Why are Hyperlinks not Working in PDF? Fix it!
2023-04-13 17:06:35 • Filed to: Knowledge of PDF Files • Proven solutions
PDF format is considered a standard for reading documents throughout the globe. With the advancements in computing technology, such standards and formats have been directed to evolution, leading to such a condition where documents are presented in improved versions. Hyperlinks are considered as one important addition in the feature set of document development that has presented users with greater bounds and has allowed users to interconnect a chain of documents over a single file with the help of the very feature. This article presents you with constructive reasons on why PDF links not working along with their effective solutions.
Part1: Why are my Hyperlinks Not Working in PDF
Hyperlinks have brought a very enhanced version of connectivity to users where people can interconnect several documents and files that can present your case to a better extent. There are several situations where users have complained about the inactivity of the hyperlinks that are added to their documents. In such conditions where the hyperlink is not working in PDF, it can be directed across several reasons that may have been one of the reasons why the PDF links not work in your file. Among the sea of different reasons, the most prominent reasons are stated as follows.
• Reason 1: Incorrect URL/Path
We might short-list a series of different reasons that may be the basic reason for the hyperlink malfunctioning in a document. However, out of these technical discrepancies, there is a very high chance for the hyperlink to be altered or incorrectly added to the document. The complete problem can simply direct to the reason for the URL or path being added incorrectly.
• Reason 2: Missing http:// or https://
If you use a 64-bit Windows operating system, the 64-bit version of Office 2010, or PowerPoint 2007, you will always encounter QuickTime not available PowerPoint issues, caused by the incompatible video format. That is to say, this is because PowerPoint 2007 does not support MOV files completely. On the other hand, there is no 64-bit version of QuickTime for Windows.
• Reason 3: Not Connected to Server
This can be referred to as another manual fault that may lead to the links not operating properly. With no Internet connection, the link present in the PDF document would not show any results.
• Reason 4: Incorrect Conversion
When converting another file format to PDF, the URLs may not be picked up automatically. That’s probably because you didn’t have the setting turned on in your conversion tool. In Acrobat, you’ll see this option in the Preferences section under General. If that option is not selected, the hyperlinks in your converted files won’t work.
• Reason 5: Auto Link Detection Not Supported
In some cases, the hyperlinks in your PDF may work on some devices and not others. The problem here is that your PDF app doesn’t support automatic link detection. Examples of this are the Mac Preview app for macOS and even Adobe Reader for iOS and Android.
Part2. How do I Fix Links in a PDF
This section describes why QuickTime is not available in the PowerPoint problem happens and provides ways on how to deal with the situation.
• Solution 1: Re-write URL./Path
We might short-list a series of different reasons that may be the basic reason for the hyperlink malfunctioning in a document. However, out of these technical discrepancies, there is a very high chance for the hyperlink to be altered or incorrectly added onto the document. The complete problem can simply direct to the reason for the URL or path being added incorrectly.
• Solution 2: Add or Replace http:// and https://
In website URLs that miss the basic portion of http:// or https:// within the PDF document, it should be replaced with the appropriate requirement to run the hyperlink across the browser over clicking successfully.
• Solution 3: Check Internet Connection
Over complaining about the inactivity of platforms over disdained URLs, it might not solve any problem related to the issue. However, there are simple protocols that can be followed to operate URLs properly. Before moving across any solution, you should confirm the internet connection to operate the system efficiently.
• Solution 4: Try it on a Different PDF Application - Desktop or Mobile
Since automatic link detection is unavailable in all PDF tools, try using one that supports this function. For instance, you can try PDFelement for Mac instead of the Preview app on your macOS computer or PDFelement for iOS instead of Adobe Reader on your iPhone.
• Solution 5: Add New Hyperlinks on the Existing Anchor Text/URL
Since your PDF link doesn’t work, you can try using a full-fledged PDF editor to re-add them to their corresponding places in the document. This way, the original content is visibly identical but now has a working hyperlink! We’ll show you how to add, delete, and edit hyperlinks PDF with PDFelement in just a moment.
Part 3. How to Add and Delete Hyperlinks in PDF
Adding a link to a PDF document in PDFelement is as easy as 1-2-3; in other words, all you have to do is:
1. Choose the Link Action
- Click Edit in the top menu and click the Link button in the ribbon toolbar.
- Choose one of the three link action options.
2. Draw the Link Area
- Bring your cursor into position and click-hold to select the area to be linked.
- The linked area can be around any anchor text, an image, or any object in the PDF.
3. Define the Target Destination
- In the Action tab of the new pop-up window, input the data based on the chosen link action.
- In the Appearance tab, you can change link visibility, style, thickness, and other attributes.
That’s it! And you can also delete or edit links by simply clicking on them.
To delete a hyperlink from a PDF file:
- Go to the "Edit" > "Link" button on the top menu.
- 2. Right-click an existing link and choose the "Delete" option.
Part 4. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Hyperlinking in PDF
There are two sides to the coin when it comes to linking objects and text in PDF documents.
Advantages:
1. Easy to Update the Resources
When you link a PDF to an external source, you can better control the information that goes to the end-user because the source can conveniently be updated with the most current information, which is critical to most business processes.
2. Convenience
Any reference content can be represented as a hyperlink, which helps avoid having to bring in the content and make the document more wordy and bulky. Links pointing to various pageviews can be used in the index section, making navigation easy.
3. Access Security
Only people with access to the main document will be able to get to the link’s destination URL or file. This helps control the security aspect of sensitive data to a great degree. Of course, this also has a downside to it, as we’ll see.
Disadvantages:
1. Security Risk
If any of the links lead to sensitive files or web locations with confidential data, anyone with access to the PDF will be able to open and view the content. Therefore, the circulation of the document needs to be supervised with care if this is to be prevented.
2. Convenience
And that brings us a full circle, back to the problem of PDF hyperlinks not working for a variety of reasons. It could be because of the application or because of an inherent link error (missing HTTP, etc., as described in this article.)
Part 5. All-in-one PDF Solution - PDFelement
PDF editors are quite common in the market, with a variety available for efficient usage. With the saturation of such platforms that get strenuous to select from, this article introduces you to a very impressive platform that serves the purpose of eradicating all management issues relating to handling PDFs. PDFelement attenuates editing and converting tools and presents high-quality output content through these efficient tools. These tools are based on providing efficient results to sustain the quality of the original document. Here are many features of PDFelement.
- PDFelement allows you to annotate PDF by adding notes, highlights, underlines, shapes, and more.
- It can convert PDF files into a good deal of formats such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML, Epub, RTF, and so on.
- It protects PDF documents by applying the password and signature.
- You can also add watermarks, backgrounds, headers, and footers to the PDF files.
- It enables you to edit text and images in your PDF document.
- You can create and convert PDF files in Batches.
- It allows you to merge a PDF file from many files and split a PDF into several pages.
- PDFelement also can redact sensitive information from PDF files.
Free Download or Buy PDFelement right now!
Free Download or Buy PDFelement right now!
Buy PDFelement right now!
Buy PDFelement right now!
Elise Williams
chief Editor