How to add or create a hyperlink in a PDF document

Simple to create, view, and share, PDF is one of the most popularly used formats in business. They are convenient to view on any digital device, making them perfect for work done via the web.

PDF documents are an excellent way to share information. They are easy to read, edit, and distribute. However, some of us often find it difficult to create a link or insert a hyperlink to a PDF. No wonder one of the most commonly searched queries is ‘Can you add a hyperlink to a PDF with Acrobat Reader? ‘In reality, it is extremely simple to add a hyperlink in a PDF, so we wrote this blog to quickly show you how to create a link within a PDF.

Adding hyperlinks in a PDF document can be useful in a variety of situations.

One of the main reasons for adding hyperlinks is to provide a way for readers to quickly access additional information or resources related to the content of the PDF. For example, add a hyperlink to a website that provides more in-depth information on a topic, or a link to a video that demonstrates a product or service.

Hyperlinks can also make it easy for readers to navigate a long document, by linking to different sections or pages within the PDF. Additionally, hyperlinks can provide easy access to external resources like online forms, surveys, or other web-based tools.

Pssst… If you have a PDF that needs to be signed, you can check out our page here.

3 common ways to add or insert hyperlinks on a PDF

Adding links works differently depending on the tool you want to use. Below are the most common methods to insert a hyperlink into any PDF.

You can create a hyperlink within a PDF using Adobe software. Adobe lets you edit PDF documents by adding and deleting sentences, adjusting the font size, and more.

To create hyperlinks in a PDF with a few clicks, follow these simple steps:

Time Required 5 minutes

1. Using Adobe, open a PDF document to add hyperlinks.
2. Choose “Tools” > “Edit PDF” > “Link” > “Add/Edit Web or Document Link” and then drag the rectangle to where you want to create the link.
3. Next, in the “Create Link” dialogue box, adjust the link appearance and select “Open a Web Page” for the link action. 
4. Last, click “File” > “Save” to save the PDF to add a hyperlink to the document.

It’s super easy to delete or edit links in your PDF document. Just go to Tools, then select Edit PDF, followed by Link, and finally Add or Edit. 

Now that is clear, let’s look at two options for how to insert a hyperlink in a PDF without Acrobat.

How to add a hyperlink to a PDF using Microsoft Word

If you do not have Adobe, Microsoft Word will also let you insert a hyperlink into a PDF.

To add a hyperlink in a PDF from Word, follow these simple steps:

1. Open Microsoft Word software and choose the PDF you would like to edit.
2. After you import the file, select the area you want to be hyperlinked.
3. Click “Insert” > “Links” group > “Hyperlink”.
4. Enter the web address in the “Address” box and export your document as a PDF.

How to add a hyperlink to a PDF using Google Docs

It is extremely easy to create PDF documents on Google Docs and create a hyperlink within the PDF.

To create a link within your PDF, follow these simple steps:

1. Open a Google Doc and create the content of your PDF.
2. Next, select the word or phrase you want to be hyperlinked.
3. Click the “insert” link button and enter the destination URL, and click “OK”.
4. To convert the doc to PDF, simply click “File”, then “Download as” and select “PDF Document”.

Now that you have added hyperlinks to your PDF documents, get them signed and store them online for easy access using Signeasy.

Learn How to sign a secured PDF document?

Adding hyperlinks to a PDF on mobile devices

Most professionals work on the go, so the ability to add clickable links directly from a phone or tablet is helpful. The good news is that the process remains almost identical to what you follow on desktop, while the tools simply shift to their mobile app versions.

Below are a few examples of how this works across popular mobile apps.

1. Add hyperlinks to a PDF on iPhone or iPad (iOS)

iOS productivity apps make it easy to create and share hyperlinked PDFs without a desktop, and they follow the same hyperlink-creation steps you use on desktop. All you need to do is:

• Open your document (Adobe, Word, Google Docs) in the mobile app.
• Use the app’s editing tools.
• Insert a link using the same “Link” or “Insert” options shown earlier.

No additional steps or mobile-specific changes are required.

2. Add hyperlinks to a PDF on Android

Like iOS, the Android versions of these apps support the same hyperlink tools described earlier.

Simply:

• Open the file
• Tap the editing menu
• Select the link-insertion option and add your URL

3. Important tips for mobile hyperlinking:

• Test every link before sharing, as some mail apps break hyperlinks if not formatted correctly
  
• Use concise URLs or short, trackable links to keep your PDFs professional
  
• Always re-save the PDF after hyperlinking to ensure the links are embedded permanently
  
• Upload and sign directly in Signeasy to preserve formatting and send securely

How to keep hyperlinks when converting to PDF

Have you ever exported a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file to PDF only to realize that all your clickable links have vanished? Many professionals forget that not every export setting automatically preserves hyperlinks. 

This is why it’s important to know how to hyperlink in a PDF and how to ensure they stay active after conversion.

1. Keeping hyperlinks from Excel to PDF

Hyperlinks in Excel spreadsheets are often used to connect cells to web pages, other sheets, or external files. Losing them during export can make your PDF reports uselessly static.

To create and preserve hyperlinks in Excel:

Option 1: Use Excel’s built-in HYPERLINK function

1. In a cell, type the formula =HYPERLINK("URL", "display text").
   For example: =HYPERLINK("https://signeasy.com", "Visit Signeasy").

2. Save your workbook normally.

3. When ready to export, go to File > Save As > PDF.

4. Under “Options,” make sure Document structure tags for accessibility are selected. This ensures hyperlinks remain active in the exported PDF.

