The fastest way to add a hyperlink

To create a hyperlink in Word, select the text you want to turn into a link, then press Ctrl+K (Windows) or Command+K (Mac). A dialog box opens. Paste or type the web address in the "Address" field and click OK. The text now appears underlined and in blue, and clicking it will open that web address.

If you want to link to a file on your computer instead of a website, click "Browse" in the dialog box and navigate to the file. Word will create a link that opens that document when clicked.

You can also right-click on selected text and choose "Link" from the menu, which opens the same dialog. The keyboard shortcut is faster once you get used to it.

Key Takeaways

  • Select text, press Ctrl+K (or Command+K on Mac), paste the web address, and click OK to create a hyperlink in seconds.
  • The "Browse" button in the hyperlink dialog lets you link to files stored on your computer instead of websites.
  • You can change the text that appears on screen without changing the actual link by editing the text before creating the hyperlink.
  • Right-click on a hyperlink and select "Remove Link" to delete it without deleting the text itself.

Linking to different types of destinations

Word hyperlinks can point to more than just websites. When you open the hyperlink dialog (Ctrl+K), you see options on the left side: "Existing File or Web Page," "Place in This Document," "Create New Document," and "E-mail Address."

To link to a heading or bookmark within the same document, choose "Place in This Document" and select the heading from the list. This is useful in longer documents where you want readers to jump to a specific section. To link to an email address, choose "E-mail Address," type the address, and optionally add a subject line that will appear in the reader's email draft.

If you want to create a link to a document that doesn't exist yet, choose "Create New Document." Word will create the new file and link to it immediately, saving you a step.

Editing and removing hyperlinks

To change where a hyperlink points, right-click on it and select "Edit Link." The hyperlink dialog opens again. You can change the address without touching the visible text. If you want to change the text itself, click away from the link first, then select just the text and edit it normally — the link will stay attached.

To remove a hyperlink but keep the text, right-click and choose "Remove Link." The text stays in your document, no longer clickable. If you want to delete both the link and the text, just select and delete as you would any text.

You can also hold Ctrl and click a hyperlink to follow it while editing. Without Ctrl, a regular click selects the link so you can edit it.

Making hyperlinks visible and managing them

By default, hyperlinks appear underlined and blue. If you want to change how they look, select a hyperlink, then go to the Home tab and use the font color and underline buttons to change its appearance. You can also change the style for all hyperlinks at once by modifying the "Hyperlink" style in the Styles panel.

If you have many hyperlinks in your document and want to see them all at once, press Ctrl+A to select all text, then right-click and choose "Edit Links." This shows every hyperlink in the document and lets you update or remove them in bulk. This is especially useful if you've moved files or changed website addresses.

When you share a Word document with others, hyperlinks remain active. Readers can click them to open websites or files, as long as the files are still in the location you linked to.

Hyperlinks in different Word formats

Hyperlinks work the same way in .docx files (the standard Word format) and .doc files (older Word format). However, if you save your document as a PDF, hyperlinks remain clickable. If you save as plain text (.txt), hyperlinks are removed entirely because plain text cannot store formatting.

When you convert a Word document to Google Docs, hyperlinks transfer over and continue to work. If you're sharing a document online and want to make sure hyperlinks stay active, .docx or PDF are your best options.

Troubleshooting common hyperlink problems

If Ctrl+K doesn't open the hyperlink dialog, check that you have text selected. The keyboard shortcut only works when text is highlighted. If it still doesn't work, try using the menu instead: go to Insert > Link.

If a hyperlink isn't working when you click it, the destination may have moved or been deleted. Right-click the link and select "Edit Link" to check the address. For links to files on your computer, make sure the file is still in the same location — if you moved the file, the link will break.

If hyperlinks are not showing as underlined or colored, they may be hidden by your document's style settings. Go to Home > Styles and look for the "Hyperlink" style. Right-click it and choose "Modify" to change how hyperlinks appear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a hyperlink out of an image instead of text?

Yes. Right-click the image and choose "Link," or select the image and press Ctrl+K. The hyperlink dialog opens the same way. The image becomes clickable and will open the linked address when clicked.

What's the difference between a relative link and an absolute link?

An absolute link includes the full web address (like https://www.example.com). A relative link points to a file based on its location relative to your document (like ../folder/file.docx). Word uses absolute links for websites and relative links for files on your computer by default.

How do I create a hyperlink that opens an email with a pre-filled subject line?

Press Ctrl+K, choose "E-mail Address," type the email address, then click "Subject" and type the subject line you want to appear. When someone clicks the link, their email program opens with that subject already filled in.

Can I see all the hyperlinks in my document at once?

Yes. Select all text with Ctrl+A, then right-click and choose "Edit Links." This shows every hyperlink in your document. You can update multiple links at once or remove them in bulk from this view.

Do hyperlinks work if I email the Word document to someone?

Yes, as long as you send the document as a .docx or .doc file. The hyperlinks remain active and clickable. If you copy and paste the document content into an email body, hyperlinks may not transfer — send the document as an attachment instead.