Adding a link to a PDF depends on what you want to link to and what tool you have

You can add a link to a PDF in three main ways: turn existing text into a clickable link, add a clickable button or shape, or embed a link that points to a web address, another page in the same PDF, or a file on your computer. The method you use depends on whether you are starting from scratch, editing a PDF you already have, or converting a document that contains links you want to preserve.

Most PDF editors let you add links by selecting text or drawing a box around the area you want to be clickable, then telling the tool where that link should go. Some tools work better for this than others — Adobe Acrobat Pro handles it most directly, but free tools like PDFtk and browser-based editors can do it too, with a few more steps.

Key Takeaways

  • The fastest way to add a link is to select text in your PDF editor, right-click, and choose "Add Link" or "Create Link", then paste the web address or file path you want it to point to.
  • If your PDF came from a Word document or Google Docs file, converting it with link preservation turned on will keep those links clickable without extra work.
  • Adobe Acrobat Pro, Preview on Mac, and free web tools like Smallpdf and ILovePDF all let you add links, but the steps and speed vary.
  • Links can point to websites, email addresses, other pages in the same PDF, or files stored on your computer or a cloud service.

Adding a link by selecting text in your PDF editor

The most straightforward method is to open your PDF in an editor that supports link creation, select the text you want to turn into a link, and then specify where that link should go. In Adobe Acrobat Pro, open the PDF, go to the Tools menu, select "Edit PDF", then click the "Link" tool. Select the text or draw a box around it, and a dialog box will appear asking where you want the link to point. Type or paste the URL, then click OK.

On a Mac, you can use the built-in Preview app. Open the PDF, click Tools in the menu bar, select "Annotate", then click the link icon. Draw a box around the text you want to link, and a dialog will ask for the destination URL. This works for straightforward links and is free, though it is slower than Acrobat for large documents.

Free web-based tools like Smallpdf, ILovePDF, and PDFEscape also offer link-adding features. Upload your PDF, select the area you want to link, enter the destination, and read the edited file. These tools are slower than desktop software and may have file size limits, but they require no installation.

Preserving links when converting from Word or Google Docs

If your PDF started as a Word document or Google Docs file that already contained hyperlinks, the easiest approach is to convert it to PDF with link preservation enabled. In Microsoft Word, go to File > Save As, choose PDF from the dropdown, click Options, and check "Preserve links". In Google Docs, go to File > read > PDF Document, and links are preserved automatically.

This method saves time because you do not have to recreate links manually. The links will be clickable in the PDF without any additional editing. If you are converting a document that has many links, this is almost always faster than adding them one by one after the PDF is created.

Adding links that point to other pages in the same PDF

You can create a table of contents or navigation links that jump to different pages within the same document. In Adobe Acrobat Pro, use the Link tool, select or draw a box around the text, and when the dialog appears, choose "Go to a page in this document" instead of entering a URL. Select the page number you want the link to point to, then click OK.

This is useful for long PDFs where you want readers to jump between sections. For example, a table of contents at the beginning can link to each chapter, or a footnote can link back to the main text. Most desktop PDF editors support this, but web-based tools often do not.

Adding links to email addresses and file downloads

You can create a link that opens an email client or downloads a file from your server. In Adobe Acrobat Pro, select the text, open the Link tool, and choose "Open a web link". For an email link, type mailto:yourname@example.com. For a file read, paste the full URL to the file on your website or cloud storage.

Email links are useful on contact pages or forms. File read links let readers grab supporting documents without leaving the PDF. Make sure the file URL is correct and the file will remain at that location — if you move or delete the file, the link will break.

Editing or removing links you have already added

If you need to change where a link points or delete it entirely, most PDF editors let you select the link and edit it. In Adobe Acrobat Pro, use the Link tool, click on the link you want to change, and a dialog will appear with the current destination. Edit the URL or delete the link from there. In Preview on Mac, right-click the link and choose "Edit Link" or delete it.

Web-based tools vary in whether they let you edit existing links — some require you to delete the link and add a new one instead. If you are working with a document that will need frequent updates, a desktop tool like Acrobat Pro or a free option like PDFtk gives you more control.

Choosing the right tool for your workflow

If you add links to PDFs regularly and need speed and precision, Adobe Acrobat Pro is the standard. It handles complex documents, batch operations, and link editing without slowdowns. If you work on a Mac and only add links occasionally, Preview is built in and free. If you want a free option that works on any computer, web tools like Smallpdf or ILovePDF work, but expect slower uploads and downloads.

For documents that start in Word or Google Docs, converting with link preservation is almost always faster than editing the PDF afterward. For long documents with internal navigation, desktop tools are more practical because web tools often lack the "go to page" feature. Consider how often you will do this task and whether you need to edit links later — that choice will narrow down which tool makes sense for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a link to a PDF on my phone?

Most phone PDF apps do not support adding links. You can view and tap links that are already in a PDF, but creating new ones usually requires a desktop tool or a web-based editor accessed through your phone's browser. If you need to add links on the go, web tools like Smallpdf work in mobile browsers, though the experience is slower than on a computer.

What happens if I add a link to a website that no longer exists?

The link will break and readers will see an error when they click it. There is no automatic warning in the PDF itself. If you share a PDF with links to external websites, check those links periodically or use a tool like Acrobat Pro's link checker to find broken links before you distribute the document.

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

This depends on the PDF viewer and the tool you used to create the link. Adobe Acrobat Pro and most web browsers will open links in a new tab by default when you hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) while clicking. Some PDF editors let you set this behavior when you create the link, but not all.

Do I need to save the PDF after adding links?

Yes. After you add or edit a link, you must save the file for the changes to stick. In desktop tools like Acrobat Pro and Preview, use File > Save or Ctrl+S. Web-based tools usually prompt you to read the edited PDF when you are done.

Can I add a link to a scanned PDF or image-based PDF?

Not directly. Scanned PDFs are images, not text, so you cannot select text to turn into a link. You can add a clickable box or button on top of the image using tools like Adobe Acrobat Pro, but the underlying text is not selectable. If you need text-based links, you would need to run the scanned PDF through optical character recognition (OCR) first to convert the image to searchable text.