The fastest way to add a link in Word

To add a link 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, then click OK. The text now appears as a blue underlined link that readers can click.

If you want to link to a file on your computer instead of a website, click "Browse" in that same dialog and navigate to the file. Word will create a link that opens that document when clicked. You can also link to a specific place within the same document — Word calls these "bookmarks" — by selecting "Place in This Document" from the left side of the dialog.

The link is now live. Readers can hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and click to follow it. In the finished document, the link stays blue and underlined unless you change the document's style settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Select text, press Ctrl+K or Command+K, paste the web address, and click OK to create a link to any website.
  • You can link to files on your computer by clicking Browse instead of typing an address.
  • Links to other parts of the same document require you to create a bookmark first, then select it from the "Place in This Document" option.
  • Readers follow links by holding Ctrl or Command while clicking, not by clicking alone.
  • You can edit or remove a link by right-clicking it and choosing "Edit Link" or "Remove Link".

Linking to a specific page or heading in the same document

If you want readers to jump to a different part of your document when they click a link, you first need to mark where they should land. Word calls this a bookmark. Select the heading or paragraph you want to link to, then go to the Insert tab, click Bookmark, give it a short name (no spaces), and click Add.

Now select the text you want to turn into a link, press Ctrl+K or Command+K, and click "Place in This Document" on the left side of the dialog. You'll see a list of all the bookmarks you've created. Click the one you want, then OK. The link now jumps to that spot when clicked.

This is useful in long documents like manuals or reports where you want a table of contents that actually works. Each entry in the table can link directly to its section.

Changing or removing a link

To edit a link you've already created, right-click it and select "Edit Link". The same dialog opens where you can change the address or the text that displays. If you want to remove the link but keep the text, right-click and choose "Remove Link".

You can also change how links look across your entire document by modifying the style. Go to the Home tab, right-click "Hyperlink" in the Styles panel, and choose "Modify". From there you can change the color, underline style, or font. This change applies to every link in the document at once.

Adding a link to an email address

To create a link that opens someone's email when clicked, select your text and press Ctrl+K or Command+K. In the Address field, type mailto: followed when ready by the email address with no space — for example, mailto:contact@example.com. Click OK.

When someone clicks this link, their default email program opens with a new message addressed to that email. You can also add a subject line by typing mailto:contact@example.com?subject=Your Subject Here, though this works better in some email programs than others.

Making links work in PDFs and shared documents

Links you create in Word stay active when you save the document as a PDF. Readers can click them in any PDF viewer. However, if you're sharing the Word file itself, make sure recipients have the actual files or web access the links point to, or the links won't work for them.

If you're sharing a document with people who might not have internet access or who need the content to be self-contained, consider embedding the information instead of linking to it. You can also use Word's "Save as PDF" feature to lock the document and prevent accidental changes to your links.

Troubleshooting links that don't work

If a link isn't working, first check that you typed the web address correctly. Web addresses must start with http:// or https:// — if you just type "example.com", Word may not recognize it as a link. Right-click the link, select "Edit Link", and make sure the address field has the full URL.

If you're linking to a file on your computer and the link doesn't work when you share the document, it's because the file path no longer exists on the other person's computer. Instead, save both files in the same folder and use a relative link (just the filename) rather than the full path. Word will ask if you want to update the link when you open the document on a different computer.

Links in Word documents sometimes don't work in older versions of Word or in other programs that open Word files. If your readers are using very old software, test the document with them before sending it out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a link open in a new window instead of the same one?

Word doesn't have a built-in option to make links open in a new window. If you need that behavior, save your document as a web page (File > Save As > Web Page, Filtered) and edit the HTML code directly, or convert to PDF where this setting is more reliable across readers.

How do I remove the blue underline from a link?

Right-click the link, select "Edit Link", then click "Remove Link". This keeps the text but removes the link formatting. If you want to keep the link but just change how it looks, modify the Hyperlink style in the Styles panel instead.

What's the difference between linking to a website and linking to a file?

A website link uses a web address that starts with http:// or https://. A file link points to a document on your computer or network. File links only work if the file stays in the same location — if you move or delete the file, the link breaks. Website links work as long as the website exists.

Can I link to a specific part of a website?

Yes, if the website uses anchor links. These are web addresses that end with a # symbol and a section name, like example.com/page#section. You can paste these into Word's address field just like any other link. Not all websites support this, so test the link before sharing the document.

Do links work the same way in Word Online as they do in the desktop version?

Yes, the process is identical. Press Ctrl+K or Command+K, enter the address, and click OK. Links work in Word Online documents the same way they do in desktop Word, though some advanced options like bookmarks may be slightly different.