Create hyperlinks



You can create hyperlinks to pages, URLs, text anchors, email addresses, and files. If you create a hyperlink to a page or text anchor in a different document, make sure that the exported files appear in the same folder.

To show or hide hyperlinks, choose View > Show Hyperlinks or Hide Hyperlinks.
Note: Hyperlinks are included in exported Adobe PDF files if Hyperlinks is selected in the Export Adobe PDF dialog box in InDesign. Hyperlinks are included in the exported SWF file if Include Hyperlinks is selected in the Export SWF dialog box.

Create a hyperlink to a web page (URL)

You can use several different methods to create hyperlinks to URLs. When you specify a URL, you can use any valid Internet resource protocol: http://, file://, ftp://, or mailto://.

You can also use the Buttons feature to link to web pages. (See Buttons.)

You may want to create a character style for hyperlinks. Hyperlinks are often formatted in underlined blue text.
  1. Select the text, frame, or graphic you want to be the hyperlink’s source. For example, you can select the text, “See the Adobe website.”
  2. In the Hyperlinks panel, use any of the following methods to create a hyperlink to a URL:

    • In the URL text box, type or paste the URL name (such as http://www.adobe.com), and then choose New Hyperlink from the Hyperlinks panel. Choose URL from the Link To menu, specify appearance options, and click OK.

    • If a URL is selected in your document, choose New Hyperlink From URL in the Hyperlinks panel menu. Double-click the hyperlink in the Hyperlinks panel, and then choose URL from the Link To menu, specify appearance options, and click OK.

    • Select a previously added URL from the URL menu. The hyperlink appearance is the same as that used in the previous URL.

    • Choose New Hyperlink in the Hyperlinks panel menu. Choose URL from the Link To menu, specify appearance options, and click OK.

Note: If a URL hyperlink isn’t working in the exported PDF, there may be a problem with the hyperlink being a “Shared Destination.” Double-click the hyperlink in the Hyperlinks panel, choose URL from the Link To menu, deselect Shared Hyperlink Destination, and click OK.

Create a hyperlink to a file

When you create a hyperlink to a file, clicking the hyperlink in the exported PDF or SWF file opens the file in its native application, such as Microsoft Word for .doc files.

Make sure the file you specify is available to anyone opening the PDF or SWF file you export. For example, if you’re sending the exported PDF to a coworker, specify a file located on a shared server rather than your hard drive.

  1. Select the text, frame, or graphic you want to be the source of the hyperlink.
  2. Choose New Hyperlink in the Hyperlinks panel menu, or click the Create New Hyperlink button  at the bottom of the Hyperlinks panel.
  3. In the New Hyperlink dialog box, choose File from the Link To menu.
  4. For Path, type the pathname or click the folder button to locate and double-click the filename.
  5. Select Shared Hyperlink Destination if you want the email message to be stored in the Hyperlinks panel for easy reuse.
  6. Specify the appearance of the hyperlink source, and then click OK.

Create a hyperlink to an email message

  1. Select the text, frame, or graphic you want to be the source of the hyperlink.
  2. Choose New Hyperlink in the Hyperlinks panel menu, or click the Create New Hyperlink button  at the bottom of the Hyperlinks panel.
  3. In the New Hyperlink dialog box, choose Email from the Link To menu.
  4. For Address, type the email address, such as username@company.com.
  5. For Subject Line, type the text that appears in the subject line of the email message.
  6. Select Shared Hyperlink Destination if you want the email message to be stored in the Hyperlinks panel for easy reuse.
  7. Specify the appearance of the hyperlink source, and then click OK.

Create a hyperlink to a page

You can create a hyperlink to a page without first creating a destination. However, by creating a page destination, you can specify a page number and view setting.

  1. Select the text, frame, or graphic you want to be the source of the hyperlink.
  2. Choose New Hyperlink in the Hyperlinks panel menu, or click the Create New Hyperlink button  at the bottom of the Hyperlinks panel.
  3. In the New Hyperlink dialog box, choose Page from the Link To menu.
  4. For Document, select the document containing the destination that you want to jump to. All open documents that have been saved are listed in the pop‑up menu. If the document you’re looking for isn’t open, select Browse in the pop‑up menu, locate the file, and then click Open.
  5. For Page, specify the page number you want to jump to.
  6. For Zoom Setting, do one of the following to select the view state of the page being jumped to:

    • Select Fixed to display the magnification level and page position that were in effect when you created the link.

