MS Word Hyperlinks not working after Converting to PDF.

Hi,

Which OS? If it's a Mac, then they wont work. If it's Windows, then you may need to configure the PDF Makers to convert the Hyperlinks:

Adobe PDF: Change Conversion Settings

In the Settings tab at the bottom, select Add Links to Adobe PDF.

Thank you for your speedy reply, but a check of the setting showed that it was checked to convert the links. Any other ideas?

Thanks,

-Dave

I am not sure why this would be happening. Send me the file (I have another test like this to perform anyway).

[url=mailto:timothyp [at] adobe [dot] com]timothyp [at] adobe [dot] com[/url]Tim

I'm experiencing the same issue. Any ideas?

I'm experiencing the same problem. I'm using Word 2007 and the hyperlinks work fine from the Word doc. It's just when I convert to PDF (Acrobat 7.0 Pro) that I lose the links. Does anyone have a workaround? Thx.

Do the links come across into your PDF as blue/underline but just not work? If so, try saving the Word file as RTF and then try converting it to PDF.

Also, there is a hyperlink troubleshooting guide in the FAQ at:
http://www.acrobatusers.com/forums/aucbb/viewtopic.php?id=1843

Effective workaround:

I tried all of the above, but still could not get Acrobat 9 to convert text hyperlinks in Word to working links in PDF. However, after some searching on the Internet I found a very effective workaround, using an Acrobat feature to manually add the links once the PDF file has been created.

1. Write the text you want to become hyperlinks as normal blue and underlined words in your Word document, so that they look like hyperlinks.
2. Convert the document to PDF and open it.
3. Select (in Acrobat) Tools -> Advanced editing -> Link tool
4. Mark the section/word(s) in the PDF document that you want to convert into a hyperlink.
5. Select "Invisible rectangle" under Link type, and select "Open a web page" under Link action.
6. Click next and enter the hyperlink destination/Internet address.
7. Click on the Hand icon/symbol button in the Adobe menu (top of page), which removes the colour marking around the rectangle.
8. Save the document, File -> Save as.If you want to view an 8 minutes video instruction, please see the following website where I personally found out how to do it:
http://www.flashpublishers.com/public/918.cfm

I found a problem when converting a file to a PDF where converted links and bookmarks were not working.

The short part of the solution was to adjust the settings of a picture so it stayed w/i a margin.

We had two types of documents, one document had the hyperlinks and bookmarks working.
The other converted PDF document did not have working links (they would be blue, but wouldn't link (with the cursor changing style)).

After extensive analysis, after changing the margins in section1 to match and changing (in MS Word) the size of a picture and the absolute positions of that picture plus one other that was overlayed on top of the first. -- then all the links (TOC, hyperlinks, bookmarks) worked after conversion.

Why this sole issue with this picture would impact Acrobat's ability to have subsequent URLs, bookmarks, TOC to work --- I don't know. I just know it worked.

I put together an extensive preso on this showing others how to avert this issue.

One other point to note: Assure you have in your Word document (or the document u r trying to convert) that you have TURNED OFF any markup (View --> Markup) or tracked changes (Toos --> Track Changes). This may also impact the ability for Adobe to create useful links.

I just updated to adobe acrobat 8, and now find that I can't get the hyperlinks in my .docs to show up. I've checked the adobe conversion settings & found nothing that seems amiss. Help!

Do you still have other version of Acrobat installed on your system? If so you may be experiencing conflicts with the PDFMaker macro between the two programs.

experimentation has revealed the problem to be truly bizarre. Certain portions of a footnote can be hyperlinked but not others; in addition, sometimes the link "moves" in the .pdf to some portion of footnote other than the blue underscored text....

strongly suspect the problem is document specific. It doesn't happen w/ others. Oy!

yES, NO DOUBT... THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN PLAUGING ME FOR A FEW WEEKS NOW. iN MY .DOC, i CAN CREATE (dang cap locks) a multitude of hyperlinks to excel and word docs, but pdfs, they just don't work! Acrobat tries to open, but flickers off. If I leave Acrobat open, screen changes to it, but no document.

