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3 Ways to Insert Hyperlinks in Excel

September 4, 2023 1.2K views

One of the benefits of Excel is that it allows you to include hyperlinks within cells so that it can be easier to go to a specific URL. The insert hyperlink in Excel is amazing as it saves you and others time and will allow more order to exist in the document.

This feature can do many things, such as links to websites, other sheets or workbooks, and specific folders. These are some methods to insert hyperlink in Excel and take full advantage of them.

Part 1: Insert Hyperlinks Using the Insert Main Menu

Easily add hyperlinks to your Excel workbook using the Insert Main Menu. In this section, we'll guide you through the steps to insert clickable links that direct users to web pages, files, or email addresses, enhancing the functionality of your spreadsheet.

Here is step by step to Insert Hyperlinks Using the Insert Main Menu:

Example: Suppose you have an Excel workbook with a list of products. You want to insert a hyperlink in cell B2 that leads to the webpage of the first product for more information.

Step 1. Select cell B2 in your Excel worksheet.

Step 2. Navigate to Excel’s “Insert” tab.

Insert tab


Step 3. Click on "Hyperlink" in the "Links" group.

Hyperlink tab



Step 4. In the dialog box, enter the URL of the webpage for the first product in cell B2.

Address tab

Step 5. Click "OK" to insert the hyperlink.

add Hyperlink



Step 6. Cell B2 will now display the hyperlink, indicated by underlined blue text.

Step 7. Click on the cell to test the hyperlink and open the webpage in your default browser.

Part 2:Insert Hyperlinks Using the HYPERLINK Function

The HYPERLINK function in Excel provides a powerful way to insert hyperlinks programmatically. It allows you to create clickable links within your spreadsheet using a simple formula. Let's explore the syntax of the HYPERLINK function and walk through an example with step-by-step instructions.

Syntax: The syntax of the HYPERLINK function is as follows: =HYPERLINK(hyperlink, anchortext)

  • Hyperlink: The URL or file path you want the link to point to.

  • Anchortext: The text you want to display as the clickable link.

Example: Suppose you have an Excel workbook with a list of documents, and you want to create hyperlinks for each document using the HYPERLINK function.

Steps:

Step 1. Open your Excel workbook and navigate to the worksheet where you want to insert the hyperlinks.

Step 2. Select the cell where you want to place the hyperlink. In this example, we'll use cell C2.

Step 3. Enter the HYPERLINK function in the formula bar, following the syntax: =HYPERLINK("URL or file path", "Link Text")

add Hyperlink by function



For our example: =HYPERLINK("https://www.wps.ai/","Click here")

Step 4. Press Enter to apply the formula. Cell C2 will now display "Document 1" as a clickable link.

Step 5. Click on the link to test it, and it will open the specified document or URL.

add Hyperlink function result

Part 3:Insert Hyperlinks By Dragging and Dropping

Make hyperlink insertion even easier by using the drag and drop method in Excel. With this quick technique, you can effortlessly create clickable links by dragging URLs or files into cells. Let's see how it's done with a straightforward example and easy-to-follow steps.

Example:

Step 1. Open your Excel workbook and navigate to the desired worksheet.

Step 2. Find the URL of the webpage you want to link.

Step 3. Click and hold the URL in your web browser's address bar.

Step 4. Drag the URL and drop it into the cell where you want the hyperlink. For instance, drag it into cell D2.

Drag website to cell



Step 5. Excel will automatically create the hyperlink using the dropped URL.

Drag website result



Step 6. The cell (D2) will now display the URL as a clickable link in underlined blue text.

Step 7. Click on the link to test it, and it will open the webpage in your default browser.

Part 4: Examples of Inserting Hyperlinks

Explore practical examples of inserting hyperlinks in Excel. From inserting webpage links to linking to other files and even email addresses, these examples will demonstrate different scenarios for creating useful and interactive spreadsheets.

Example 1: Insert a Webpage Link

Steps:

Step 1. The cell where the hyperlink will be inserted should be selected. For instance, let's use cell A2.

Step 2. Navigate to Excel’s “Insert” tab.

Step 3. Click on "Hyperlink" in the "Links" group. The Hyperlink dialog box will appear.

Hyperlink



Step 4. In the dialog box, choose "Existing File or Web Page."

Step 5. In the “Address” area, type the URL of the website you want to link to.

