jungmyunggi · Jul 21, 2026 · Sep 28, 2026
diff --git a/docs/docs/config.mdx b/docs/docs/config.mdx
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ wsh editconfig
 | editor:inlinediff                    | bool     | set to true to show diffs inline instead of side-by-side, false for side-by-side (defaults to undefined which uses Monaco's responsive behavior)                                                                                                              |
 | preview:showhiddenfiles              | bool     | set to false to disable showing hidden files in the directory preview (defaults to true)                                                                                                                                                                      |
 | preview:defaultsort <VersionBadge version="v0.14.2" />                 | string   | sets the default sort column for directory preview. `"name"` (default) sorts alphabetically by name ascending; `"modtime"` sorts by last modified time descending (newest first)                                                                               |
+| preview:openfileinnewblock <VersionBadge version="v0.15" />            | bool     | set to true to open files in a new preview block when double-clicking or pressing Enter in the directory preview, instead of replacing the current block (defaults to false; directories still navigate in place)                                              |
 | markdown:fontsize                    | float64  | font size for the normal text when rendering markdown in preview. headers are scaled up from this size, (default 14px)                                                                                                                                        |
 | markdown:fixedfontsize               | float64  | font size for the code blocks when rendering markdown in preview (default is 12px)                                                                                                                                                                            |
 | web:openlinksinternally              | bool     | set to false to open web links in external browser                                                                                                                                                                                                            |

diff --git a/frontend/app/view/preview/preview-directory.tsx b/frontend/app/view/preview/preview-directory.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 import { ContextMenuModel } from "@/app/store/contextmenu";
+import { createBlock } from "@/app/store/global";
 import { globalStore } from "@/app/store/jotaiStore";
 import { TabRpcClient } from "@/app/store/wshrpcutil";
 import { useWaveEnv } from "@/app/waveenv/waveenv";
@@ -501,6 +502,7 @@ type TableRowProps = {
 function TableRow({ model, row, focusIndex, setFocusIndex, setSearch, idx, handleFileContextMenu }: TableRowProps) {
     const dirPath = useAtomValue(model.statFilePath);
     const connection = useAtomValue(model.connection);
+    const openFileInNewBlock = useAtomValue(model.env.getSettingsKeyAtom("preview:openfileinnewblock")) ?? false;
 
     const dragItem: DraggedFile = {
         relName: row.getValue("name") as string,
@@ -530,7 +532,15 @@ function TableRow({ model, row, focusIndex, setFocusIndex, setSearch, idx, handl
             data-rowindex={idx}
             onDoubleClick={() => {
                 const newFileName = row.getValue("path") as string;
-                model.goHistory(newFileName);
+                if (openFileInNewBlock && !row.original.isdir) {
+                    fireAndForget(() =>
+                        createBlock({
+                            meta: { view: "preview", file: newFileName, connection },
+                        })
+                    );
+                } else {
+                    model.goHistory(newFileName);
+                }
                 setSearch("");
                 globalStore.set(model.directorySearchActive, false);
             }}
@@ -569,6 +579,7 @@ function DirectoryPreview({ model }: DirectoryPreviewProps) {
     const [selectedPath, setSelectedPath] = useState("");
     const [refreshVersion, setRefreshVersion] = useAtom(model.refreshVersion);
     const conn = useAtomValue(model.connection);
+    const openFileInNewBlock = useAtomValue(env.getSettingsKeyAtom("preview:openfileinnewblock")) ?? false;
     const blockData = useAtomValue(model.blockAtom);
     const finfo = useAtomValue(model.statFile);
     const dirPath = finfo?.path;
@@ -662,7 +673,16 @@ function DirectoryPreview({ model }: DirectoryPreviewProps) {
                 if (filteredData.length == 0) {
                     return;
                 }
-                model.goHistory(selectedPath);
+                const selectedFinfo = filteredData.find((f) => f.path == selectedPath);
+                if (openFileInNewBlock && selectedFinfo != null && !selectedFinfo.isdir) {
+                    fireAndForget(() =>
+                        createBlock({
+                            meta: { view: "preview", file: selectedFinfo.path, connection: conn },
+                        })
+                    );
+                } else {
+                    model.goHistory(selectedPath);
+                }
                 setSearchText("");
                 globalStore.set(model.directorySearchActive, false);
                 return true;
@@ -692,7 +712,7 @@ function DirectoryPreview({ model }: DirectoryPreviewProps) {
         return () => {
             model.directoryKeyDownHandler = null;
         };
-    }, [filteredData, selectedPath, searchText]);
+    }, [filteredData, selectedPath, searchText, conn, openFileInNewBlock]);
 
