How to Fix Links Between PDFs Combined into One Binder PDF
Question details
The user needs to make hyperlinks navigate to the correct internal pages within a newly combined PDF document instead of launching the original external PDF files.
- Product
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Combining multiple individual PDF manuals that contain cross-document links into a single binder PDF file.
- Observed behavior
- Links that originally pointed to other PDF files still try to open those separate external files rather than jumping to the corresponding section within the merged binder PDF.
Make a list of the pages that contain cross-document links in your original files so you can systematically locate and update them once the PDFs are merged.
Manually Update External Links to Internal Page Views
Modify the hyperlink properties inside the merged document so they point to specific internal pages rather than external files.
When PDF files are combined, merging tools stitch the pages together but do not automatically rewrite relative or absolute link paths. Because of this, hyperlinks retain their original instruction to open an external file.
To resolve this, you must change the action of the hyperlink from opening a document to navigating to a specific page view within the current PDF.
Launch your PDF editor and open the combined binder PDF. Navigate to the 'Edit' tab and select the link editing tool to make the hyperlinks interactive.
Double-click or right-click the link that is incorrectly opening an external file and choose 'Properties' or 'Edit Link' from the context menu.
In the link properties dialog, look for the 'Actions' tab. Delete the existing 'Open a file' action.
Add a new action called 'Go to a page view' or 'Jump to Page'. Scroll to the exact page within the combined binder where the link should direct the reader, and click 'Set Link' or 'OK' to save the new destination.
Maintain Original Source Files as a Workaround
If manually updating hundreds of links is not feasible, keep the original files intact in their original folder structure so the external links continue to function.
Easily Combine PDFs and Edit Links with WPS Office
WPS Office provides a comprehensive PDF toolkit that lets you seamlessly merge multiple documents and easily update hyperlinks to navigate accurately within your newly combined binder.
- 1. Merge your PDF files: Open WPS Office, select the PDF toolkit, and use the 'Merge PDF' function to combine your individual manuals into one file.
- 2. Access the Link editor: Open the merged PDF, go to the 'Edit' tab, and click on 'Link' to display all editable hyperlinks.
- 3. Update the link destination: Select the hyperlink, change its action from opening an external file to 'Jump to Page', and enter the correct page number within the binder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my links still open the old files after merging PDFs?
When PDF files are combined, the merging software simply stitches the pages together. It does not automatically analyze and rewrite the hyperlink paths, so the links retain their original instructions to point to the external filenames.
Can I automate the process of converting external links to internal links?
Most standard PDF editors do not natively support automatically converting external file links into internal page jumps during a merge. You usually need to update them manually or use specialized third-party link management plugins designed for bulk rewriting.
What happens if I delete the original PDFs without updating the links in the combined binder?
If you delete or move the original source PDFs, the links in the combined binder will break. When a user clicks them, the PDF reader will display an error stating that the target file cannot be found.
How do I create a new internal link inside a PDF?
In your PDF editor, select the Link tool from the Edit menu, highlight the text or area you want to be clickable, choose the action to 'Go to a page view' or 'Jump to Page', and then scroll to the desired destination page to finalize the link.
