Have you ever created a hyperlink in a Word document? For the most part, this is a fairly straightforward process. That said, there are a few hidden gems in the hyperlink options that you may not have explored. Let’s check it out.

Applying a Link

A quick review: to create a hyperlink in a Microsoft Office program, start by selecting the word(s) where you would like to apply the link, and then either…

Right click and select Link (or Hyperlink):

… or remember that one of my favorite shortcuts for accessing this hyperlink popup is Ctrl + K. This shortcut works in a wide variety of programs, so it is worth memorizing!

You will arrive at this familiar screen…

It is this Insert Hyperlink popup screen that I would like to explore with you today.

1. File or Webpage

In the Insert Hyperlink screen, the most common goal is to link to a webpage, so conveniently that is the default view.

Webpage

To link to a webpage, paste the webpage address into the Address field and click OK.

File

A lesser known option in this default view is the ability to link your words to a file.

Note that, in the box above where you paste your hyperlink, you can instead select folders and files from your list and the address will populate  a location of the file.

After you create this type of link, clicking on the link will open the file you selected. How cool!

Be cautious with this option. If your goal is to send this document to others, the link may not behave correctly if they don’t have access to the file location.

2. Place in this Document

On the left side of the Insert Hyperlink page, notice that there are additional tabs. Here you have options beyond a simple web address or file location.

The first one I want to show you is my favorite: Place in This Document. There is so much you can do with this powerful tool.

Glancing at this tab doesn’t always tell you what you need to know, however. Here are the basics:

Location Options

You have several choices for linking to a Place in This Document.

Top of the Document

One option you will always have is a Top of Document option.

This is very handy for “Back to Top” links for ease of navigation in long documents.

Headings

Another wonderful way to navigate is by utilizing Styles. If you would like to learn more about Styles, I hope to see you at a Word Essentials training, where we cover Styles in great detail!

If you would like to utilize Styles to link to a location in your document:

1. Use Styles to apply Headings to your document.

2. Revisit your Insert Hyperlink options

3. Look under the  Headings section of the Place in This Document tab.

This is extremely helpful if you are referencing different locations within a large file and would like your readers to be able to easily skip ahead or back to specific sections.

One caveat… sometimes if you have heavily modified a header (also discussed in Word Essentials), you may find that it does not appear in the Headings list. This is where the next trick comes in handy…

Bookmarks

In addition to utilizing Headers, you can bookmark any location within your document and link back to this location with a hyperlink.

1. Place your cursor where you would like to insert the bookmark.

2. Go to the Insert tab, Links group, and select Bookmark.

3. In the popup that appears, name your bookmark (no spaces may be used), and press Add.

4. Revisit the Insert Hyperlink popup and select the bookmark from the Bookmarks section to create a link to the location.

3. Create New Document

The next option on the left is Create New Document.

If you select this option, the link will create a New Word file in your Documents Folder. You have further choices to name this document, and choose whether the link will prompt you to edit the document now or later.

Note: As with the File example, people would need access to the path (save location) for this link to work.

4. Generate an Email

Email Address is the last tab on the left side of the Insert Hyperlink popup. Select this option and enter an email address and subject line.

When you create a link with this setting, clicking on the link will open Outlook, or the user’s default mail program, and create a new email to the specified address, with the specified subject line.

5. Target Frame Options

We have talked in detail about the tabs on the left of the Insert Hyperlink popup, but there is one item on the right that I want to mention: Target Frame. In other words, how would you like your link to behave as it opens?

This option is something you will likely care more about if your end goal is to publish this document online somewhere; exporting it as html or PDF, or utilizing cloud services to publish and share a document to be opened in browser.

The most common selection I see people utilize in this screen is New Window, for when you want the original document to remain on its own tab when your readers click on the link, while the linked content will open in a new browser tab.

Thoughts?

What do you think, does this open up some new possibilities for utilizing hyperlinks in your document? I would love to hear from you!

Congratulations, Power Users!

Congratulations to our newest Power Users! For the full gallery, and more information about the WSU Microsoft Office Power User Program, please visit: wichita.edu/poweruser

• David Gomez
• LaDawna Hobkirk
• Judi McBroom
• Amy Smith
• Brittany Ulmer
• Carrie Wyatt