How to Make a Hyperlink in a PDF File

Insert hyperlinks into your PDF document for direct Web navigation.

We've become accustomed to finding everything with the click of a mouse button. This includes navigating directly from an informative document to the very source it is speaking of. Adding hyperlinks to a PDF document creates a "one-stop" shop for your reader -- after your reader absorbs the information you've written, send him directly to the website he needs to visit.

Instructions

1. Open Adobe Acrobat, click "File" and select "Open." Browse to the document you wish to edit and double-click to select and open it.

2. Navigate to the page with the information to be hyperlinked.

3. Select "Tools" and open the "Content Panel" by clicking on the side arrow so it's facing down.

4. Click "Link." Make sure your cursor has now changed to the cross hair appearance.

5. Select the text or image to be hyperlinked by drawing a rectangle around it. The Create Link box will pop-up with several options for your link.

6. Design the appearance of your hyperlink by adjusting the link type, line appearance and highlight style.

7. Direct your hyperlink to either a different page, different file, Web page or different view by selecting the appropriate action under the "Link Action" option. Press "Next."

8. Send your reader to the desired location of the hyperlink by directing Adobe where to go. For example, if you selected "Open a web page" to direct your reader to an external website, an "Edit URL" box will open providing the field where you type the website's URL address. Add that information and click "OK."

9. Create all of the hyperlinks needed, proofread your changes, test your links by clicking on the "Selection" tool in the standard toolbar and clicking on each link. Select "File" and choose "Save As" once you've confirmed all links are working. Name your document something that indicates it is a newer, different version than the one you started with and choose the "Save" button.

Tips & Warnings

• Use hyperlinks in your PDFs to jump internally for navigation within large documents by selecting the "Go to page view" option from the Create Link dialog box.

• Save your new document with a new name. This not only preserves the original version in case you need it, but also indicates the number of revisions a document has been through.

References

• Adobe Acrobat X Step-by-Step Pro Guide: Adding Links and Buttons to PDF Documents