    • Select Fit View to display the visible portion of the current page as the destination.

    • Select Fit In Window to display the current page in the destination window.

    • Select Fit Width or Fit Height to display the width or height of the current page in the destination window.

    • Select Fit Visible to display the page so that its text and graphics fit the width of the window, which usually means that the margins are not displayed.

    • Select Inherit Zoom to display the destination window at the magnification level the reader uses when the hyperlink is clicked.

  7. Specify appearance options, and then click OK.

Create a hyperlink destination

Creating a hyperlink destination is necessary only if you’re creating a hyperlink or cross-reference to a text anchor. A text anchor can point to a selection of text or to the insertion point location. Then you create the hyperlink or cross-reference that points to the hyperlink destination. You can also create hyperlink destinations for pages and URLs, but a destination isn’t necessary for those links.

Hyperlink destinations you create do not appear in the Hyperlinks panel; they appear in the dialog box that appears when you’re creating or editing hyperlinks.

  1. If you’re creating a text anchor, use the Type tool to place the insertion point, or select the range of text that you want to be the anchor.

    You cannot set up an anchor destination for text on a master page.

  2. Choose New Hyperlink Destination in the Hyperlinks panel menu.
  3. Do any of the following, and then click OK:

    • Choose Text Anchor in the Type menu. Specify a name for the text anchor.

    • Choose Page in the Type menu. Specify the page number you want to jump to and the Zoom Setting. Type a name for the page, or select Name With Page Number to name the destination automatically based on the page number and zoom setting you specify.

    • Choose URL in the Type menu. Type or paste a URL, such as http://www.adobe.com. You can use any valid Internet resource protocol: http://, file://, ftp://, or mailto://.

Create a hyperlink to a text anchor

  1. Select the text, frame, or graphic you want to be the source of the hyperlink.
  2. Choose New Hyperlink in the Hyperlinks panel menu, or click the Create New Hyperlink button at the bottom of the Hyperlinks panel.
  3. Choose Text Anchor from the Link To menu.
  4. For Document, select the document containing the destination that you want to jump to. All open documents that have been saved are listed in the pop‑up menu. If the document you’re looking for isn’t open, select Browse in the pop‑up menu, locate the file, and then click Open.
  5. From the Text Anchor menu, choose the text anchor destination you created.
  6. Specify hyperlink appearance options, and then click OK.

Create a hyperlink to any shared destination

While creating a hyperlink, if you choose Shared Destination from the Link To menu, you can specify any named destination. A destination is named when you add a URL using the URL text box or when you select Shared Hyperlink Destination while creating a hyperlink to a URL, file, or email address.

  1. Select the text, frame, or graphic you want to be the source of the hyperlink.
  2. Choose New Hyperlink in the Hyperlinks panel menu, or click the Create New Hyperlink button at the bottom of the Hyperlinks panel.
  3. In the New Hyperlink dialog box, choose Shared Destination from the Link To menu.
  4. For Document, select the document containing the destination that you want to jump to. All open documents that have been saved are listed in the pop‑up menu. If the document you’re looking for isn’t open, select Browse in the pop‑up menu, locate the file, and then click Open.
  5. Choose a destination from the Name menu.
  6. Specify hyperlink appearance options, and then click OK.

Hyperlink appearance options

The options determine the appearance of the hyperlink or cross-reference source in the exported PDF or SWF file. These appearance options are also displayed in the InDesign document if you choose View > Show Hyperlinks.

Character Style
Choose a character style to apply to the hyperlink source. The Character Style option is available only if the hyperlink source is selected text, not a selected frame or graphic.

If you’re inserting a cross-reference, you can apply a character style when you edit a cross-reference format. You can also apply character styles to building blocks within a format. See Using cross-reference formats.

Type
Select Visible Rectangle or Invisible Rectangle.

Highlight
Select Invert, Outline, Inset, or None. These options determine the appearance of the hyperlink when it’s being clicked in the PDF or SWF file.

Color
Select a color for the visible hyperlink rectangle.

Width
Select Thin, Medium, or Thick to determine the thickness of the hyperlink rectangle.

Style
Select Solid or Dashed to determine the appearance of the hyperlink rectangle.