Attachment Issues

How to Embed a PDF or Word Document in an Email with Working Links

Huda Qurayshi Oct 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to display the contents of a PDF or Word document directly in the body of an email while keeping all hyperlinks clickable and interactive.

How to Show a PDF or Word Document in an Email with Working Links

Product: Email Clients
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Sending an email where the recipient needs to view document content inline and click on embedded links without downloading an attachment.
Observed behavior: Documents pasted directly into emails are often inserted as static images or standard attachments, which removes interactivity and prevents links from being clicked in the email body.

Before you start

Ensure your email client is set to compose messages in HTML format, as plain text emails cannot support clickable hyperlinks or rich text formatting.

Solution 1Recommended

Share via Cloud Storage Link

The most reliable way to preserve links and formatting is to host the document in the cloud and share a direct link in your email body.

Upload your document

Upload the PDF or Word document to a cloud storage service like OneDrive, SharePoint, Google Drive, or WPS Cloud.

Generate a sharing link

Create a sharing link for the document, ensuring the access permissions allow the recipient to view it without login restrictions.

Draft your email

Open your email client and draft a new message.

Insert the link

Paste the sharing link directly into the email body, or hyperlink relevant text by highlighting the text, clicking the 'Insert Link' icon, and pasting the URL.

High Compatibility: Using a cloud link guarantees that the recipient sees the original document with all interactive elements intact, regardless of their email provider.

Solution 2

Convert Document to HTML and Paste into Email Body

If you must show the content inline rather than using a link, converting the document to HTML will preserve the clickable links.

Easily Create and Share Interactive Documents with WPS Office

WPS Office provides robust tools to create rich Word and PDF documents. You can easily generate sharing links via WPS Cloud or export your documents to HTML to embed them seamlessly into your emails.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Office and open the Word document or PDF you wish to share.
2. Share via WPS Cloud: Click the 'Share' button in the top right corner to generate a secure link that can be pasted into your email.
3. Export to HTML (Optional): Alternatively, go to 'Menu' > 'Save As' and select 'HTML Page' if you prefer to copy the inline content.
4. Send your email: Insert the copied link or HTML content into your email draft and send it to your recipient.

Seamless compatibility with Microsoft Word and PDF formatsBuilt-in cloud storage for easy link sharingOne-click export to HTML for inline email contentFree and lightweight suite for all your document needs

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my hyperlinks disappear when I copy a PDF into an email?

When you copy and paste directly from a PDF reader into an email, the email client often converts the content into a static image or plain text format. This process strips away the underlying hyperlink data, making the links unclickable.

Can I embed a PDF as a fully interactive object in Outlook?

Outlook does not support embedding fully interactive PDFs directly in the email body. When you use 'Insert Object', it typically appears as an icon or static preview. The best workaround is to convert the PDF to HTML or insert a clickable thumbnail image that links to a cloud-hosted version of the document.

How do I make sure my email recipient can open the shared cloud link?

Before copying the link into your email, check the sharing settings in your cloud storage provider (like OneDrive, Google Drive, or WPS Cloud). Set the permission to 'Anyone with the link can view' to ensure external recipients don't face access or login issues.

Outlook & Email Problems