Option 2: Use the “Export” function instead of “Print”

If you use File > Print > Microsoft Print to PDF, Excel may flatten the document, removing all links. 

Instead, always choose:

File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document > Options > Standard (publishing online and printing).

2. Keeping hyperlinks from PowerPoint to PDF

Hyperlinks in PowerPoint presentations, such as links to websites, documents, or slides, can also get lost when exported incorrectly. Follow these steps to retain them.

1. Go to File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document.

2. Click Options and check the box Document structure tags for accessibility.

3. Make sure “Bitmap text when fonts may not be embedded” is unchecked. This prevents hyperlinks from being converted into plain text.

4. Click Publish.

If your hyperlinks still don’t work, try opening the PowerPoint file in Adobe Acrobat and selecting File > Save As Other > PDF with Retain Hyperlinks.

3. Preserving links when exporting from other tools

Different tools treat hyperlink data differently during export. Here’s what to remember:

• Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides): Use File > Download > PDF Document. Your hyperlinks will remain clickable automatically‍
• Canva and Figma: Use Download as PDF (Standard), not “Print”, because print versions flatten links
• Word processors (Pages, WPS, LibreOffice): Enable “Include bookmarks and hyperlinks” before saving

Troubleshooting common hyperlink issues in PDFs

Even after learning how to create hyperlink in a PDF, many users still face issues like broken links, distorted formatting, or inactive URLs when opening files on different devices. Let’s walk through the most frequent problems and their fixes:

1. Broken or inactive hyperlinks

One of the most common issues is hyperlinks breaking after export or transfer.

Possible causes

• The PDF was flattened or printed to PDF instead of exported
• URLs contain unsupported characters or missing prefixes (like “https://”)
• The reader app doesn’t recognize hyperlink metadata

How to fix it

Always export via File > Save As > PDF instead of “Print to PDF”

• Use complete URLs (for example, https://signeasy.com/pricing)
• Open the file in Adobe Acrobat > Edit PDF > Link > Add/Edit Web or Document Link to manually repair broken links
• Test the repaired file in multiple viewers before sending

2. Formatting issues after hyperlink insertion

Sometimes, links appear with mismatched colors, missing underlines, or overlapping text boxes.

Causes

• Inconsistent styles copied from Word or PowerPoint
• Manual formatting overrides hyperlink defaults
• Hyperlink box placement overlaps with shapes or hidden layers

Solutions

• Use consistent text styles (font, size, and color) before hyperlinking
• After exporting, open the PDF in Acrobat or Preview and inspect link zones visually
• If overlap persists, delete and re-add the hyperlink rectangle cleanly

Pro tip: To maintain uniform formatting across pages, create a text style preset before adding multiple links.

3. Compatibility problems across PDF viewers

A hyperlink that works in Adobe Acrobat might not work in Chrome PDF Viewer or mobile Preview.

Fixes

• Stick to standard hyperlink protocols only (https:// or mailto:)
  
• Avoid embedding links inside images, as some viewers don’t render clickable image maps
  
• Test your document in Adobe Acrobat, Chrome, Edge, and Apple Preview to confirm universal compatibility
  

Bonus tip: If you regularly share PDFs for signing, upload them to Signeasy app, which ensures that all hyperlinks remain interactive and readable across web, iOS, and Android platforms.

Sign PDFs online in minutes with zero hassle

4. Editing or removing existing hyperlinks

Need to update a link that’s changed or no longer relevant? You can easily do it in most PDF editors.

To edit a hyperlink:

1. Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.

2. Select Edit PDF > Link > Add/Edit Web or Document Link.

3. Click the existing hyperlink box and choose Properties.

4. Replace the old URL with the new one and save.

To remove a hyperlink:

1. In the same Edit PDF mode, click the link rectangle.

2. Press Delete to remove it completely.

In Signeasy, hyperlinks within your uploaded PDF stay editable until the document is finalized. Once signed, the link is locked for security, ensuring recipients view the authentic version.

5. Accessibility and mobile compatibility

Best practices

• Use descriptive anchor text, such as “View pricing plans” instead of “Click here”
  
• Maintain high color contrast between linked text and background
  
• Ensure link spacing allows easy tapping on touchscreens
  
• In mobile workflows, preview the PDF in portrait and landscape to verify tap accuracy
  

Pro tip: Signeasy automatically optimizes PDFs for mobile viewing, keeping hyperlinks accessible and readable on smaller screens.

Why insert hyperlinks to PDF documents?

Hyperlinks are commonly used as references to other pages. But the document’s intention will ascertain the need to add hyperlinks to PDF.

For example, to add a clickable table of contents to your ebooks, to cite outside resources for your article, or to quickly navigate the reader to a different page on the website to get more information on a subject.

The reasons to create hyperlinks within a PDF can be many, but how you do it depends on the platform you are using, such as Adobe, Word, Google Docs, Signeasy, and others. Signeasy not only helps you with signing PDF documents but also lets you combine PDFs and sign different document formats.

Signeasy offers a variety of customizable contract templates to simplify the document creation process. These templates cover a range of industries and purposes, from business proposal templates to non-disclosure agreements. Each template includes pre-filled sections and can be easily edited to fit the specific needs of your business.

By using Signeasy’s contract templates, you can save time and effort in drafting new agreements and ensure that all necessary provisions are included. Signeasy also provides electronic signature capabilities, allowing you to quickly sign and share contracts with others.

Do you use a lot of PDF documents? Check out how Signeasy can help you manage, send, and sign PDFs easily.

Note: This blog was originally published on January 27, 2021. It has been updated for recency.