What linking does in Word
A link in Word is text or an image that takes you somewhere else when you click it — to a website, another part of the same document, an email address, or a file on your computer. Word makes the linked text a different color (usually blue) and underlines it so readers know it is clickable.
Links are useful when you want readers to reference something without leaving the document, or when you are sharing a document digitally and want to point people to external sources. If you are printing the document, links still work in PDF form, but not on paper itself.
Word also lets you create links that jump to headings, bookmarks, or page numbers within the same document — handy for a table of contents or for long documents where you want readers to navigate without scrolling through everything.
Key Takeaways
- The fastest way to link text is to select it, press Ctrl+K (or Cmd+K on Mac), type or paste the web address, and press Enter.
- You can link to a website, an email address, another file, or a specific place within the same document by choosing the link type in the dialog box.
- Links in Word documents work when you share the file digitally or convert it to PDF, but not when you print to paper.
- To edit or remove a link later, right-click it and choose from the menu — you do not have to select and relink the whole thing.
Linking to a website
Select the text you want to turn into a link. This can be a single word, a phrase, or even a number. Then press Ctrl+K on Windows or Cmd+K on Mac. A dialog box titled "Insert Hyperlink" will open.
In the "Address" field at the bottom, type or paste the full web address — for example, https://www.example.com. Word usually fills in the "Text to display" field automatically with whatever you selected, which is fine to leave as is. Click "OK" and the text turns blue and underlined.
If you want the link to open in a new window or tab when someone clicks it, go back to the Insert Hyperlink dialog (right-click the link and choose "Edit Hyperlink"), click the "Target Frame" button at the bottom right, and select "New window". This keeps readers from leaving your document behind.
Linking to an email address
Select the text you want to link — often an email address itself, but it can be anything like "Contact us" or "Send feedback". Press Ctrl+K or Cmd+K to open the Insert Hyperlink dialog.
On the left side of the dialog, click "E-mail Address". Type the email address in the "E-mail address" field. Word automatically adds "mailto:" in front, which tells the computer to open the default email program when someone clicks the link. Click "OK".
When a reader clicks this link, their email program opens with a new message addressed to that email. This only works if they have an email program set up on their computer — it does not work in web-based email unless they copy and paste the address.
Linking to another part of the same document
This is useful for tables of contents or when you want a reader to jump to a specific section without scrolling. First, you need to mark the destination — the place you want the link to point to. Click at the beginning of the heading or section you want to link to, then press Ctrl+K or Cmd+K.
On the left side of the Insert Hyperlink dialog, click "Place in This Document". You will see a list of all the headings in your document. Click the heading you want to link to, then click "OK". Word creates a link that jumps directly there.
If the destination is not a heading, you can create a bookmark instead. Click where you want the destination to be, go to the Insert tab, click "Bookmark", give it a straightforward name with no spaces (like "Section2" or "References"), and click "Add". Then create your link the same way, but choose the bookmark name from the list instead of a heading.
Linking to a file on your computer
Select the text you want to turn into a link and press Ctrl+K or Cmd+K. On the left side of the Insert Hyperlink dialog, click "Existing File or Web Page". Then click the folder icon to browse your computer and find the file you want to link to.
Once you select the file, Word shows the path to it in the "Address" field. Click "OK" and the link is created. When someone clicks it, the file opens — but only if they have the same file on their computer in the same location, or if you have shared the file with them and they have access to it.
This method works best when you are sharing a folder of related documents with someone and want them to navigate between files. If you are emailing a single document, links to other files on your computer will break for the recipient unless you also send those files.
Editing and removing links
To change where a link points, right-click it and select "Edit Hyperlink". The Insert Hyperlink dialog opens again. Change the address, text, or target frame as needed and click "OK".
To remove a link but keep the text, right-click the link and select "Remove Hyperlink". The text stays in the document but is no longer clickable or colored blue. If you want to delete the text itself, select it and press Delete.
You can also select a link and press Ctrl+Shift+F9 on Windows to remove all links in the document at once, though this is rarely necessary. On Mac, there is no single keyboard shortcut — you have to remove links one at a time.
Why links sometimes break
A link breaks when the destination no longer exists or when the file structure changes. If you link to a website and that website goes down or removes the page, the link stops working. If you link to a file on your computer and then move or delete that file, the link breaks.
Links to other files work best when both files stay in the same folder. If you move one file but not the other, Word may not find it. When you share a document with links to external files, tell the recipient where those files are located or send them together in a folder.
Links to websites are more stable than links to files, because the web address does not change when you move the document. However, if you type the address wrong or include extra spaces, the link will not work. Always test links before sharing a document with others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I link to a specific page in a PDF?
Yes, but the method depends on your version of Word. In newer versions, you can use the Insert Hyperlink dialog and type the file path followed by "#page=2" (for page 2, for example). In older versions, you may need to use a different syntax. Test the link before sharing to make sure it works.
What happens to links when I save as PDF?
Links stay active in a PDF as long as they point to websites or other files. Readers can click them and they will open in a browser or file viewer. Links that point to other parts of the same document also work in PDF form.
Can I change the color of link text?
Yes. Select the link, go to the Home tab, click the arrow next to Font Color, and choose a new color. The link will still work, but it will no longer be blue. Keep in mind that readers may not recognize it as a link if it does not look different from regular text.
Do links work if I email the Word document?
Links to websites work fine in an emailed Word document. Links to files on your computer only work if the recipient has those files in the same location, or if you send the files along with the document. It is safer to share links to websites or to convert the document to PDF.
How do I remove all links at once?
On Windows, press Ctrl+A to select all text, then press Ctrl+Shift+F9 to remove every link in the document. On Mac, you have to remove links individually by right-clicking each one and selecting "Remove Hyperlink". There is no keyboard shortcut for removing all links at once on Mac.