Acrobat
How to add a hyperlink to a PDF.
Enhance the user experience by connecting different sections within a PDF through internal links.
Published by Adobe Acrobat Australia on 26 March 2025
Hyperlinks enhance the usability and interactivity of PDFs, allowing readers to navigate effortlessly within the document or access external resources like web pages, videos, or audio. They streamline text by replacing footnotes and endnotes with simple, clickable links, improving readability and guiding users to relevant information. Universally compatible, hyperlinks make it easy to convert Word or Google Docs into shareable PDFs that can be viewed in any browser. By storing PDFs in the cloud and sharing them via links, you save time and eliminate the hassle of bulky email attachments.
How do you add a hyperlink to a PDF?
Adding a hyperlink to a PDF is simple with Adobe Acrobat Pro and can be done in a few easy steps. Whether you want to insert a hyperlink in a PDF, create a link for a PDF, or convert a PDF to a link, Adobe Acrobat provides multiple ways to make your PDFs interactive.
Using Adobe Acrobat to create a link in a PDF.
Follow these steps to create a hyperlink in a PDF:
- Select Edit > Link > Add or edit a link.
The pointer becomes a crosshair, and any existing PDF hyperlinks in the document, including invisible links, become temporarily visible. - Drag a rectangle to define the link area.
- In the Create Link dialog, choose the options you want for the link appearance.
- Select one of the following link actions:
- Go to a page view: Select Next to set the page number, and view the magnification you want in the current document or another document (such as a file attachment). Then select Set Link.
- Open a file: Select the destination file. If the file is a PDF, specify how the document should open, such as whether it should open in a new or existing window. Then select OK.
Note: If the filename is too long to fit in the text box, the middle of the name is truncated. - Open a web page: Provide the URL of the destination web page.
- Custom link: Select Next to open the Link Properties dialog. In the dialog, you can set any action, such as reading an article or running a command, to be associated with the link.
- Click OK to apply the inserted hyperlink in the PDF.
For users looking to add hyperlinks to a PDF free, Adobe offers online PDF link generators that let you easily convert a PDF to a link or share a PDF as a link.
A simple guide to move or resize a link rectangle.
Once you create a PDF link, you may need to adjust its position or size for better alignment.
- Select Edit > Link > Add or edit a link.
- To move a link area, move the pointer over the link rectangle and drag it.
- To resize the link area, drag a corner point.
Note: You can change the properties of several links at once by selecting the Link tool and dragging the rectangle to select them all.
How to change the way a link is appearing.
Customise your PDF links' appearance and functionality to enhance readability and interactivity with these simple steps.
- Choose Edit > Link > Add or edit a link.
- Right-click on the link and select Properties.
- In the Appearance tab, choose a color, line thickness, and line style for the link.
- Select one of the following highlight styles:
- None: Doesn’t change the appearance of the link.
- Invert: Changes the link’s color to its opposite.
- Outline: Changes the link’s outline color to its opposite.
- Inset: Creates the appearance of an embossed rectangle.
- To hide the PDF link, select the Link Type drop-down menu and then select Invisible Rectangle.
- To prevent users from changing the link settings, select the Locked checkbox.
- To test the link, select the Hand tool and then select the link. You should be able to jump to the specific location for the link.
Note: The link properties in the Create Link dialog box apply to all new links you create until you change them.
To apply the appearance settings of a link to all the links, right-click on the link and select Use Current Appearance As New Default.
Common uses for hyperlinks in documents.
Hyperlinks are commonly inserted into documents to enhance usability and direct readers to relevant content, both within and outside the document. Here are the primary use cases for hyperlinks:
Internal navigation.
- Table of contents: Hyperlinks in a PDF allow readers to jump directly to specific sections of a document, making navigation seamless.
- Cross-referencing: Hyperlinks connect related sections, such as charts, tables, or footnotes, for quick access.
External resources.
- Web links: Hyperlinks direct readers to external web pages, such as additional resources, product details, or research articles.
- Media integration: Links can connect to multimedia like videos, audio files, or interactive elements hosted online.
Interactive documents.
- Forms and navigation: Hyperlinks guide users through interactive PDFs, such as forms or surveys, by linking to specific fields or pages.
- Supplementary information: Hyperlinks provide access to supplementary documents or resources, enhancing the user’s understanding.
Accessibility and efficiency.
- Cloud access: Hyperlinks are used to share large documents by linking to cloud-stored versions instead of attaching bulky files.
- Quick reference: Hyperlinks in academic or professional documents link to citations or reference materials for convenience.
Mastering how to add a hyperlink to a PDF improves accessibility, interactivity, and document navigation. Whether you need to insert links in a PDF, create hyperlinks in a PDF, or convert PDFs into shareable links, Adobe Acrobat offers the best tools to streamline your workflow. Explore these features to make your documents more user-friendly and professionally formatted.
Frequently asked questions.
Yes, you can select specific text in a PDF and turn it into a clickable hyperlink using Adobe Acrobat's Link tool. This allows users to navigate seamlessly to relevant sections or external resources.
Hyperlinks in PDFs can be accessible to screen readers if properly tagged. Using Adobe Acrobat, you can ensure your PDF links are tagged correctly to support accessibility.
Absolutely. With Adobe Acrobat, you can easily edit the destination, appearance, or actions associated with an existing hyperlink without needing to recreate it.
After creating or editing hyperlinks, use the Hand tool in Adobe Acrobat to click on the links and verify they lead to the correct destinations.
Yes, you can create hyperlinks that point to files stored in cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox, providing users with quick access to additional resources.
While hyperlinks can enhance usability, ensure they lead to secure, trusted websites. Adobe Acrobat allows you to review and edit links to ensure they are safe for your audience.
Yes, you can turn images in a PDF into clickable links, directing users to specific sections, external websites, or multimedia resources.
Using Adobe Acrobat, you can delete individual links or remove all hyperlinks from a document by editing or clearing the link properties.
If a linked page is no longer accessible, you can update or replace the hyperlink in Adobe Acrobat to ensure your document remains functional.
Yes, hyperlinks can connect different PDFs, allowing users to navigate between related documents for a more comprehensive experience.
More resources.
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How to add a hyperlink to a PDF
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Learn how to add hyperlinks to PDFs to enhance navigation, access external resources, and improve document interactivity with Adobe Acrobat tools.
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