The basic way to create a hyperlink in email

Most email programs let you turn text into a clickable link in two steps: highlight the words you want to link, then paste the web address into a dialog box. The exact steps depend on whether you use Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, or another program, but the principle is the same — you are telling the email software to attach a destination address to those words.

The link appears as colored, underlined text in your email. When someone receives it, they can click that text and go straight to the website. The actual web address stays hidden behind the words unless the recipient hovers over the link or right-clicks it.

Key Takeaways

  • Highlight the text you want to turn into a link, then use the link button or keyboard shortcut to paste the web address.
  • Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail all have a link button in the compose toolbar — look for a chain-link icon.
  • The web address must start with http:// or https:// or the link will not work.
  • You can edit or remove a link later by right-clicking it and choosing the edit or remove option.
  • Some email programs automatically turn plain web addresses into clickable links without you doing anything.

Creating a link in Gmail

Open Gmail and start composing a new email. Type or paste the text you want to turn into a link — for example, "Visit our website" or "Click here for more information." Highlight that text by clicking and dragging across it, or triple-click to select the entire line.

Look at the toolbar below the compose box. You will see a chain-link icon (it looks like two links of a chain connected together). Click that icon. A small box will appear asking you to paste the web address. Copy and paste the full URL — for example, https://www.example.com — into that box, then click the checkmark or press Enter. The text is now a clickable link.

If you want to remove the link later, right-click the linked text and select "Remove link." If you want to change where it points, right-click it and select "Edit link," then paste the new address.

Creating a link in Outlook (desktop and web)

In Outlook on the web or Outlook desktop, open a new email and type the text you want to link. Highlight that text by clicking and dragging across it. On the toolbar, find the link icon — it looks like a chain link and is usually near the bold and italic buttons.

Click the link icon. A dialog box will open with a field labeled "Address" or "URL." Paste the full web address there, starting with https://. You can also add display text (the words that show in the email) in a separate field if you want it different from what you highlighted. Click "OK" or "Insert" to create the link.

To edit or remove a link in Outlook, right-click the linked text. You will see options to edit the link or remove it entirely. Click "Remove Link" to delete it, or "Edit Link" to change the destination address.

Creating a link in Apple Mail

In Apple Mail on Mac, compose a new email and type the text you want to turn into a link. Highlight that text. Go to the menu bar at the top of your screen and click Edit, then look for an option called "Add Link" or "Link." (In some versions of macOS, this may be under the Format menu instead.)

A dialog box will appear. Paste the web address into the field provided — make sure it starts with https:// or http://. Click "Add" or "OK." The text is now a clickable link in your email.

To change or remove a link, right-click the linked text and select "Edit Link" or "Remove Link" from the menu that appears.

What to do if the link button is not visible

If you do not see a link icon in your email toolbar, the toolbar may be collapsed or hidden. In Gmail, look for three dots (⋯) on the right side of the toolbar and click them to reveal more options. In Outlook, check whether you are in "Plain Text" mode — switch to "HTML" or "Rich Text" mode to access formatting tools. In Apple Mail, make sure you are composing in "Rich Text" format, not "Plain Text."

If you still cannot find the link button, you can use a keyboard shortcut instead. On Windows in most email programs, press Ctrl + K. On Mac, press Command + K. This opens the link dialog without needing to find the button.

Making sure your links work

The most common reason a link does not work is a missing or incorrect web address. Always copy the full URL from your browser's address bar, including https:// at the beginning. If you type the address by hand, a single typo will break the link.

Test the link before you send the email if possible. In most email programs, you can hold Ctrl (or Command on Mac) and click the link to open it in your browser. If it opens the right page, the link is working. If it shows an error, go back and edit the link to fix the address.

Some email programs automatically turn plain web addresses into clickable links. If you type https://www.example.com in your email and it turns blue and underlined on its own, that is the program doing this automatically. You do not need to do anything extra — the recipient will be able to click it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a link point to an email address instead of a website?

Yes. Instead of pasting a web address, type mailto: followed by the email address — for example, mailto:person@example.com. When someone clicks this link, their email program will open a new message addressed to that person. This works in Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail.

What if I want to hide the actual web address so people do not see it?

That is exactly what a hyperlink does. When you create a link, the text you highlighted is what shows in the email — the actual web address stays hidden. The recipient sees only the words you chose, like "Click here" or "Learn more," not the full URL. They can right-click to see where the link goes, but it is not visible at first glance.

Can I create a link to a file on my computer?

No — email links only work with web addresses (https:// or http://). If you want to send someone a file, attach it to the email instead of linking to it. If the file is stored in cloud storage like Google Drive or OneDrive, you can create a link to the shared file and paste that link into your email.

Why does my link not work after I send the email?

Check that the web address starts with https:// or http://. If you pasted just "example.com" without the https://, the link may not work. Also verify the address is spelled correctly — even one wrong letter will break the link. If the website itself is down or the page has moved, the link will show an error when clicked.

Can I change the color of a hyperlink?

Most email programs do not let you change link colors in individual emails — links appear in the default color (usually blue) that the recipient's email program uses. If you need a different look, you would need to use HTML editing, which is beyond the basic email compose tools. For most purposes, the standard blue link is what people expect and recognize.