To add a hyperlink in Word, select the words or picture you want readers to click, choose Insert > Link, enter the destination, and select OK. These steps work in desktop Word on Windows and Mac. Word for the web uses the same Insert > Link starting point but labels the address field Enter Link.
For example, if a report says “Read the project instructions,” select project instructions and link those words to the instruction page. The reader sees a useful phrase instead of a long web address.
Add a website link in desktop Word
Open the document and have the website address ready. You can link existing words, or select a picture if the image itself should open the destination.
- Select the text or picture. Highlight only the words that describe the destination. If you have not typed the words yet, place the cursor where the link should go.
- Open the link dialog. Choose Insert > Link on the ribbon. Right-clicking the selection and choosing Link also works. On Windows, Ctrl+K opens the dialog; on Mac, use Command+K.
- Set the destination. Choose Existing File or Web Page if the Address box is missing. Paste the full web address into Address. Check Text to display so the visible wording identifies where the reader will go.
- Finish and test. Select OK, save the document, and follow the link to check it. In desktop Word, you may need to hold Ctrl while clicking; a normal click can simply place the cursor in the text.
Word also makes many typed web addresses clickable when you press Space or Enter. Use the link dialog when a descriptive phrase is clearer than showing the entire URL.
Link to an email address, file, or place in the document
Start by selecting the text or picture and opening Insert > Link. Then choose the destination that matches what the reader should do:
- Start an email: Choose E-mail Address and enter the recipient. You can add a subject, but the recipient’s email program may handle it differently. Following the link opens a draft message; it does not send the email.
- Open another file: Choose Existing File or Web Page, then browse to the file. Test the link on a recipient’s computer or in a shared location before sending the document. A path to a file stored only on your computer may fail for someone else.
- Jump within this document: Choose Place in This Document and select a heading or bookmark. A heading or bookmark is more dependable than trying to link to a page number, which can move as the document changes. Our same-document linking guide walks through both destinations.
Add a hyperlink in Word for the web
- Select the words to link. You can also place the cursor and enter new display text in the link dialog.
- Choose Insert > Link. The dialog shows Display text and Enter Link for a website address.
- Enter and insert the link. Paste the address, confirm the display text, and choose Insert. Select the new link to test it.
To start an email from Word for the web, put mailto: followed by the address in Enter Link. For a jump to an existing heading or bookmark, choose Headings and Bookmarks on the right side of the link dialog and select the destination.
Add a ScreenTip or open links with a single click
A ScreenTip is the short note that appears when someone hovers over a link. It helps when the linked words don’t fully explain the destination. In Word for Windows:
- Select the link text and press Ctrl+K.
- Select ScreenTip in the upper-right corner of the dialog.
- Type the note and select OK twice.
If you would rather open links with a plain click instead of Ctrl+click, change the setting in Word for Windows:
- Select File > Options > Advanced.
- Under Editing options, clear Use CTRL + Click to follow hyperlink.
- Select OK.
With this setting off, clicking a link opens it right away, so you’ll need to use the arrow keys or right-click to edit linked text.
Fix a link that goes to the wrong place
Right-click the linked text and choose Edit Hyperlink in desktop Word, or Edit Link in Word for the web. Check both the displayed words and the destination address. If a website link fails, look for an incomplete or mistyped URL. If a file link fails for someone else, check that the file is in a location they can access. Test the link again after editing.
To leave the words in place without a clickable destination, choose Remove Hyperlink. Our remove hyperlinks guide also explains how to handle several links at once. If your goal is to edit a same-document jump, use the separate heading and bookmark guide.
Sources: Microsoft Support: Create or edit a hyperlink; Microsoft Support: Links in Word for the web.
If the link works but its wording isn’t right, you can rename a link in Word by changing its display text.
Matt has been writing about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products since the days of Windows XP. He spends much of his time writing for sites like WindowBrain.com