Hyperlinks allow you to connect text or images in a Microsoft Word document to other webpages, files, or locations within the same document. Learning how to properly create and edit hyperlinks can make your Word documents more useful and user-friendly.
In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn:
- How to insert a hyperlink in Word
- Tips for creating descriptive hyperlink text
- How to link to other webpages and files
- How to create links to other locations in the same Word doc
- Steps for editing existing hyperlinks
Follow along below to become a pro at working with hyperlinks in Word!
Step 1: Select the Text You Want to Hyperlink
The first step is to select the text or image you want to turn into a clickable hyperlink.
To do this:
- Highlight the text by clicking and dragging your mouse over it
- Or click once on an image to select it
You can select a single word, phrase, sentence, or entire paragraph to hyperlink.
Step 2: Open the Insert Hyperlink Dialog Box
With your text or image selected, there are two ways to open the Insert Hyperlink dialog box:
Option 1:
- Click on the “Insert” tab in the Word toolbar
- Click the “Link” button in the Links section
Option 2:
- Right-click on the selected text or image
- Select “Hyperlink” from the pop-up menu
Either method will open the dialog box to create your hyperlink.
Step 3: Choose Link Type
In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, you can choose what type of link to create. The options include:
- Existing File or Web Page: Links to a file on your computer or an external webpage
- Place in This Document: Creates a link to another spot within the same Word document
- E-mail Address: Lets you link to a pre-addressed email message
- Create New Document: Generates a link that opens a new, blank Word document
Select your desired link type. The steps below will vary slightly depending on your choice.
Step 4: Enter Target URL or Location
For links to webpages or files, you need to provide the destination URL or file location in the Address field:
- For webpages, enter the full URL – like “https://www.example.com”
- For files, click the folder icon to browse and select the file
If linking within the document, choose the heading or bookmark to jump to.
For email links, type the full email address, such as “[email protected]”.
Step 5: Set Display Text
In the Text to Display field, you can enter the clickable text you want to appear in the document.
For example, you may want the text to read “Contact Us” instead of showing the full email address.
Step 6: Format Link Appearance (Optional)
Use the ScreenTip button to add text that appears when hovering over the link.
And if desired, click the Formatting button to customize the link color, font style, underline style and more.
Step 7: Insert the Hyperlink
Once your target and display text are set, click OK to insert the link into your Word document.
The selected text or image now acts as the clickable hyperlink!
Step 8: Test the Hyperlink
Be sure to test your new hyperlink to make sure it goes to the correct destination and is working properly.
To test:
- Hover over it to see if the ScreenTip (if set) appears
- Ctrl + Click the link to open the target page or file
- Click the link to navigate and make sure it works as expected
Tips for Creating Descriptive Hyperlinks
When adding hyperlinks, writing clear link text is important for usability and accessibility. Follow these tips:
- Accurately describe what the link goes to, like “Contact Form” or “Product Catalog PDF”
- Don’t use generic text like “Click Here” or “Learn More”
- Keep link text concise but informative
- Distinguish links going to different destinations
- Place important keywords near the beginning of lengthy link text
- Use consistent link formatting throughout document
Taking a little extra time to craft descriptive hyperlink text makes documents much more user-friendly.
How to Edit an Existing Hyperlink
Need to change an already inserted hyperlink? Editing them is easy.
To edit a hyperlink:
- Right-click on the link text
- Select “Edit Hyperlink” from the pop-up menu
- Make changes to the address, display text or other fields
- Click OK to save changes
You can also remove a hyperlink entirely by right-clicking it and choosing “Remove Hyperlink”.
Recap of Hyperlink Steps
Let’s do a quick recap of the key steps covered in this guide:
- Select the text or image to hyperlink
- Open the Insert Hyperlink dialog box
- Choose link type (web page, document location, etc)
- Enter target URL or location
- Set the clickable display text
- Format link appearance (optional)
- Insert the hyperlink
- Test the hyperlink to make sure it works
And that’s it! By following these easy steps, you can now add clickable hyperlinks to your Word documents like a pro.
So open a document and give it a try now – happy linking!
