How to Add Hyperlinks to PDF (6 Quick and Easy Ways)

Easily add links to your PDFs with Xodo PDF Editor, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and on iOS and Android devices.

As you create digital documents, you can find that lengthy PDF content can be hard to deliver in a user-friendly way.

If the file is too large, the content too obscure, or the user experience too frustrating, your readers can quickly lose interest.

A simple hyperlink in your PDF file makes it easier to navigate, instantly provide additional content, and enable readers to access external resources.

In this guide, we'll cover six quick ways to add links to PDF:

• Adding a link to external URL
• Adding a link to a page in PDF
• Editing existing link in PDF
• Adding a link to a PDF using MS Word
• Adding a link using Google Docs
• Adding a link on iOS and Android

So if you’re ready to begin, let’s take a closer look at each method for creating hyperlinks in PDF documents.

How to add links to PDF using Xodo PDF Editor

You can use Xodo's online PDF editor to quickly add links to PDF, no need to use software like Adobe Acrobat.

With Xodo, you can easily link to external URLs, add links to specific pages within your PDF, and even edit and update existing links.

Add a hyperlink in PDF to an external URL

Follow these steps to link to an external URL in your PDF using Xodo PDF editor:

1. Go to Xodo’s online PDF Editor.
2. Open your PDF.
3. Select and highlight the text you want to hyperlink to.
4. In the context menu that appears, click on the link icon.
5. Under the URL section in the dialog, enter the link you wish to insert.
6. Click on Link.
7. Click on the Download or Save to save a copy of your PDF with the newly added link inserted.

This method allows you to provide readers with a direct link to any external webpage related to the content of the document.

Add a hyperlink to a specific page in PDF

Here's how you can use Xodo to add a link to a page in your PDF:

1. Open your PDF In the online PDF Editor.
2. Use your mouse to highlight the text where you wish to add a link.
3. In the context menu that appears, click on the link icon.
4. Click on the Page tab in the dialog and enter the page number you wish to link to.
5. Click on the Download button to save a copy of your PDF.

The above method works to add a link to specific pages in your document, but you can also edit existing links in your PDF.

How to edit existing links in PDF

Follow these simple steps to quickly update and edit existing links in your PDF:

1. Open your PDF in Xodo's online PDF editor, then select the Edit Text tool from the main toolbar menu.
2. Select and highlight the hyperlink you want to edit.
3. Click on the link icon in the side panel.
4. In the window, make any updates to the URL as needed.
5. Download or save the PDF to your device or Xodo Drive or Google Drive.

This feature can be handy when you need to replace broken links, accommodate new page additions, or update linked resources.

How to add a hyperlink to PDF using MS Word

Here's how to add links to PDF using Microsoft Word:

1. Open your PDF file in Microsoft Word. MS Word will automatically convert your PDF into .Docx file.
2. Select and highlight the text you wish to use as your anchor text.
3. In the toolbar, go to Insert > Link.
4. Enter the URL you wish to add. Note that you also have the option to insert links to formatted headings within the document. To do so, use the This Document tab in the dialog to select the heading to link to.
5. Once done, go to File> Save as > Download as PDF to save the file back to a PDF document.

How to add a hyperlink to PDF using Google Docs

You can easily add links to your PDF using the Google Docs app. Here's how:

1. Right-click on your PDF in Google Drive and select Open with > Google Docs.
2. Select and highlight the text you wish to link.
3. Click on the Insert link icon on the toolbar, or right-click on the highlighted text and select Insert link.
4. In the dialog, you can paste in your URL or select a Google Doc or choose a heading in the document to link to.
5. Click on Apply.
6. Next, export your file back into PDF by clicking on File > Download > PDF Document (.pdf).
7. Save and download the PDF to your computer.

Inserting Hyperlinks in PDF on iOS and Android

Here's how you can add links to PDF on iOS and Android devices using the Xodo mobile app:

1. Download Xodo for iOS or Android.
2. Open your PDF in the Xodo app.
3. Select Insert from the drop-down menu in the toolbar.
4. Tap on the link icon in the toolbar.
5. At the bottom of the screen you’ll have options to choose the color and line thickness of the link.
6. Select the text you wish to hyperlink to.
7. Enter a link to a website or the number of the page to link to.
8. Tap on OK.

We've covered the steps for Android devices above; the process is similar for iOS and can be followed in the same manner.

Do more with your PDF files

When adding links to your PDF, you're not just editing the document - you're crafting a user experience.

Now, you have six ways to do so: use Xodo on web and mobile, MS Word, or Google Docs. With these options, you'll never be short of choices.

With Xodo, you can also go beyond adding links. Edit, merge, resize, and annotate your PDF content with ease in a single platform.

Try out Xodo's online tools to discover its full range of capabilities and enhance your document workflow.