     useEffect(() => {
         if (filteredData.length != 0 && focusIndex > filteredData.length - 1) {

diff --git a/frontend/app/view/preview/previewenv.ts b/frontend/app/view/preview/previewenv.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ export type PreviewEnv = WaveEnvSubset<{
         object: WaveEnv["services"]["object"];
     };
     wos: WaveEnv["wos"];
-    getSettingsKeyAtom: SettingsKeyAtomFnType<"preview:showhiddenfiles" | "editor:fontsize" | "preview:defaultsort">;
+    getSettingsKeyAtom: SettingsKeyAtomFnType<
+        "preview:showhiddenfiles" | "editor:fontsize" | "preview:defaultsort" | "preview:openfileinnewblock"
+    >;
     getConnStatusAtom: WaveEnv["getConnStatusAtom"];
 }>;
diff --git a/frontend/types/gotypes.d.ts b/frontend/types/gotypes.d.ts
@@ -1444,6 +1444,7 @@ declare global {
         "markdown:fixedfontsize"?: number;
         "preview:showhiddenfiles"?: boolean;
         "preview:defaultsort"?: string;
+        "preview:openfileinnewblock"?: boolean;
         "tab:preset"?: string;
         "tab:confirmclose"?: boolean;
         "tab:background"?: string;
@@ -1589,6 +1590,7 @@ declare global {
         "debug:panictype"?: string;
         "block:view"?: string;
         "block:controller"?: string;
+        "block:subblock"?: boolean;
         "ai:backendtype"?: string;
         "ai:local"?: boolean;
         "wsh:cmd"?: string;

diff --git a/pkg/wconfig/metaconsts.go b/pkg/wconfig/metaconsts.go
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ const (
 
 	ConfigKey_PreviewShowHiddenFiles         = "preview:showhiddenfiles"
 	ConfigKey_PreviewDefaultSort             = "preview:defaultsort"
+	ConfigKey_PreviewOpenFileInNewBlock      = "preview:openfileinnewblock"
 
 	ConfigKey_TabPreset                      = "tab:preset"
 	ConfigKey_TabConfirmClose                = "tab:confirmclose"

diff --git a/pkg/wconfig/settingsconfig.go b/pkg/wconfig/settingsconfig.go
@@ -133,8 +133,9 @@ type SettingsType struct {
 	MarkdownFontSize      float64 `json:"markdown:fontsize,omitempty"`
 	MarkdownFixedFontSize float64 `json:"markdown:fixedfontsize,omitempty"`
 
-	PreviewShowHiddenFiles *bool  `json:"preview:showhiddenfiles,omitempty"`
-	PreviewDefaultSort     string `json:"preview:defaultsort,omitempty" jsonschema:"enum=name,enum=modtime"`
+	PreviewShowHiddenFiles    *bool  `json:"preview:showhiddenfiles,omitempty"`
+	PreviewDefaultSort        string `json:"preview:defaultsort,omitempty" jsonschema:"enum=name,enum=modtime"`
+	PreviewOpenFileInNewBlock bool   `json:"preview:openfileinnewblock,omitempty"`
 
 	TabPreset       string `json:"tab:preset,omitempty"`
 	TabConfirmClose bool   `json:"tab:confirmclose,omitempty"`

diff --git a/schema/settings.json b/schema/settings.json
@@ -232,6 +232,9 @@
             "modtime"
           ]
         },
+        "preview:openfileinnewblock": {
+          "type": "boolean"
+        },
         "tab:preset": {
           "type": "string"
         },