To convert a Word document to PDF while keeping its hyperlinks, use Word’s PDF save or export command, then open the resulting PDF and test the links. In Windows, use File > Save As or Save a Copy and select PDF. On a Mac, choose the PDF option for electronic distribution and accessibility when available. In Word for the web, use File > Export > Download as PDF.
The important check is whether a link opens the intended destination. Blue, underlined text alone does not prove that the PDF contains a working link. These instructions cover current Microsoft 365 and supported Word desktop editions, including Word 2024 and 2021, plus Word for the web. Dialog labels can vary by edition.
Check the links before converting
Keep your editable Word file, usually a .docx, and save the PDF under a separate name. For a long document, try a small example containing the link types you use before exporting the whole file.
- Website link: select the linked text and inspect its target using Word’s link-editing command. A typed address or colored text may need an actual hyperlink added.
- Document link: link to an existing heading or bookmark if the destination is another part of the same document.
- Email link: check the address carefully. Opening it also depends on the recipient’s email application.
- File link: a link to a file on your computer does not put that file inside the PDF. Someone else may be unable to access your local drive or a restricted shared location.
Microsoft documents creating and editing hyperlinks in Windows and the corresponding Mac link controls. In Windows, Insert > Link lets you choose a web address, email address, or Place in This Document. On Mac, the document destination appears as This Document.
Save a PDF in Word for Windows
- Open the document in the Word desktop application. Check the original links first.
- Select File > Save As or Save a Copy, then choose Browse when shown.
- Select PDF as the file type and give the copy a recognizable name.
- Open More Options > Options if you need to control the page range, markup, bookmarks, or accessibility tags. Include pages that contain any internal link destinations.
- Confirm the options and select Save. Open the saved PDF separately for the checks below.
Save As, choose PDF as the file type, open Options if needed, select Save” class=”wp-image-163071″ style=”width:650px;height:auto”/>Microsoft’s desktop PDF instructions explain these save choices. Create bookmarks using can add navigation from headings or Word bookmarks. That navigation is separate from a hyperlink in the page text. Document structure tags for accessibility adds structural information; it is not a guarantee that every link works.
Save a PDF in Word for Mac
Before using the online conversion option: Microsoft says this method sends the document to its conversion service over the internet. Its accessibility guidance also warns that a Word file protected by Information Rights Management or an opening password can be saved without that protection. Follow your organization’s rules for sensitive or protected documents.
- Open the document in desktop Word and select File > Save As or Save a Copy.
- Choose a destination and a separate filename, then set File Format to PDF.
- When offered, select Best for electronic distribution and accessibility (uses Microsoft online service).
- Select Export, or the save button shown in your edition. Open the completed PDF and test it.
Microsoft identifies incorrect hyperlink conversion with Best for printing as a known Mac issue in its desktop PDF documentation. Its accessible PDF guide describes the electronic distribution option and its protection implications. If your settings or policy prevent that option, use an approved conversion route and check its output before sharing.
Export from Word for the web
- Open the document in Word for the web and select File > Export.
- Choose Download as PDF, or Download as PDF with comments if those comments belong in the shared copy.
- Select Download in the confirmation box.
- Open the file from your browser’s download location and test its links.
This follows Microsoft’s Word for the web PDF instructions. For more detail on the download choices, see our Word Online PDF guide. The browser version does not show the desktop Save As dialog described above.
Test the finished PDF before sharing
Open the PDF in the viewer your readers are likely to use. Check a representative link of each type, and all critical destinations:
- A website link should reach the intended page, not merely launch a browser.
- An internal link should reach the correct heading or location, including after a page-range export.
- An email link should address a new message correctly, if an email handler is configured.
- A link on an image should work when you click the intended image area.
- A shared-file link should be accessible to the recipient’s account, not only yours.
Include links in footnotes and endnotes in your checks if the document uses them. Review page breaks, fonts, tables, and other formatting too. A successful link check does not prove the rest of the document converted correctly.
Fix missing or incorrect PDF links
The text looks like a link but cannot be clicked
Return to Word and inspect the link target. Add or correct the actual hyperlink, then save a new PDF using Word’s PDF command. If you previously used a printer’s PDF option, try the documented save/export route instead; the conversion routes are different.
The link opens the wrong place or an unavailable page
Compare the PDF’s destination with the Word link. Correct the source address or document destination and export again. An unavailable website, missing local file, or permission restriction needs a destination or access fix, even if the PDF link itself was preserved.
The link works in one PDF viewer but not another
Check whether the viewer is showing a security prompt or blocking external links. Test the same PDF in another trusted viewer to isolate the problem. Do not disable security protections just to make a link open.
FAQs
Does Standard quality ensure hyperlinks survive?
No quality selection is a substitute for inspecting the actual exported links. Use the route for your Word edition and test the saved file.
Does a PDF link embed its destination file?
No. A hyperlink points somewhere; it does not automatically attach the destination’s contents. Linking to another document and putting a PDF inside Word are different tasks.
Will editing Word update the PDF automatically?
No. Keep the Word original, make your changes there, and export a replacement PDF. Give the new copy a clear name so you do not accidentally share the older version. Test the replacement’s links before sending it.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.