Creating a link in Word takes three steps: select the text, open the link dialog, and paste or type the web address

A hyperlink in Word is text or an image that, when clicked, takes you to a website, email address, or another part of your document. Word makes this straightforward — you highlight what you want to turn into a link, tell Word where that link should go, and you're done. The link appears in blue and underlined, the standard way links look everywhere else.

The process is the same whether you're linking to an external website, an email address, or a bookmark within your own document. Once you create the link, you can test it by holding Ctrl and clicking it (or Cmd and click on Mac). If you need to change where the link points, you can edit it without starting over.

Key Takeaways

  • Select the text you want to turn into a link, then right-click and choose "Link" or use Ctrl+K to open the link dialog.
  • Paste the full web address (starting with http:// or https://) into the address field, or type an email address with mailto: in front of it.
  • Test your link by holding Ctrl and clicking it — if it doesn't work, the address format is usually the problem.
  • To edit a link later, right-click it and choose "Edit Link" to change the destination without retyping the display text.

Select the text you want to become a link

Start by highlighting the exact words or phrase you want readers to click. Click at the beginning of the text, hold down your mouse button, and drag to the end. The text should appear highlighted in blue. This is the text that will show up in your document — the actual web address stays hidden behind it.

You can link a single word, a full sentence, or even an image. If you're linking an image, click the image once to select it instead of dragging across text. The rest of the process works the same way.

Open the link dialog using Ctrl+K or the menu

With your text selected, press Ctrl+K on Windows or Cmd+K on Mac. A dialog box titled "Insert Hyperlink" will appear. This is where you tell Word where the link should point.

If the keyboard shortcut doesn't work, you can also right-click the selected text and choose "Link" from the menu that appears. Both methods open the same dialog. The keyboard shortcut is faster once you've done it a few times.

Paste or type the web address

In the dialog box, you'll see a field labeled "Address" (or sometimes "URL"). This is where the destination goes. If you've already copied a web address to your clipboard, you can paste it here. If you're typing it, make sure to include the full address starting with http:// or https:// — Word sometimes adds this automatically, but not always.

For example: https://www.example.com or https://www.example.com/page-name. If you're linking to an email address instead, type mailto: followed by the email — for example, mailto:contact@example.com. Click OK when you're done, and the link is created.

Test the link before sharing your document

After you create a link, test it to make sure it works. Hold down Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and click the link. Your web browser should open and take you to the address you entered. If nothing happens or you get an error, the address format is usually the problem — go back and check that you included http:// or https:// at the beginning.

Testing now saves you from sending out a document with broken links. If the link doesn't work, right-click it, choose "Edit Link," and fix the address in the dialog that appears.

Remove or edit a link you've already created

If you need to change where a link points, right-click it and select "Edit Link." The same dialog opens, and you can change the address without touching the display text. If you want to remove the link entirely but keep the text, right-click and choose "Remove Link." The text stays in your document, but it's no longer clickable.

You can also select the link and press Ctrl+Shift+F9 to remove it, though the menu method is clearer if you're not sure what you're doing.

Linking to other parts of your own document

Word also lets you create links that jump to other sections within the same document — useful in long reports or manuals. First, you need to create a bookmark at the destination. Click where you want the link to land, go to the Insert menu, choose Bookmark, give it a straightforward name (no spaces), and click Add.

Then select the text you want to turn into a link, press Ctrl+K, and in the dialog look for a button labeled "Bookmark" or "Place in This Document." Choose the bookmark you just created, and click OK. Now clicking that link will jump straight to that section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my link show the web address instead of the text I selected?

This usually means you pasted the address into the wrong field. Make sure the address is in the "Address" field, not the "Display Text" field. If the display text field is empty, Word shows the address instead. Go back into the link dialog and type or paste your chosen text into the display text field.

Can I change the color of my links?

Yes, but it requires changing the document's style settings rather than formatting individual links. Go to the Home tab, right-click the "Hyperlink" style in the styles panel, choose "Modify," and change the color there. This affects all links in the document at once. Most people leave links blue and underlined so readers recognize them as clickable.

What if I want to link to a file on my computer instead of a website?

In the Insert Hyperlink dialog, look for a button labeled "Current Folder" or a folder icon on the left side. Click it, then browse to the file you want to link to and select it. Word will create a link that opens that file when clicked. Keep in mind that if you move or rename the file later, the link will break.

How do I make a link open in a new window?

In the Insert Hyperlink dialog, look for a button labeled "ScreenTip" or "Target Frame." Click it and choose the option to open in a new window or new tab. This way, readers stay in your document while the link opens elsewhere. Not all versions of Word have this option in the same place — check your version's help menu if you can't find it.