Office Settings & Configuration

How to Remove and Stop Automatic Hyperlinks in Excel for Mac

Rana Garcia Oct 9, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to remove existing hyperlinks from cells and disable the automatic creation of hyperlinks for URLs and email addresses in Excel for Mac.

How to Remove and Stop Automatic Hyperlinks in Excel for Mac

Product: Microsoft Excel for Mac
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Working with spreadsheet data containing URLs or email addresses where automatic hyperlinking is unwanted and disrupts formatting.
Observed behavior: Excel automatically formats web and email addresses as clickable hyperlinks when they are typed or pasted into a cell.

Before you start

Before changing your AutoFormat settings, ensure you have saved any ongoing work, as applying new preferences will alter how all future data entries are formatted across your application.

Solution 1

Remove Existing Hyperlinks from Excel Cells

Use this method to quickly strip clickable links from data that has already been entered or pasted into your worksheet.

This solution works well for data that has already been formatted as a link. It removes the hyperlink properties while leaving the text data intact.

Select the Cell

Click on the specific cell or highlight the range of cells that contain the unwanted hyperlinks.

Open Context Menu

Right-click or Control-click the selected cell or range to open the contextual dropdown menu.

Remove Hyperlink

Scroll down the menu and select 'Remove Hyperlink' to instantly convert the link back to plain text.

Solution 2Recommended

Stop Excel from Automatically Creating Hyperlinks

Adjust your Excel preferences to permanently prevent the application from automatically turning URLs and emails into clickable links as you type.

Manage Data Seamlessly

Easily Control Hyperlinks and Formatting in WPS Spreadsheet

If you find automatic spreadsheet formatting intrusive, try WPS Spreadsheet. It provides a highly compatible and user-friendly environment where you can easily toggle automatic hyperlinks and manage large data sets efficiently.

1. Open WPS Spreadsheet Settings: Launch WPS Office on your Mac, open a Spreadsheet, click on 'WPS Office' in the top menu bar, and select 'Preferences'.
2. Access Edit Options: Navigate to the 'Edit' tab within the Preferences window, where typing and auto-formatting options are located.
3. Disable Auto Hyperlinks: Locate and uncheck the option that automatically creates hyperlinks for web addresses and emails to ensure all new data remains plain text.

Free, lightweight, and fast performance on Mac OSFully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls) formatsIntuitive settings menu for full control over auto-formatting and cell stylesClean, tabbed interface to manage multiple worksheets efficiently

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove multiple hyperlinks in Excel for Mac at once?

To remove multiple hyperlinks simultaneously, highlight all the affected cells (or press Cmd+A to select the entire sheet), right-click or Control-click anywhere within the selection, and choose 'Remove Hyperlinks' from the menu.

Will disabling automatic hyperlinks affect existing links in my worksheet?

No, turning off the AutoFormat As You Type option only prevents future data entry from being converted into links. You still need to manually remove any existing hyperlinks using the right-click menu.

How do I paste URLs into Excel without turning them into hyperlinks?

Instead of using a standard paste command, use the Paste Special feature. Right-click the destination cell, select 'Paste Special', and choose 'Values'. This strips all original formatting and inserts the URL as plain text.

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