Funny thing is they wroked when I first started putting the links in. Wish this problem would go away :(

I think I have this figured out. Hyperlinks were not working when I converted to PDF (acrobat 9) from MS word 2007. Here's how I got them to work.

Instead of doing "Print to PDF" I simply did "Save As" and chose the PDF option. Links working fine now.

Have you tried renaming your Word Normal.dot file? Sometimes a lot of extra baggage is carried around in this that recreating helps to remove. For more information, check out [url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/826862]How to troubleshoot printing problems in Word 2007 or in Word 2003[/url].

I work for IRS and have created 10 word documents with hyperlinks that need to be converted to PDF and placed on a web page. I have Acrobat Proff V8. On eight of the documents the hyperlinks came through fine, but two will not. I have checked all the conversion setting and track changes is off. Any ideas.

Would welcome an email and a phone number. I am in San Jose, one block from Adobe.

Have you tried the suggestion for renaming the Normal.dot file for Word?

I have tried everything listed above and some others found on other web pages. I even converted it to Mac Word 2008 and back and still nothing. I did send the five files that had problems to a coworker in Houston who has the same softwares. Two came out fine, but three still had errors though fewer. Would welcome a call. 408-817-6495.

Can you provide some specifics on your configuration? Version of Windows/Word/Acrobat? Do you have multiple versions of Acrobat on your system? Are these TOCs links from Word?

We have XP .05.01.04 and Acrobat Pro 8.1.6. The documents were created in word 2003 and contain both hyperlinks within the document and to web pages on our web site. Both types of links have problems. I have only the one version of Acrobat on my system. All the links were created in word. I have just put in a request for version 9, but being the government, not sure if it will be honored.

Here are two things that I used to run into with earlier versins of Word and Adobe Acrobat (I now use Acrobat 9 and MsWord 2007 with no issues like those).

1. Track changes on in the Word document would srew up links and other things when converting to pdf.
2. A text box within a form would cause problems with converting to pdf. Could never figure out why but after I got rid of the textbox the form worked fine when converted.

Brian

I recently upgraded to Acrobat 9, using Word 2007 and had this same problem. I did have a document with a TOC that converted to links correctly and one that did not. After a lot of searching on Microsoft's website, I realized that the doc I had problems with was missing the \h field switch from the TOC's fieldcodes.

To toggle between your field codes and your TOC, click Alt + F9. If your field code does not have a \h in it, then that's most likely the problem. The \h is what creates the hyperlinks.

This is my example of a TOC that links nicely in Acrobat 9, { TOC \o "1-3" \h \z }.

Now, if I could figure out why Acrobat 9 creates bookmarks for all of the styles in my Word document instead of the ones I mark in the Preferences / Bookmarks tab, I'd be all set!

I hope his helps!
Cheers,
Seven

What exact process do you use to create your PDFs (i.e., PDFMaker macro in Word or Create PDF from file in Acrobat, etc.)?

I'm creating PDFs using the Create PDF button on the Acrobat Ribbon in Word 2007. If I hover over the button, it says Acrobat PDFMaker Office COM Addin.

Actually, Acrobat creates bookmarks for every Heading (not every Style like I mentioned in my last response) in the doc file. If I click the Preference button on the Acrobat ribbon, I click the Bookmarks tab and select only Heading 1 (the Convert Word Headings to Bookmarks checkbox is marked) but my resulting PDF will have bookmarks for every Heading 2, Heading 3, Heading 4 and so on.

Thanks in advance if you can help me with this issue! :)

I believe you've encountered an issue with A9/Word 2007, which can be logged at [url=https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform]Report a Bug[/url].

Thank you so much. I submitted a bug report.

So I am on a Mac and can't convert hyperlinks from Word. How do I create a hyperlink in Acrobat 9 Pro? The Help manual returns nothing for "create hyperlink" or "add hyperlink".

