Creating a Hyperlink that Opens the Linked Object

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 28, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Sivakumar has inserted an object (MyFile.pdf) in the second page of a Word document. He wants to create a hyperlink that, when clicked, opens the PDF file.

It would seem that there really is no way to do this in a Word document. While it is often helpful to insert a PDF file into a Word document (that way the file travels with the document when you send it to others), there is no way to open the embedded file without double-clicking on the icon for the file.

Perhaps a workaround is to not insert the PDF file into the Word document. You could, instead, place the PDF on a Web server somewhere—so it is always at a static location—and then insert a hyperlink to the file in the document. When someone clicks on the hyperlink, what happens next depends on how they have their browser configured. If it has the capability to open PDF files (many do, if not most), then the PDF will be opened.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (153) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Adding Diagonal Borders

Want to add a border diagonally, through the middle of a table cell? It's easy if you follow the formatting steps ...

Discover More

Copying a File in VBA

Need to have your macro copy a file from one place to another? It's easy to do using the FileCopy command, described in ...

Discover More

Using Dot Leaders in a Paragraph

Adding dot leaders to your text is easy through the application of tab stops. This tip explains the steps you need to ...

Discover More

Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!

More WordTips (menu)

Editing a Hyperlink

Word allows you to embed active hyperlinks in your documents. If you later want to change or edit that hyperlink, you can ...

Discover More

Adding a ScreenTip

Need to add a ScreenTip to your document? It's easy to do, provided you are adding a hyperlink.

Discover More

ScreenTips without Hyperlinks

ScreenTips can be a helpful feature in some documents, but adding them also means you need to add a hyperlink. Here's a ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is eight more than 8?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.