diff --git a/.changeset/strong-crews-repeat.md b/.changeset/strong-crews-repeat.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1e772ae036
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/strong-crews-repeat.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-shortcuts': patch
+---
+
+Allow external links to be added as shortcuts
diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/Root/Root.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/Root/Root.tsx
index 8cec54326a..8b71637773 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/Root/Root.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/Root/Root.tsx
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ export const Root = ({ children }: PropsWithChildren<{}>) => (
           <SidebarItem icon={Score} to="score-board" text="Score board" />
         </SidebarScrollWrapper>
         <SidebarDivider />
-        <Shortcuts />
+        <Shortcuts allowExternalLinks />
       </SidebarGroup>
       <SidebarSpace />
       <SidebarDivider />
diff --git a/plugins/shortcuts/README.md b/plugins/shortcuts/README.md
index cd79901656..46b878a579 100644
--- a/plugins/shortcuts/README.md
+++ b/plugins/shortcuts/README.md
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ export const SidebarComponent = () => (
 );
 ```
 
+To allow external links to be added as shortcut, you can add `allowExternalLinks` property to the `<Shortcuts />` component.
+
 The plugin exports a `shortcutApiRef` but the plugin includes a default implementation of the `ShortcutApi` that uses `localStorage` to store each user's shortcuts.
 
 To overwrite the default implementation add it to the App's `apis.ts`:
diff --git a/plugins/shortcuts/api-report.md b/plugins/shortcuts/api-report.md
index 19c0035a55..0dd42f5344 100644
--- a/plugins/shortcuts/api-report.md
+++ b/plugins/shortcuts/api-report.md
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ export const shortcutsPlugin: BackstagePlugin<{}, {}, {}>;
 
 // @public
 export interface ShortcutsProps {
+  // (undocumented)
+  allowExternalLinks?: boolean;
   // (undocumented)
   icon?: IconComponent;
 }
diff --git a/plugins/shortcuts/src/AddShortcut.tsx b/plugins/shortcuts/src/AddShortcut.tsx
index e4b1ba84ce..1e14767531 100644
--- a/plugins/shortcuts/src/AddShortcut.tsx
+++ b/plugins/shortcuts/src/AddShortcut.tsx
@@ -45,9 +45,16 @@ type Props = {
   onClose: () => void;
   anchorEl?: Element;
   api: ShortcutApi;
+
+  allowExternalLinks?: boolean;
 };
 
-export const AddShortcut = ({ onClose, anchorEl, api }: Props) => {
+export const AddShortcut = ({
+  onClose,
+  anchorEl,
+  api,
+  allowExternalLinks,
+}: Props) => {
   const classes = useStyles();
   const alertApi = useApi(alertApiRef);
   const { pathname } = useLocation();
@@ -114,6 +121,7 @@ export const AddShortcut = ({ onClose, anchorEl, api }: Props) => {
           onClose={handleClose}
           onSave={handleSave}
           formValues={formValues}
+          allowExternalLinks={allowExternalLinks}
         />
       </Card>
     </Popover>
diff --git a/plugins/shortcuts/src/EditShortcut.tsx b/plugins/shortcuts/src/EditShortcut.tsx
index 702275e90e..5336841633 100644
--- a/plugins/shortcuts/src/EditShortcut.tsx
+++ b/plugins/shortcuts/src/EditShortcut.tsx
@@ -46,9 +46,16 @@ type Props = {
   onClose: () => void;
   anchorEl?: Element;
   api: ShortcutApi;
+  allowExternalLinks?: boolean;
 };
 
-export const EditShortcut = ({ shortcut, onClose, anchorEl, api }: Props) => {
+export const EditShortcut = ({
+  shortcut,
+  onClose,
+  anchorEl,
+  api,
+  allowExternalLinks,
+}: Props) => {
   const classes = useStyles();
   const alertApi = useApi(alertApiRef);
   const open = Boolean(anchorEl);
@@ -127,6 +134,7 @@ export const EditShortcut = ({ shortcut, onClose, anchorEl, api }: Props) => {
           formValues={{ url: shortcut.url, title: shortcut.title }}
           onClose={handleClose}
           onSave={handleSave}
+          allowExternalLinks={allowExternalLinks}
         />
       </Card>
     </Popover>
diff --git a/plugins/shortcuts/src/ShortcutForm.test.tsx b/plugins/shortcuts/src/ShortcutForm.test.tsx
index 2582148fc7..3a52356b5d 100644
--- a/plugins/shortcuts/src/ShortcutForm.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/shortcuts/src/ShortcutForm.test.tsx
@@ -43,6 +43,50 @@ describe('ShortcutForm', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('allows external links', async () => {
+    await renderInTestApp(<ShortcutForm allowExternalLinks {...props} />);
+
+    const urlInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Enter a URL');
+    const titleInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Enter a display name');
+    fireEvent.change(urlInput, {
+      target: { value: 'https://www.backstage.io' },