We have currently upgraded to XP with Office 2007 and Acrobat Writer Pro 9. When I create a .pdf out of Word, I get all my headings, however I don't get the numbered headings i.e. 1. Announcement; 1.1 July, 1.2 August, etc. The numbers do not appear, I only get July; August ...
I have checked all the settings, and everything that needs to be selected is on ...
Any advice appreciated. I have been searching online for awhile ...

Using save as rather than print to PDF took care of my problem.. sounds like others are more complicated though.

The [url=http://help.adobe.com/en_US/Acrobat/9.0/Standard/WS58a04a822e3e50102bd615109794195ff-7cb8.w.php]Links and Attachments[/url] section of the online Help should give you what you're looking for.

Hi mhgoodwin-

I think you mean you've upgraded to Acrobat Pro 9, not to Acrobat Writer ;)

Check the configuration of your styles and make sure the numbering is part of the named style. Also, be sure that your file is tagged as you convert it to PDF.

donna.

Hello all, I am new to the site so not an expert, but I do work as a service tech and have just encountered this issue with the hyperlinks not transferring across when converting to PDF. One of the things we find more often than not is that some setting or another either gets mysterisously changed or corrupted and it can be nearly impossible to locate.

What will fix a lot of problems, and did in this case, is to go in to the Documents and Settings folder on your C:\ drive and rename your local profile. Put a .bak after it or something. BE WARNED - This will mean that the next time you log in everything will be brand new! Your desktop, your Favorites, EVERYTHING! DO NOT DELETE YOUR PROFILE! You never know what useful items are stored in there. I would recommend having an IT person nearby (if you aren't one :) ) to help transfer everything over from your old profile to your new one.

We tried everything listed in this post including renaming the Normal.dot and changing settings, even uninstalling and re-installing the program. As soon as we created a fresh local profile, through, every hyperlink started working as if nothing ever happened. Hope that helps!

Problem: cross-ref links don't work when Print command is used in Acrobat to print to PDF.

I have a pdf file that has working links by doing Save As>PDF in Adobe FrameMaker. The only way I know to greatly reduce the file size is to then Print to PDF from the acrobat file. When I do this, the links disappear. They are all links inside the document, so no blue text or underline to give us a clue. I'm working in Windows XP, Acrobat Pro 7.0, and FrameMaker 8.xx (have updated since orig tag issue).A secondary question is: Is there a better way to greatly reduce the file size? At high-res, the files are 3-5 Megs. "Reduce File Size" in Acrobat only reduces about 20%--not enough. Our customers have archaic computer systems and need to be able to download the entire manual on-line.

Try to use an easy way.
select Add Links to Adobe PDF in the Settings tab at the bottom.
It works for me. Try it.

Bon Bini,

In FrameMaker - PDF Setup > Link tab
Make the selection active.

Be well...

Problem: Hyperlinks don't work when converted to PDF (used V5, V6, V7 and V8 - still the same problem)

Word files with hyperlinks to different Word files. When converted and merged into one PDF file, the hyperlinks are not working. Manual fix to all hyperlinks is not a solution due to the number of hyperlinks in the document. I have selected "Convert Cross-Document Links' under 'Office' Settings and this doesn't seem to fix the problem. Note that cross-refs and bookmarks are working perfectly.

Do you have any suggestions on how to fix this?

Fujitsu Australia

I have an Excel spreadsheet with about 100 cells that I would like to add hyperlinks to different positions or pages within a single pdf file? Any help would be appreciated.

Hi DianaM,
When, in Word, you created the link, the target file of each link was the Word file.
"someFile.DOC"

When each DOC was converted to PDF, the link syntax did not change (which is appropriate & expected).
So, the link in a PDF (from the source DOC file) still points to "someFile.DOC" - not "someFile.PDF"
If the link target files (the DOC files) are not present, in the same relative location then you have a broken link.
You are no longer providing the correct target file for the link you made.

