Introduction
Adding hyperlinks, also known as links, to text can provide access to websites and email addresses directly from your document. There are a few ways to insert a hyperlink into your document. Depending on how you want the link to appear, you can use Word's automatic link formatting or convert text into a link.
Optional: Download our practice document.
Watch the video below to learn more about hyperlinks in Word.
Understanding hyperlinks in Word
Hyperlinks have two basic parts: the address (URL) of the webpage and the display text. For example, the address could be http://www.popsci.com, and the display text could be Popular Science Magazine.
Word often recognizes email and web addresses as you type and will automatically format them as hyperlinks after you press Enter or the spacebar.
To format text with a hyperlink:
- Select the text you want to format as a hyperlink.
- Select the Insert tab, then click the Link command.
- Note: You can also right-click the selected text and select Link... from the menu.
- The Insert Hyperlink dialog box will appear. You can choose to link to a file, webpage, email, or a place in the current document.
- The selected text will appear in the Text to display: field. You can change this if necessary.
- In the Address: field, type the address you want to link to, then click OK.
Editing and removing hyperlinks
Once you've inserted a hyperlink, you can right-click the hyperlink to edit, open, copy, or remove it.
Once you've inserted a hyperlink, you can right-click it to edit, open, copy, or remove it.
To remove a hyperlink:
Right-click the hyperlink and select Remove Hyperlink from the menu that appears.
Challenge!
- Open our practice document.
- Scroll to page 4.
- In the first bullet point under Community Reminders, format the word website as a hyperlink to http://www.epa.gov/recycle.
- Test your hyperlink to make sure it works.
- In the second bullet point, remove the hyperlink from the words Parks and Recreation.
- When you're finished, your page should look something like this:
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I edit the display text of an existing link?
Right-click the link, select Edit Hyperlink, and change the text in the Text to display field at the top of the dialog box.
Can I link to another part of the same document?
Yes. In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, select Place in This Document on the left side to link to specific headings or bookmarks.
Why doesn't my link work when I click it?
In Word, you must hold the Ctrl key while clicking a link to open it. Also, double-check that the URL address is spelled correctly.
