How to add a clickable link inside a PDF (free, Mac, Windows, phone)
Make links in your PDF actually click
The easiest way to add a clickable link inside a PDF is to add it in the original document and export a PDF: Word, Google Docs and Pages all keep links when you export or download, as long as you don't print to PDF. For a PDF you already have, open it in Adobe Acrobat and use Edit, then Link, then Add or edit a link to draw a clickable box. Always test the links before you send the file.
At a glance
- Free, any computer
- Google Docs: Insert, Link, then File, Download, PDF
- Windows
- Word: Insert, Link, then Save As PDF
- Mac
- Pages or Word, then export a PDF
- PDF you already have
- Acrobat: Edit, Link, Add or edit a link
- Why links vanish
- Print to PDF, scans and image-based PDFs
- Share the PDF itself
- Upload it and send one link
What is the easiest way to add a link to a PDF?
Put the link in before the file becomes a PDF. Every common writing app can do this, and the link survives the export.
- 1
Add the link in your document
Select the words that should be clickable. In Word or Google Docs use Insert, then Link (Ctrl+K on Windows, Cmd+K on Mac) and paste the full web address, starting with https://. In Pages, Control-click the text, choose Add Link, then Webpage. - 2
Export, don't print
In Word use Save As and pick PDF. In Google Docs use File, then Download, then PDF Document. In Pages, export a PDF copy. These routes keep links. Printing to a PDF printer often does not. - 3
Test the PDF before you send it
Open the new PDF and click every link. If one does nothing, check that the address starts with https:// and that you exported rather than printed.
Google Docs (free, Windows, Mac or Chromebook)
Highlight the text, choose Insert, then Link (or press Ctrl+K, Cmd+K on a Mac), paste the address and click Apply. Then use File, then Download, then PDF Document. Google's own help also mentions File, then Print, then Save as PDF for very large documents; if you go that way, check the links still work afterwards.
Microsoft Word (Windows or Mac)
Select the text, choose Insert, then Link, and paste the address. Save with Save As and choose PDF as the format. If links come out dead, the usual cause is that the file went through Print instead of Save As.
Pages on a Mac
Control-click the text, choose Add Link, pick Webpage and type the address. Then export the document as a PDF. Apple's guide doesn't promise the link survives the export, so open the PDF and click it once to be sure.
On a phone
The Google Docs app can add links too (select the text, then Insert, then Link). Mobile menus for saving a PDF change between app versions, so the reliable route is to finish the export on a computer with File, then Download, then PDF Document.
How do I add a link to a PDF I already have?
If you don't have the original document, you need a PDF editor. Adobe Acrobat is the standard one. Adobe's help describes it like this:
- Open the PDF and choose Edit, then Link, then Add or edit a link.
- Drag a rectangle over the words or picture that should be clickable.
- In the Create Link dialog, choose to open a web page and paste the full address.
- To hide the box, set its appearance to invisible in the link's properties.
If the PDF already has web addresses typed out as plain text, Acrobat's Auto-create links from URLs (under Edit, then Link) turns all of them into links at once. Adobe also has a free online PDF editor; its pages suggest some editing needs sign-in or a paid plan, so check before relying on it for links.
Which method should you use?
| Method | Cost | Works on | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Docs, then Download as PDF | Free | Any browser | New documents, no software to install |
| Word, then Save As PDF | Comes with Word | Windows, Mac | Documents already in Word |
| Pages, then export PDF | Free on Mac | Mac | Mac users without Word |
| Acrobat link tool | Check Adobe's plans | Windows, Mac | A PDF you can't recreate |
| Print to PDF | Free | Everywhere | Not for links: often drops them |
Why do links disappear from a PDF?
- Print to PDF. Printing sends a drawing of each page to a printer. Some PDF printers keep link data, many don't. Export or Save As instead.
- Scans and photos. A scanned page is a picture. The address may be readable, but there is no link behind it. Add one with Acrobat, or retype the document.
- PDFs built from images. Turning JPGs into a PDF, or a PDF into JPGs, gives you pictures of pages. Our own JPG to PDF and PDF to JPG tools work this way, so they don't add or keep clickable links.
- A typo in the address. A link without https:// at the front, or with a space in it, may not open. Paste the address straight from the browser bar.
The reverse: turning the PDF itself into a link
Sometimes the real question is "how do I send this PDF as a link?". That is a different job: upload the PDF to Link in Seconds with a free account and you get one short link and a QR code that open the file in the browser. You can see views and how far people read, add a password or expiry date, and replace the file later without changing the link. Walkthrough in how to turn a PDF into a link, or go straight to the PDF to link converter.
Quick answers
How do I make a link clickable in a PDF for free?
Add the link in the original document and export it as a PDF. Word (Insert, then Link), Google Docs (Insert, then Link, or Ctrl+K) and Pages (Add Link) all keep links when you export or download a PDF instead of printing one. Google Docs is free with a Google account.
How do I add a hyperlink to an existing PDF?
Open it in Adobe Acrobat, choose Edit, then Link, then Add or edit a link, and drag a box over the text or image. In the Create Link dialog pick a web page and paste the address. Acrobat can also turn typed web addresses into links for the whole file with Auto-create links from URLs.
Why are the links in my PDF not clickable?
Usually because the PDF was printed, scanned or made from images. Printing to a PDF and scanning both turn pages into pictures of text, so the link data is gone. Re-export from the original document with Save As or Download, or add the link again in Acrobat.
Can I add a link to a PDF in Preview on a Mac?
Apple's Preview guide covers editing pages, combining PDFs and markup, but does not describe adding web links, so we don't recommend it for this. On a Mac, add the link in Pages, Word or Google Docs and export the PDF, or use Acrobat for a PDF you already have.
Can I turn the whole PDF into a link instead?
Yes. Upload it to a host such as Link in Seconds and you get one short link that opens the PDF in the browser, plus a QR code and view analytics. A free account takes files up to 250 MB, and the link never expires.
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