</kbd> while clicking, or a middle click, opens the link the browser's way: a new tab, a new window, or a download.

## 6. Does another script stop the click?

If `shouldBypass` returned `false` and the link has no `target`, another script is probably handling the click first. A script that calls `stopPropagation()` on link clicks, without `preventDefault()`, hides the click from AjaxPress, and the browser loads the page normally. Mega menu, smooth-scroll and "page transition" scripts sometimes do this.

To find it, deactivate plugins one at a time (on a staging copy), or look at the link's click listeners in the browser's developer tools (**Elements → Event Listeners → click**).

## 7. Is it a language switcher?

A switcher that goes to another domain or subdomain is a normal page load by design. See [Multilingual sites](https://arraystory.com/docs/ajaxpress/multilingual-sites/).

Still reloading? [Report it](https://arraystory.com/docs/ajaxpress/report-a-problem/) with the page address and the link.