PowerPoint: Hyperlinks
Hyperlinks Header

Introduction

Have you ever paused to consider how the modern Internet stays interconnected? The architecture of the web relies on hyperlinks (commonly referred to as links) to facilitate seamless navigation between pages. In a professional PowerPoint environment, you can leverage this same technology to make your slides more interactive. Whether you need to reference an external web address, provide a direct email contact, or jump between specific slides and files, links allow your audience to access relevant resources with a single click.

Optional: Enhance your understanding by downloading our practice presentation.

Watch the video below to explore the fundamental logic of inserting and managing links in your presentations.

About links

To use links effectively, one must distinguish between their two primary components: the address (the digital destination, such as a URL or email) and the display text (the clickable element, which can also be an image or shape). For instance, while the technical destination might be https://www.youtube.com, the display text could simply be YouTube. PowerPoint provides the flexibility to ensure your links are both functional and visually integrated into your slide design.

To insert a link:

Creating a digital portal within your text or imagery is a logical two-step process:

  1. Select the specific image or text segment you wish to transform into a link.
  2. Right-click the selection and select Link, or navigate to the Insert tab and click the Link command.
    3. Accessing the Link command via right-click
  3. The Insert Hyperlink dialog box will appear, serving as your control center for link configuration.
    4. The Insert Hyperlink dialog box
  4. If you have selected text, it will appear in the Text to display field. You may modify this to be more descriptive for your viewers.
  5. Input the full destination URL into the Address field.
  6. Click OK. Your selected element is now an active link.
    7. The finalized web link

To insert a link to an email address:

Links can also facilitate communication by launching a user's email client directly from a slide.

  1. Initiate the Link command as described previously.
  2. In the resulting dialog box, select Email Address from the left-hand navigation pane.
    3. Selecting the Email Address option
  3. Input the recipient's address in the Email Address field and click OK.
    4. Typing the target email address
Note: PowerPoint features proactive recognition; it will often identify web and email addresses as you type them, automatically formatting them as links upon pressing the spacebar or Enter key.

To open and test a link:

Verifying functionality is a professional necessity. To audit a link during the editing phase, right-click the link and select Open Link. This should trigger your default browser to navigate to the destination. If the page fails to load, verify the address for typographical errors.

Testing the link functionality
Presentation Tip: To trigger a link while in Slide Show mode, simply click the link once with your mouse or pointer.
Clicking a link during a slide show

To remove a link:

If a link becomes obsolete, you can revert the element to its original state. Right-click the link and select Remove Link from the menu.

Removing an active hyperlink

More links

Did you know that PowerPoint's linking capabilities extend far beyond the Internet? You can create a non-linear presentation by linking to internal slides or providing quick access to local files stored on your drive. Furthermore, almost any visual element can be transformed into a functional link.

Using shapes and pictures as links

Objects—such as shapes, text boxes, and images—can be formatted to act like buttons. This is an excellent way to build interactive menus or navigation bars. Simply right-click the desired object and follow the standard linking procedure.

Using a shape or picture as an interactive link

To insert a link to another slide:

This technique is essential for building "Choose Your Own Adventure" style presentations or centralized Table of Contents.

  1. Right-click the chosen text or object and select Link.
  2. Within the dialog box, select Place in this Document on the left.
    3. Linking to internal document locations
  3. A structured list of your slides will appear. Select the destination slide and click OK.
    4. Selecting the destination slide
Advanced Interaction: Turning a shape into a link is the foundation for creating Action Buttons. We explore this in detail in our subsequent lesson.

To insert a link to another file:

  1. Access the Link command and select Existing File or Webpage on the left.
  2. Use the navigation tools to browse your computer's directory for the target file.
    3. Browsing for local files to link
  3. Select the file and click OK.
    4. Finalizing the file link
Critical Presentation Note: Links to local files rely on specific "file paths." If you move your presentation to a different computer, these links will break unless the linked file is also moved to an identical relative location. Always test your file links on the actual presentation hardware beforehand.

Challenge!

Apply these navigation principles to our practice file to master the logic of hyperlinks:

  1. Open our practice presentation.
  2. On slide 2, select the Accomplishments shape and create an internal link to slide 5.
  3. Navigate to slide 11, select the text Tax forms, and create an external link to: http://irs.gov.
  4. On slide 12, locate the text USA.gov Retirement Resources and remove its existing link.
  5. Once finished, enter Slide Show mode to verify the accuracy of your new interactive elements.
Next Lesson: Action Buttons →

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