Address field


Step 6. Click "OK" to insert the hyperlink.

Example 2: Insert Another File

Steps:

Step 1. The cell where the hyperlink will be inserted should be selected. For example, let's use cell A3.

Step 2. Navigate to Excel’s “Insert” tab.

Step 3. Click on "Hyperlink" in the "Links" group. The Hyperlink dialog box will appear.

Hyperlink in the Links group


Step 4. In the dialog box, choose "Existing File or Web Page."

Existing File or Web Page


Step 5. Choose the desired file from your computer’s file system.

Browse and select the file


Step 6. Click "OK" to insert the hyperlink.

Example 3: Insert an Email Address

Steps:

Step 1. The cell where the hyperlink will be inserted should be selected. For instance, let's use cell A4.

Step 2. Navigate to Excel’s “Insert” tab.

Step 3. Click on "Hyperlink" in the "Links" group. The Hyperlink dialog box will appear.

The Hyperlink dialog box


Step 4. Go to the dialog box and select “E-mail Address.”

Step 5. Enter the email address in the "E-mail address" field.

Step 6. Optionally, you can also enter the "Subject" and "CC" (carbon copy) recipients.

add email Address


Step 7. Click "OK" to insert the hyperlink.

How to Edit Hyperlinks?

To edit hyperlinks in Excel:

Step 1. Select the cell with the hyperlink.

Step 2. Right-click the cell and select “Edit Hyperlink.”

Edit Hyperlink


Step 3. It will then display the Edit Hyperlink dialog box.

Step 4. Modify the link destination or anchor text as needed.

Edit Hyperlink Box


Step 5. Click "OK" to save the changes.

The hyperlink is now updated with your edits.

Part 5: Why Use WPS Office?

WPS Office logo


If you're considering both Microsoft Excel and WPS Office Spreadsheet for your spreadsheet needs, we highly recommend downloading and using WPS Office for the following reasons

  1. Affordable price

  2. Excellent compatibility with other formats

  3. Wide range of features

  4. User-friendly interface

How to Insert Hyperlink in WPS Office:

To insert hyperlinks in WPS Office, follow these simple steps:

Step 1. Open your WPS Office Spreadsheet.

WPS sheets


Step 2. The cell where the hyperlink will be inserted should be selected.

Step 3. Click on the "Insert" tab in the menu bar.

Step 4. Choose "Hyperlink" from the dropdown menu.

Hyperlink menu


Step 5. Enter the URL or file path of your link in the “Insert Hyperlink” dialog box.

Insert Hyperlink dialog box


Step 6. Optionally, you can add anchor text to display the clickable link.

Step 7. Click "OK" to insert the hyperlink.

Using WPS Office, you can easily insert various types of links to enhance the interactivity and functionality of your spreadsheets.

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FAQs about insert hyperlink in excel

Can I use a Keyboard Shortcut to Insert Hyperlinks?

Yes, you can use a keyboard shortcut to insert hyperlinks in both Microsoft Excel and WPS Office Spreadsheet. The common keyboard shortcut to insert a hyperlink is:

  • For Windows: Press "Ctrl + K" on your keyboard.

  • For Mac: Press "Command + K" on your keyboard.

How to Remove Hyperlinks in excel?

Take the following actions in Excel to eliminate hyperlinks:

Method 1: Using the Right-click Context Menu

  1. Select the cell or range of cells containing the hyperlink(s) you want to remove.

  2. To access the context menu, perform a right-click on the chosen cell(s).

  3. From the context menu, hover over "Hyperlink" and then select "Remove Hyperlink."

Method 2: Using the Keyboard Shortcut

  1. Select the cell or range of cells containing the hyperlink(s) you want to remove.

  2. Press "Ctrl + Shift + F9" on your keyboard.

Both methods will remove the hyperlinks from the selected cell(s) without affecting the text or content in the cells. After removing the hyperlinks, the text will remain, but it will no longer be clickable as a hyperlink.

Summary

In this article, we explored three different ways to insert hyperlinks in Excel. Whether using the Insert Main Menu, the HYPERLINK function, or Dragging & Dropping, you now have the know-how to add hyperlinks effortlessly. Additionally, we highlighted the advantages of using WPS Office for your office needs, making it an excellent choice for handling hyperlinks and more.



15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.