The basic steps to add a link in Word

To create a hyperlink in Word, select the text you want to turn into a link, then use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+K (Windows) or Command+K (Mac). A dialog box will open. Paste or type the web address you want to link to, then click OK. The text will turn blue and underlined, showing it is now a clickable link.

If you prefer using the menu instead of the keyboard shortcut, you can go to the Insert tab at the top of Word, click the Hyperlink button, and follow the same steps. Both methods do the same thing — the keyboard shortcut is just faster once you remember it.

You can link to websites, email addresses, or other documents on your computer. The process is the same for all three: select your text, open the hyperlink dialog, and enter the destination.

Key Takeaways

  • Select the text you want to link, press Ctrl+K (or Command+K on Mac), type the web address, and click OK.
  • The text will turn blue and underlined once the link is created, and readers can click it to follow the link.
  • You can link to websites, email addresses, or files on your computer using the same method.
  • To remove a link, right-click it and select Remove Hyperlink, or select the text and press Ctrl+Shift+F9.
  • Word stores links as part of the document, so the link stays with the file if you move or share it.

Linking to websites and web pages

When you want to link to a website, you need the full web address — starting with http:// or https://. If you copy a link from your browser's address bar, it will already have this. Paste it into the hyperlink dialog box, and Word will create the link.

The text you select before opening the hyperlink dialog becomes the clickable part. For example, if you select the words "housing resources" and link them to a website, readers will see "housing resources" in blue and underlined, and clicking it will take them to that website. The actual web address stays hidden behind the text.

If you want the web address itself to be visible and clickable, you can select the address and link it to itself. This is useful when you want readers to see exactly where the link goes.

Creating email links

To create a link that opens an email, select your text and open the hyperlink dialog with Ctrl+K. Instead of typing a web address, type mailto: followed by the email address — for example, mailto:contact@example.com. When someone clicks this link, their default email program will open with a new message addressed to that email.

Email links are useful in documents you share with others, but be aware that including an email address as a clickable link makes it visible to anyone who reads the document. If you are concerned about spam or privacy, consider using a contact form on a website instead.

Linking to other files and documents

You can create a link to another file on your computer or network. Select your text, open the hyperlink dialog, and instead of typing a web address, click the button that says Browse or This Document (the exact label depends on your version of Word). Navigate to the file you want to link to and select it. Word will create a link that opens that file when clicked.

If you move the linked file to a different folder or delete it, the link will break. Word may ask you to find the file again the next time you open the document. To avoid this, keep linked files in a stable location that you do not plan to move.

Editing and removing links

To change where a link points, right-click the blue underlined text and select Edit Hyperlink. The hyperlink dialog will open again, and you can change the web address or destination. Click OK to save the change.

To remove a link entirely while keeping the text, right-click the link and select Remove Hyperlink. The text will no longer be blue or underlined, and it will no longer be clickable. Alternatively, you can select the link and press Ctrl+Shift+F9 to remove it.

If you want to delete both the link and the text, straightforward select the text and press Delete. This removes everything.

What happens to links when you share or save your document

Links are stored inside the Word document itself. When you save the file and send it to someone else, the links travel with it. The person who receives the document can click the links just as you can, as long as the destinations still exist (the website is still live, the file is still in the same location, and so on).

If you save your Word document as a PDF, the links will still work in the PDF. If you copy text from Word and paste it into an email or another program, the links may or may not transfer — it depends on the program you are pasting into.

When you share a document with links to files on your computer, those file links will only work for people who have access to the same network or folder. If you send the document to someone outside your organization, file links will break unless you also send them the linked files.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the color of a hyperlink so it does not look blue?

Yes. Go to the Design tab (or Home tab in older versions), click the arrow next to Colors, and choose a color scheme. You can also right-click a link, select Font, and change the color manually. Keep in mind that readers expect links to be a different color from regular text, so changing the color too much may confuse people about what is clickable.

What if I want to link to a specific part of a document, not just the whole page?

You can create a link to a heading or bookmark within a document. In the hyperlink dialog, click the button for Place in This Document or Bookmark, then select the heading or bookmark you want to link to. This works for linking within your own document or to another Word document.

Why is my link not working?

The most common reason is that the web address is incorrect or the website is no longer online. For file links, the file may have been moved or deleted. Check that the address is spelled correctly and that any linked files are still in the location you specified. You can also right-click the link and select Edit Hyperlink to see exactly where it points.

Can I create a link without making the text blue and underlined?

Not in the traditional sense — Word automatically formats hyperlinks as blue and underlined so readers know they are clickable. However, you can change the color scheme or manually format the link text after creating it. Just remember that removing the visual cue makes it harder for readers to know the text is clickable.