Office for Mac Issues

How to Find and Remove Hidden Hyperlinks in Word for Mac

Adam Davis Oct 12, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to locate and remove hyperlinks, including hidden ones that appear as ordinary text, within a Microsoft Word document on a Mac.

Word shortcut to Remove hyperlinks on Mac and Windows

Product: Microsoft Word for Mac
Device & OS: macOS
Scenario: Editing a document that contains unwanted or disguised hyperlinks and needing a quick way to reveal and strip all of them at once.
Observed behavior: Hyperlinks are embedded in the document text, sometimes lacking the standard blue underline, requiring the user to reveal field codes and use a specific keyboard shortcut to remove them.

Before you start

Before modifying your document, familiarize yourself with the 'Fn' key on your Mac keyboard, as you may need to hold it down to trigger standard function keys like F9.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Keyboard Shortcuts to Reveal and Remove All Hyperlinks

This is the fastest method to expose hidden links using field codes and strip them entirely from your document.

Microsoft Word for Mac uses field codes to handle dynamic content like hyperlinks. By toggling these codes, you can see exactly where links are hiding and remove them simultaneously.

Select the entire document

Press 'Command + A' on your keyboard to highlight all the text within your Word document.

Reveal hidden hyperlinks (Optional)

Press 'Option + F9' to display the field codes. This will reveal the exact URLs of any hidden links disguised as normal text. If nothing happens, press 'Fn + Option + F9' instead.

Remove all hyperlinks

With the document text still highlighted, press 'Command + Shift + F9'. If your Mac requires the function modifier, press 'Fn + Command + Shift + F9'. This instantly converts all hyperlinks back to plain text.

Hide field codes

If you chose to reveal the field codes in the second step, press 'Option + F9' (or 'Fn + Option + F9') once more to revert to the standard text view.

Mac Function Keys: If the F9 shortcuts do not work, macOS is likely intercepting the key for system controls (like media playback). Always remember to hold the 'Fn' key in the bottom-left corner of your keyboard.

Solution 2

Configure Mac System Settings for Standard Function Keys

If you frequently use Word shortcuts and prefer not to hold the Fn key every time, you can change your macOS keyboard behavior.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office - A Lightweight and Free Alternative for Mac

If you find Microsoft Word's field codes and shortcut behaviors on Mac too complex to manage, WPS Office offers a highly compatible, intuitive, and free alternative. Enjoy seamless document editing on your Mac with simple tools to manage hyperlinks.

1. Download the software: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office installer for macOS.
2. Install and launch: Drag the WPS app into your Applications folder and launch the program.
3. Open your document: Open your .docx file in WPS Writer to easily edit text and manage hyperlinks without complex shortcuts.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats.Intuitive, uncluttered interface tailored for Mac users.Built-in, simple right-click options to manage or remove hyperlinks.Lightweight software that loads rapidly on macOS.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Option+F9 not work in Word on my Mac?

On many Apple keyboards, the F keys (like F9) control system features like media playback or Mission Control by default. To use them as standard function keys in Microsoft Word, you must hold down the 'Fn' key at the same time, or adjust your Mac's Keyboard settings in System Preferences.

Can I remove just a single hyperlink instead of all of them?

Yes. If you do not want to remove every hyperlink in the document, simply right-click (or Control-click) on the specific linked text and choose 'Remove Hyperlink' from the context menu.

What are field codes in Microsoft Word?

Field codes are underlying instructions in Word that generate dynamic text, such as page numbers, dates, or hyperlinks. Pressing Option+F9 toggles between viewing these raw codes (which display the actual URL) and the resulting text.

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