How to Fix Insert Hyperlink Dialog Not Opening for Access Web Control
Question details
The user needs to access the Insert Hyperlink dialog for a web browser control inserted into a Microsoft Access form, but the dialog is not opening normally.
- Product
- Microsoft Access
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Configuring a web browser control to display a specific web page while designing a form in Microsoft Access.
- Observed behavior
- The Insert Hyperlink dialog fails to open as expected when interacting directly with the web browser control on the form.
Ensure you have design permissions for the Microsoft Access database and that the form is not currently locked or in use by another user.
Use the Property Sheet in Design View
Bypass the direct control interaction by accessing the hyperlink settings through the web browser control's Data tab in the Property Sheet.
When the standard interface fails to bring up the dialog box, using the Property Sheet provides a direct administrative way to set the Control Source property.
Open your Microsoft Access database, right-click the form containing the web browser control in the navigation pane, and select Design View.
Click directly on the web browser control within your form workspace to ensure it is the actively selected element.
Press F4 on your keyboard, or click the Property Sheet button in the Form Design ribbon to open the properties panel.
In the Property Sheet, click on the Data tab. Locate the Control Source property field.
Click the small button with three dots (...) on the right side of the Control Source field to open the Hyperlink dialog. Alternatively, you can type your target URL directly into the field.
Use VBA Application.FollowHyperlink as a Workaround
Test or trigger hyperlink navigation using a Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macro if the standard web browser control remains unresponsive.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Microsoft Access web browser control not rendering modern web pages properly?
Legacy web browser controls in Microsoft Access rely on older Internet Explorer components. Because many modern websites no longer support IE, they may fail to load or render incorrectly. Microsoft has been developing a newer Edge-based control for more recent versions of Access.
Can I manually enter a URL without opening the hyperlink dialog at all?
Yes. While in Design View, you can open the Property Sheet for the web browser control, navigate to the Data tab, and type the full URL directly into the Control Source property field.
What causes the VBA Application.FollowHyperlink command to fail?
The command might fail if your operating system does not have a default web browser configured, or if strict security policies and firewall settings are actively blocking Microsoft Access from launching external web applications.
