How to Create a PDF Form Field for Clickable Hyperlinks
Question details
The user needs to create an interactive form field in a PDF where respondents can type text and format it into a clickable hyperlink for other collaborators to use.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat DC
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Designing an interactive PDF form for collaboration, requiring respondents to input clickable URLs inside a text field.
- Observed behavior
- Standard text fields do not inherently support clickable hyperlinks without enabling specific formatting options.
Ensure you are using a PDF editor with advanced form creation capabilities and verify that the document's security settings permit form filling and rich text formatting.
Enable Rich Text Formatting in a Standard Text Field
By enabling rich text formatting on a PDF text field, users filling out the form can manually convert their inputted text into clickable hyperlinks.
In Adobe Acrobat DC, standard text fields only accept plain text. To allow hyperlinks, you must enable the 'Rich Text Formatting' option within the form field's properties. This gives respondents the ability to apply formatting styles and embed URLs.
Note that respondents will need to manually apply the hyperlink formatting when filling out the form.
Open your PDF in 'Prepare Form' mode. Select the 'Add a Text Field' tool from the toolbar and click on the document to place the field.
Right-click the newly added text field and select 'Properties' from the context menu.
Navigate to the 'Options' tab in the Properties dialog box. Check the box labeled 'Allow Rich Text Formatting' and close the dialog to save your settings.
When a user fills out the form, they can highlight the text they typed, press 'Ctrl+E' (or 'Command+E' on Mac) to open the Rich Text Properties bar, and use the link tool to make the text clickable.
Create Interactive PDF Forms Easily with WPS Office
WPS Office offers a robust and user-friendly PDF editor that allows you to easily design interactive forms, insert text fields, and manage document properties without requiring an expensive subscription.
- 1. Open your PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office, select 'PDF Edit', and open the document where you want to add the form field.
- 2. Navigate to the Form Tab: Click on the 'Form' tab located in the top ribbon to access all interactive form creation tools.
- 3. Insert a Text Field: Click on 'Text Field' and draw the box on your document where you want users to input their information.
- 4. Adjust Properties: Double-click the text field to open its properties, where you can modify font settings, appearance, and interactivity options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why aren't the hyperlinks clickable after saving the PDF form?
This usually occurs if the PDF viewer being used by the recipient does not support rich text form fields, or if the document's security settings restrict interactive elements. Ensure the recipient is using a fully featured PDF reader like WPS Office or Adobe Acrobat.
Can I make the form field automatically format typed URLs as links?
Standard PDF text fields do not automatically convert typed URLs into clickable links. The user filling out the form must manually format the text as a hyperlink using the rich text properties shortcut (such as Ctrl+E) after typing the URL.
Does the Ctrl+E shortcut work in all PDF readers?
No, Ctrl+E is a specific keyboard shortcut for Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader used to open the Rich Text Properties bar. Other PDF software may require users to right-click the text or use a specific toolbar menu to apply hyperlink formatting.
