The fastest way to add a hyperlink in Word

To add a hyperlink in Word, select the text you want to link, then press Ctrl+K (Windows) or Command+K (Mac). A dialog box opens where you paste the web address. Click OK, and the text turns blue and underlined — that's your link.

If you want to link text to a specific page on your own document instead of a website, the same keyboard shortcut works. The dialog box has a tab for "Place in This Document" where you can pick a heading or bookmark you've already created.

You can also right-click selected text and choose "Link" from the menu, though the keyboard shortcut is faster once you remember it.

Key Takeaways

  • Select your text first, then press Ctrl+K (Windows) or Command+K (Mac) to open the hyperlink dialog.
  • Paste the full web address into the "Address" field — Word usually adds http:// automatically if you don't type it.
  • You can link to pages within your own document by using the "Place in This Document" tab instead of typing a web address.
  • Right-click any hyperlink and choose "Remove Link" to delete it without deleting the text itself.
  • In Word Online, the hyperlink button sits in the Insert tab of the ribbon, or you can use Ctrl+K there too.

Pasting the web address correctly

When the hyperlink dialog opens, you'll see a field labeled "Address." Paste the complete web address there — for example, https://www.example.com or https://www.example.com/page-name. Word accepts addresses with or without the "https://" at the start, but including it prevents confusion.

If you want the link to look different from the actual address — for instance, you want the text to say "click here" but link to a long URL — that's fine. The text you selected before pressing Ctrl+K stays as-is. Only the address in the dialog matters for where the link goes.

You can also add a tooltip that appears when someone hovers their mouse over the link. In the dialog, look for a "ScreenTip" button or field. Type a short phrase like "Opens our pricing page" and click OK. This is useful in documents you share with others.

Linking to other parts of your document

Word lets you create links that jump to headings or bookmarks elsewhere in the same document. This is especially useful in long documents where you want a table of contents that actually works, or when you want to reference a section without repeating its content.

To link to a heading: select your text, press Ctrl+K, then click the "Place in This Document" tab (or the bookmark icon, depending on your Word version). A list of all your document's headings appears. Click the one you want to link to, then OK. The link now jumps there when clicked.

To link to a bookmark you've created yourself: first, select the text you want to bookmark, go to the Insert tab, find "Bookmark," and give it a name (no spaces allowed). Then create your link the same way — Ctrl+K, "Place in This Document," and select that bookmark from the list.

Editing and removing hyperlinks

To change where a link points, right-click it and select "Edit Link." The dialog opens again with the current address shown. Change the address, click OK, and you're done. The text itself doesn't change — only where it links to.

To remove a link but keep the text, right-click the link and choose "Remove Link." The text stays in your document, but it's no longer blue or clickable. This is different from deleting the text entirely.

If you want to change the text that appears but keep the link working, right-click the link, choose "Edit Link," then click "Display Text" (or similar, depending on your version). Type the new text and click OK.

Hyperlinks in Word Online versus desktop Word

Word Online works the same way for basic hyperlinks: select text, press Ctrl+K, paste the address, click OK. The keyboard shortcut is identical on Windows and Mac.

The main difference is that Word Online's dialog is simpler — you won't see as many options for tooltips or advanced settings. If you need those features, you can open the document in desktop Word, add the hyperlink with all the options you want, and the link will work the same way when you view it in Word Online later.

Word Online also doesn't let you create links to bookmarks within the document the same way desktop Word does. If you need that feature, create the bookmarks and links in desktop Word first.

Preventing accidental hyperlinks

Word automatically turns some text into hyperlinks without you asking. If you type a web address like www.example.com or an email address like name@example.com, Word often converts it to a blue hyperlink automatically. If you don't want this, press Ctrl+Z when ready after typing to undo it.

You can also turn off automatic hyperlinking entirely. Go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options, then click the "AutoFormat As You Type" tab. Uncheck "Internet and network paths with hyperlinks" and click OK. Now Word won't create links automatically, though you can still add them manually with Ctrl+K.

If you've already created automatic links and want to remove them all at once, select all text (Ctrl+A), then right-click and choose "Remove Link." This removes every hyperlink in the document in one step.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a hyperlink open in a new tab or window?

Word itself doesn't have a setting for this — that depends on how the person reading the document opens the link. In desktop Word, they can right-click the link and choose "Open Link in New Window." In Word Online, Ctrl+clicking or middle-clicking the link usually opens it in a new tab, just like any web link.

What if the hyperlink dialog doesn't open when I press Ctrl+K?

Make sure you've selected the text you want to link first. If nothing is selected, Ctrl+K may not do anything. Also check that you're not in a text box or shape — hyperlinks work differently there. If you're in Word Online and Ctrl+K doesn't work, try clicking the Insert tab and looking for a Link button instead.

Can I link to a file on my computer instead of a website?

Yes. Press Ctrl+K, then instead of pasting a web address, click "Browse" or "Current Folder" (depending on your version) and navigate to the file. Word creates a link that opens that file when clicked. Be aware that if you move or rename the file later, the link breaks.

How do I change the color of a hyperlink?

Hyperlink color is controlled by your document's theme or style. Go to Design (or Design tab in older versions), choose a different color scheme, and all hyperlinks update automatically. If you want to change just one link's color, you can select it and manually change the font color, but this breaks the visual consistency of your document.

Can I add a hyperlink to an image or shape?

Yes. Right-click the image or shape and choose "Link" or "Add Link." The same dialog opens. Paste the address and click OK. Now clicking that image or shape opens the link, though there's no visual indicator like blue text — readers won't know it's clickable unless you tell them.