Office for Mac Issues

How to Fix Broken Hyperlinks in Text Boxes on Word for Mac

Bushra Parveen Sep 28, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users experience an issue where hyperlinks placed inside text boxes in Word for Mac break or stop working after the document is reopened.

How to Fix Broken Hyperlinks in Text Boxes on Word for Mac

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Clicking a hyperlink located inside a text box to open a locally linked file or web page.
Observed behavior: The hyperlink stops working after the document is saved and reopened, often caused by changes in the destination file's path or rendering bugs specific to text boxes.

Before you start

Ensure you know the exact current location of your target file, and verify whether any folders in the file path have been recently moved or renamed.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify and Update the Linked File Path

The most common reason for a broken local hyperlink is a change in the destination file's name or its folder location on your Mac.

When you link to a file stored on your computer, Word records the exact path to that file. If you move the file, rename it, or change the name of any folder in its directory tree, Word will no longer be able to find the file and the link will break.

Locate the target file

Open Finder on your Mac and navigate to the folder where the linked file is supposed to be stored. Verify that the file is actually there.

Check file and folder names

Ensure that neither the target document nor any parent folders in its path have been renamed or moved since the hyperlink was originally created.

Edit the broken hyperlink

In your Word document, right-click the text containing the broken link inside the text box, select 'Hyperlink', and then click 'Edit Hyperlink'.

Reselect the file

Use the file browser within the Hyperlink menu to navigate to the current location of your target file, select it, and click 'OK' to update the path.

Relative vs. Absolute Paths: If you plan to move the main Word document and the linked files to another Mac, it is recommended to keep them in the same folder before creating the hyperlinks to preserve relative path connections.

Solution 2

Move the Hyperlink Outside the Text Box

Since Word for Mac occasionally experiences rendering bugs specific to floating objects like text boxes, placing the hyperlink in the main document body can serve as a reliable workaround.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Use WPS Office for Mac for Stable Document Editing

Tired of dealing with text box bugs and broken hyperlinks in Word for Mac? WPS Office offers a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative with a familiar interface that handles complex document layouts and hyperlinks flawlessly.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office version for Mac.
2. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing Word document containing the text boxes.
3. Manage links securely: Add or edit your hyperlinks within text boxes with the confidence that their paths will be preserved perfectly.

Completely free and lightweight alternative to Microsoft Office for Mac.Highly compatible with Microsoft Word formats, including .docx and .doc.Stable management of hyperlinks, shapes, and text boxes without metadata loss upon reopening.Familiar user interface ensuring seamless migration and zero learning curve.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do hyperlinks only seem to break inside text boxes in Word for Mac?

Word for Mac occasionally experiences software bugs related to how it saves metadata for floating objects (like text boxes and shapes). When the document is saved and closed, the hyperlink path attached to the text box may become corrupted or fail to save properly, unlike links in the main text body.

How can I prevent local file hyperlinks from breaking when sharing documents?

If you are sharing the document with someone else, linking to a local file on your Mac's hard drive will not work for them because they do not have access to your local files. Instead, upload the linked file to a cloud service (such as Google Drive or OneDrive) and insert a hyperlink to the web URL.

Will a broken hyperlink affect how the document prints?

No, a broken hyperlink only affects digital navigation within the document. The text itself will retain its formatting (such as being blue and underlined) and will print perfectly fine, even if the underlying link destination is missing or broken.

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