How to Hyperlink in Google Docs (Add, Edit & Remove Links)

Hyperlinks make your Google Docs more interactive and easier to navigate. Whether you’re linking to a website, another document, or a specific section within the same file, knowing how to hyperlink in Google Docs can improve collaboration and make your documents more professional.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to make a hyperlink in Google Docs, edit and remove links, create internal links, and troubleshoot common hyperlink issues. The steps work for both beginners and experienced users.

What Is a Hyperlink in Google Docs?

A hyperlink is clickable text or an image in your document that takes the reader to another location when clicked — a website URL, an email address, a specific heading within the same document, or even a specific bookmarked spot on a page. In Google Docs, hyperlinks appear underlined and in blue by default, and clicking one (or Ctrl/Cmd + clicking, depending on your settings) opens the linked destination.

How to Add a Hyperlink in Google Docs (Basic Method)

This is the fastest way to create a hyperlink in Google Docs on desktop.

1. Highlight the text you want to turn into a hyperlink
2. Go to Insert in the menu bar, then click Link (or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + K on Windows / Cmd + K on Mac)
3. A small box will appear — paste or type the URL you want to link to
4. Press Enter or click Apply

The selected text will now appear underlined and blue, indicating it’s a working hyperlink.

How to Insert a Hyperlink in Google Docs Using the Toolbar

If you prefer not to use the Insert menu, the same result is available directly from the toolbar:

1. Select the text you want to link
2. Click the Insert link icon in the toolbar (it looks like a chain link)
3. Enter the URL and click Apply

Both this method and the Insert → Link method produce the exact same result — it comes down to personal preference.

How to Make a Hyperlink to a Bookmark in the Same Document

Bookmarks let you link to a precise point in your document — a specific paragraph, table, or chart — rather than just the nearest heading.

Step 1: Place the bookmark

1. Click where you want the link to point
2. Go to Insert → Bookmark
3. A small bookmark icon will appear at that spot

Step 2: Link to the bookmark

1. Highlight the text you want to turn into a link
2. Press Ctrl + K
3. Click Headings and bookmarks
4. Select the bookmark you just created
5. Click Apply

How to Make a Hyperlink to Another Part of the Same Document

Google Docs also lets you link directly to a heading or bookmark within the same document — useful for long documents with a table of contents or internal navigation.

1. Highlight the text you want to link
2. Press Ctrl + K (or Cmd + K on Mac)
3. In the link box, click Headings and bookmarks
4. Select the heading or bookmark you want to jump to
5. Click Apply

This creates an internal link that scrolls the reader to that section when clicked, rather than opening an external page.

How to Create a Hyperlink With an Email Address

To make an email address clickable so it opens the reader’s default mail app:

1. Select the text or email address
2. Press Ctrl + K (or Cmd + K)
3. Type the full email address in the link field
4. Google Docs will typically auto-format it as a mailto link — click Apply

How to Change Hyperlink Color in Google Docs

By default, hyperlinks appear blue and underlined. To match your document’s design, you can change the color without affecting the link itself:

1. Select the hyperlinked text
2. Click the Text color icon in the toolbar
3. Choose a new color from the palette

This only changes the visual appearance — the text remains fully clickable and still links to the same destination.

How to Hyperlink an Image in Google Docs

You can also turn an image into a clickable link, useful for creating button-style navigation or linked logos.

1. Click the image to select it
2. Press Ctrl + K (or Cmd + K on Mac), or click the Insert link icon in the toolbar that appears above the image
3. Enter the URL you want the image to link to
4. Click Apply

Clicking the image (while holding Ctrl/Cmd, or normally in view mode) will now open the linked destination just like text hyperlinks do.

How to Link to Another Google Doc, Sheet, or Slide

To link to a separate Google file rather than an external website:

1. Open the file you want to link to and copy its URL from the address bar
2. Go back to your document and select the text you want to hyperlink
3. Press Ctrl + K and paste the copied URL
4. Click Apply

This works the same as linking to any external URL — Google Docs treats links to other Google files just like regular web links.

How to Add a Hyperlink in Google Docs on Mobile (iPhone and Android)

The mobile app uses a slightly different menu layout but achieves the same result:

1. Open the document in the Google Docs app
2. Tap and hold to select the text you want to link
3. Tap the Insert icon (the + symbol) in the toolbar
4. Tap Link
5. Enter the URL and tap the checkmark to confirm

How to Remove a Hyperlink in Google Docs

If you no longer need a link — or want to convert linked text back to plain text — removing it is just as quick as adding one.

On desktop:

1. Click anywhere inside the hyperlinked text
2. A small toolbar will pop up showing the link — click the three-dot menu or the link icon
3. Select Remove link

Alternatively, right-click the hyperlink and choose Remove link from the context menu.

On mobile:

1. Tap the hyperlinked text
2. Tap the link preview that appears
3. Tap Remove

To remove multiple hyperlinks at once:

1. Select all the text containing links (Ctrl + A for the whole document, or highlight a specific section)
2. Go to Format in the menu bar
3. Click Clear formatting (Ctrl + \)

Note that “Clear formatting” removes all formatting — bold, italics, font size, etc. — not just the hyperlink, so use this only if you’re fine resetting the text’s full style.

How to Edit an Existing Hyperlink

To change where a link points, or update its display text:

1. Click on the hyperlink
2. Click the pencil/edit icon that appears in the small popup
3. Update the URL or display text
4. Click Apply

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make a hyperlink in Google Docs? Highlight the text, press Ctrl + K (Cmd + K on Mac), enter the URL, and press Enter. This works the same whether you call it “adding,” “creating,” “inserting,” or “making” a hyperlink — they’re all the same action.

How do you hyperlink in Google Docs on a phone? Tap and hold the text to select it, tap the + (Insert) icon, tap Link, then enter the URL and confirm.

Can I hyperlink to a specific place in the same document? Yes. Use Ctrl + K, then select Headings and bookmarks instead of typing a URL, and choose the section you want to link to.

Why isn’t my hyperlink clickable? If a link isn’t clickable while editing, that’s normal — Google Docs requires you to hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and click to follow a link while in edit mode, to avoid accidentally navigating away while typing. In view-only mode, links are clickable normally.

How do I remove a hyperlink without removing the text? Click the link, open the three-dot menu or right-click, and choose Remove link. This deletes only the hyperlink and leaves the text itself intact.

Do hyperlinks stay if I export the document to PDF or Word? Yes. Both internal links (headings, bookmarks) and external links are preserved when you export to PDF or download as a Word (.docx) file, in most cases.

Does a hyperlink open in a new tab or the same tab? For external links, this depends on your browser settings rather than Google Docs itself — most browsers open links in a new tab by default. Internal links (to a heading or bookmark) simply scroll to that section within the same document rather than opening anything new.

Is hyperlinking different in Google Sheets compared to Google Docs? Yes. In Sheets, you can hyperlink cell content the same way (Insert → Link), or use the =HYPERLINK() formula for more control. However, Sheets doesn’t support the heading/bookmark-based internal navigation that Docs offers.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to hyperlink in Google Docs is a simple but valuable skill that makes documents easier to navigate and more professional. Whether you want to add links to websites, other Google Docs, headings, bookmarks, or images, Google Docs provides several quick ways to do it.