6 Ways to Fix Hyperlinks Not Working in Microsoft Excel for Windows

Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer. Since his arrival at Guiding Tech in 2021, he delves into the world of how-tos, and troubleshooting guides for Android, iOS, and Windows. Besides his new-found love for mechanical keyboards, he’s a disciplined footfall fan and loves international travel with his wife.

It is possible that the file path mentioned in the hyperlink is no longer accessible or that the web page link is misspelled. Hence, it’s a good idea to verify the hyperlink for typos.

Additionally, if the name of thelinked file contains a pound (#) sign, Excel may display the “Cannot Open the Specified File” error. To fix it,rename the fileyou are trying to hyperlink and remove the pound (#) sign from its name. After renaming the file, update the hyperlink in Excel to reflect the new filename.

The AutoCorrect feature in Excel can automatically convert certain types of text entries, such as internet and network paths, into hyperlinks. However, if this feature is turned off, your hyperlinks may appear as normal text in Microsoft Excel. Here’s how to fix that.

Step 1:Open Microsoft Excel on your PC and click on theFilemenu at the top left corner.

Step 2:SelectOptionsfrom the left sidebar.

Step 3:In the Proofing tab, click onAutoCorrect Options.

Step 4:Under the AutoFormat As You Type tab, check the box forInternet and network paths with hyperlinks. Then, clickOK.

When the “Update Links on Save” feature is enabled, Microsoft Excel automatically updates links to other workbooks, charts, and websites when you save a workbook. However, thisfeature can sometimes break hyperlinksin your Excel workbook. You can turn off this feature to see if it solves your problem.

Step 1:Open Microsoft Excel and head toFile > Options.

Step 2:In the Advanced tab, scroll down and click onWeb Options.

Step 3:Under the Files tab, uncheckUpdate links on save. Then, hitOKto save changes.

Fix 4: Disable Protected View

Many Office apps, including Excel, have a Protected View feature that safeguards your computer against opening potentially harmful links or files. This feature may sometimes mistakenly open entirely safe Excel files in Protected View, restricting your access to embedded links. If you are confident that the document is legitimate, you can temporarily disable Protected View in Excel to avoid such issues.

Step 1:Open Microsoft Excel and head toFile > Options.

Step 2:Switch to theTrust Centertab and click onTrust Center Settings.

Step 3:In the Protected View tab, clear allthree checkboxesto disable Protected View and clickOKto save changes.

Fix 5: Repair the Excel Workbook

Are hyperlinks not working only in a specific Excel workbook? If so, the issue could be related to the file itself. Fortunately, Excel includes a repair feature that can automatically identify and fix problems with your workbook.

Step 1:Open Microsoft Excel and click on theFilemenu at the top-left corner.

Step 2:SelectOpenfrom the left sidebar and click onBrowse.

Step 3:Browse and select your Excel file. Then, click thedownward arrownext to Open to selectOpen and Repair.

Microsoft Excel will open your fileafter repairing it. After that, check if the hyperlinks are working in Excel.

Fix 6: Run the Office Repair Tool

If all else fails, consider running the Microsoft Office repair tool as a last resort. This tool can automatically fix issues with your Office apps, including Excel.

Step 1:Right-click on theStart iconand selectInstalled appsfrom the list.

Step 2:Scroll down to locate the Microsoft Office product on the list. Click on thethree-dot menu iconnext to it and selectModify.

Step 3:SelectOnline Repairand clickRepair.

Was this helpful?

Last updated on 04 July, 2024

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Your email address will not be published.Required fields are marked*

Name*

Email*

Comment*

Δ

The article above may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. The content remains unbiased and authentic and will never affect our editorial integrity.

More in Windows

6 Ways to Recover Deleted Sticky Notes in Windows 10

7 Best Ways to Fix Kindle for PC Desktop App Won’t Open on Windows

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER

Get Guiding Tech articles delivered to your inbox.

© 2024 Guiding Tech Media. All Rights Reserved.