By default, what occurs when a user clicks a hyperlink in a browser?

When a user clicks a hyperlink in a browser, the default behavior is to navigate to the link's specified destination. This means that the browser will load the content from the URL associated with the hyperlink, replacing the current page with the new one.

In the context of web navigation, this is foundational because hyperlinks are designed to connect different resources on the web. When users expect to click a link, they typically anticipate being taken directly to that page or content. This action helps facilitate the seamless browsing experience that users have come to expect from web technology.

The other options involve behaviors that may occur under specific circumstances (like opening a new tab) but don't represent the default action for hyperlinks. For instance, opening in a new tab can happen if the link is marked as such or if the user holds down specific keys while clicking; refreshing the page occurs if the same link is clicked multiple times or if the page has been set to reload, while prompting to save the link is not a standard operation for hyperlinks.