Hyperlink No More
Have you ever been frustrated with MS Word while putting together a document that contains email or web site addresses?
Tired of the way Word continues to automatically create hyperlinks of your addresses?
You know—the change of color and underlining. If you’re creating a document to be printed then this isn’t exactly what you’re looking for.
In fact, for printed documents, it can be downright annoying!
What to do…
Well, the way I see it, it’s time to take control of Word and make it do things your way.
Here’s the deal: that wonderful little feature known as “AutoCorrect” has some options for items that Word can “AutoFormat as you type”. The result of one of them is that your addresses are automatically turned into hyperlinks—a good thing if you need them as hyperlinks—a bad thing if you don’t.
So, to turn off the feature that automatically makes these changes follow these simple steps:
1. Go to the Tools menu, AutoCorrect choice.
2. On the AutoFormat As You Type tab you’re looking to deselect the “Internet and network paths with hyperlinks” option.
3. Click OK.
And that’s it.
Now when you type an email or web site address it will stay as normal text (no underline or color change). Yeah!
However, you also may notice that any hyperlinks you’ve previously created are not affected—they’re still there.
What to do about these?
Retype it all?
Absolutely not!
All you need to do is to remove the hyperlink that’s associated with the text.
You can do this in several different ways.
In Word 97 one way is to right click on the hyperlink and choose Edit Hyperlink from the Hyperlink submenu.
Another way is to place the cursor in or highlight the hyperlink and go to the Insert menu, Hyperlink choice.
And yet another way is to place the cursor in or highlight the hyperlink and use the key combination of Ctrl + K.
Any way you get there the Edit Hyperlink window will open.
You’re looking for the Remove Link button in the bottom left corner—click it.
If you’re using a newer version of Word then you can simply right click on the hyperlink and choose Remove Hyperlink from the menu. (You can also go the long route and use the Insert menu or Ctrl + K , but why bother?)
No matter what version or which method you use, you’re returned to your document where you’ll happily discover that the text is back to normal. No links here!
Just one more thought before you go.
Some of you may be thinking “Fine and dandy—but what about when I really do want a hyperlink? What then?”
Good question. I mean, if you’ve turned off the automatic hyperlink option then how do you create the links?
No problem.
Highlight the text to be linked and go to the Insert menu, Hyperlink choice. (Use could avoid the menu by using the Ctrl + K option.)
Now simply enter the site address in the top field and click OK. (If you want it to be an email address link then use the format from the picture above—that is “mailto:” followed by the email address.)
Link created without all the hassle of turning the AutoCorrect feature on / off / on / off.
~ April