+    });
+    fireEvent.change(titleInput, { target: { value: 'Backstage' } });
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Save'));
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(props.onSave).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          title: 'Backstage',
+          url: 'https://www.backstage.io',
+        }),
+        expect.anything(),
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('allows relative links when external links are enabled', async () => {
+    await renderInTestApp(<ShortcutForm allowExternalLinks {...props} />);
+
+    const urlInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Enter a URL');
+    const titleInput = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Enter a display name');
+    fireEvent.change(urlInput, {
+      target: { value: '/catalog' },
+    });
+    fireEvent.change(titleInput, { target: { value: 'Catalog' } });
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Save'));
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(props.onSave).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          title: 'Catalog',
+          url: '/catalog',
+        }),
+        expect.anything(),
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
   it('calls the save handler', async () => {
     await renderInTestApp(
       <ShortcutForm
diff --git a/plugins/shortcuts/src/ShortcutForm.tsx b/plugins/shortcuts/src/ShortcutForm.tsx
index 493ce90275..99aa0d29b7 100644
--- a/plugins/shortcuts/src/ShortcutForm.tsx
+++ b/plugins/shortcuts/src/ShortcutForm.tsx
@@ -40,11 +40,16 @@ type Props = {
   formValues?: FormValues;
   onSave: SubmitHandler<FormValues>;
   onClose: () => void;
+  allowExternalLinks?: boolean;
 };
 
-export const ShortcutForm = ({ formValues, onSave, onClose }: Props) => {
+export const ShortcutForm = ({
+  formValues,
+  onSave,
+  onClose,
+  allowExternalLinks,
+}: Props) => {
   const classes = useStyles();
-
   const {
     handleSubmit,
     reset,
@@ -70,10 +75,19 @@ export const ShortcutForm = ({ formValues, onSave, onClose }: Props) => {
           control={control}
           rules={{
             required: true,
-            pattern: {
-              value: /^\//,
-              message: 'Must be a relative URL (starts with a /)',
-            },
+            ...(allowExternalLinks
+              ? {
+                  pattern: {
+                    value: /^(https?:\/\/)|\//,
+                    message: 'Must start with http(s):// or /',
+                  },
+                }
+              : {
+                  pattern: {
+                    value: /^\//,
+                    message: 'Must be a relative URL (starts with a /)',
+                  },
+                }),
           }}
           render={({ field }) => (
             <TextField
diff --git a/plugins/shortcuts/src/ShortcutItem.tsx b/plugins/shortcuts/src/ShortcutItem.tsx
index 1d4e6a20ae..d193b5941a 100644
--- a/plugins/shortcuts/src/ShortcutItem.tsx
+++ b/plugins/shortcuts/src/ShortcutItem.tsx
@@ -58,9 +58,10 @@ const getIconText = (title: string) =>
 type Props = {
   shortcut: Shortcut;
   api: ShortcutApi;
+  allowExternalLinks?: boolean;
 };
 
-export const ShortcutItem = ({ shortcut, api }: Props) => {
+export const ShortcutItem = ({ shortcut, api, allowExternalLinks }: Props) => {
   const classes = useStyles();
   const [anchorEl, setAnchorEl] = React.useState<Element | undefined>();
 
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ export const ShortcutItem = ({ shortcut, api }: Props) => {
         anchorEl={anchorEl}
         api={api}
         shortcut={shortcut}
+        allowExternalLinks={allowExternalLinks}
       />
     </>
   );
diff --git a/plugins/shortcuts/src/Shortcuts.tsx b/plugins/shortcuts/src/Shortcuts.tsx
index 28aa33e8f2..6b9ea4d79b 100644
--- a/plugins/shortcuts/src/Shortcuts.tsx
+++ b/plugins/shortcuts/src/Shortcuts.tsx
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import { IconComponent, useApi } from '@backstage/core-plugin-api';
  */
 export interface ShortcutsProps {
   icon?: IconComponent;
+  allowExternalLinks?: boolean;
 }
 
 export const Shortcuts = (props: ShortcutsProps) => {
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ export const Shortcuts = (props: ShortcutsProps) => {
         onClose={handleClose}
         anchorEl={anchorEl}
         api={shortcutApi}
+        allowExternalLinks={props.allowExternalLinks}
       />
       {loading ? (
         <Progress />
@@ -71,6 +73,7 @@ export const Shortcuts = (props: ShortcutsProps) => {
             key={shortcut.id}
             shortcut={shortcut}
             api={shortcutApi}
+            allowExternalLinks={props.allowExternalLinks}
           />
         ))
       )}