Office Settings & Configuration

Fix Word Ctrl+Shift+F9 Deleting Text Instead of Removing Hyperlinks

WPS Editor Sep 28, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user needs to successfully remove hyperlinks using a keyboard shortcut without accidentally deleting the selected document content.

How to Fix Word Ctrl+Shift+F9 Deleting Text Instead of Removing Hyperlinks

Product: Microsoft Word 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to remove hyperlinks or unlink fields from selected text using standard keyboard shortcuts.
Observed behavior: Pressing Ctrl+Shift+F9 deletes the selected text instead of unlinking the hyperlinks.

Before you start

Test these keyboard shortcuts on a copied version of your document to prevent any accidental loss of original content.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the Fn Key or Enable Fn Lock

Use this solution if you are on a laptop where function keys default to media controls instead of standard F-key commands.

On many modern laptops, the F1-F12 keys are mapped to hardware controls (like volume or brightness) by default. Pressing F9 without the Fn key may trigger a different system command, resulting in unexpected text deletion in Word.

Use the Fn Key combination

Instead of pressing Ctrl+Shift+F9, highlight your text and hold down Ctrl+Shift+Fn+F9 to trigger the standard F9 command.

Enable Fn Lock

If you want to use F9 without the Fn key in the future, look for the Fn Lock shortcut on your laptop keyboard (such as Fn+Esc on many Lenovo models) and activate it.

Hardware specific: Once Fn Lock is enabled, the standard Ctrl+Shift+F9 shortcut will function normally in Word without requiring the Fn key.

Solution 2

Use the Alternative Keyboard Shortcut

Use this workaround if the F9 shortcut continues to cause issues on your specific hardware configuration.

Solution 3

Reassign the UnlinkFields Command

Use this method to verify or manually re-assign the correct shortcut to the unlink command in Word settings.

Efficient Document Editing

Easily Remove Hyperlinks Using WPS Office

WPS Office provides straightforward and reliable ways to manage your document's links without unexpected text deletion. Enjoy a highly compatible and user-friendly word processor.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document containing the hyperlinks you want to remove.
2. Select the text: Highlight the specific text containing the links, or press Ctrl+A to select the entire document.
3. Remove the hyperlinks: Right-click the selected text and choose 'Remove Hyperlink' from the context menu to safely convert them to plain text.

Seamlessly remove hyperlinks without risking text deletion.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats.Familiar user interface that requires no learning curve.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my function keys act differently on my laptop?

Many modern laptops configure function keys (F1-F12) to perform media or system actions by default. You must press the Fn key alongside the shortcut or enable Fn Lock to use their traditional Windows functions.

Is there a way to remove all hyperlinks in my document at once?

Yes, you can press Ctrl+A to select the entire document, and then apply the correct unlink shortcut (such as Ctrl+Shift+F9, Ctrl+Shift+Fn+F9, or Ctrl+6) to remove all hyperlinks simultaneously.

What exactly does the UnlinkFields command do?

The UnlinkFields command converts dynamic fields in your document, such as hyperlinks, mail merge data, or formulas, into plain static text, breaking the connection to their source.

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