Say you make a PDF of each DOC file first.
Then place the Word Hyperlink - the appropriate placeholder PDF becomes the target file.
When done with the multiple DOC files you output PDF from each.
Provided the target file relative location to the source file that has the link is not altered, the link works.

Now, you merge the many PDFs into one PDF.
Again, link syntax is not changed. Each link has a defined path to a target file (PDF).
If the target file is still available and in the same relative location, the link works.
If not - link is broken.

Putting several PDFs into one PDF makes a new entity.
The links in the new PDF are *not* pointing to anything the is in this new PDF.

Be well...

Hi rwamsley,
You can place a Hyperlink that has as its target the PDF file.
If the Hyperlink is not a well formed URL (http:/..../..../somefile.PDF) then that is it.

If the Excel file and the PDF file(s) are placed in a web server environment
you can use PDF Open Parameters to open a PDF and process some specific parameters
(listed in the documentation).
Once an open parameter is used (via a well formed URL) do not expect other URLs
that point to the now open PDF to work. A one at a time, in then back out, sequence can work.

A link to the documentation. Do read carefully. There are some rather specific requirements that must be met.
[url=http://www.adobe.com/devnet/acrobat/pdfs/pdf_open_parameters_v9.pdf]Parameters for Opening PDF Files[/url]

Be well...

I'm having the same problem, I can not find a solution.

Thank you daka630. I'll try that...

Having similar or identical problem. Any hyperlinks I create in Word (2003) that work fine in Word do not convert to Adobe PDF as links. I am using Adobe Acrobat Pro 9 (all updates installed). There are no errors (and nothing in the distiller message log indicating any errors) but the final result is that I have blue underlined text--no links--otherwise conversion is perfect. If I create a new blank doc in word with nothing in it but a hyperlink--say www.ebay.com -- normal style (no style applied) here is what happens. If I use the created pdf link from the toolbar I get a pdf file with a non-working link (blue underlined text). If I print to Adobe PDF printer from Word I get a doc with a link that's fine. BUT let's say I use Word to edit the displayed text (right click, edit hyperlink) so that only the word EBAY is displayed--since it's typical for writers not to want a hyper link to be written out but rather to have a working link represented by a word--as in "If you search on Ebay you will find.." with the Ebay a live link. Anyway, once the link is not typed out with the http etc showing (and it's just a working good link), I get the same underlined blue text in the pdf file. Now, let's say I put a link with all spelled out www.ebay.com (etc) as works with the print-to-pdf command in the same document as a link where the visible text is displayed as a word--i.e. Ebay (not the full address)--again, with a working hyperlink. As soon as I put a link like that in my document it won't show up as a hyperlink in PDF even when I "print to pdf" nor will the other links--in other words--just one link displaying other text (other than the address) screws up the print-to-pdf such that hyperlinks don't work. And again, even a full addrress hyperlink won't work with the icon on the toolbar to create a pdf.

Here is what I have done to troubleshoot: 1. deleted my normal.dot and let word create a new one (this did nothing), 2. logged in as another user (another profile) as suggested--no effect, 3. deleted all the adobe temp files in C:\windows\temp directory as well as the cache (did nothing), 4. deleted the contents of the adobe preferences directory under my profile and tried again creating pdf docs from the word files without any effect (so I did restore it), 5. checked and double checked all my settings (as listed in this help forum and others) to make sure all was properly checked off (to include links, to tag the file, to include headings as bookmarks but not Word bookmarks--though I tried it with this checked too-no difference), 6. tried converting the doc to RTF (via wordpad), 7. tried copying doc into a new file without last paragraph mark, 8 tried converting to xml and html and then back to word .doc format and 8. Tried copying the pdf-making dot (forget exact name) from the Adobe directory to the temp directory where Word gets in in case it was corrupt. No luck on all of these. My temp work-around is to use Google Docs or to save as html and use the pdf maker link in Internet Explorer--both work but I really want to fix this problem as the internet conversion option (via IE) loses all my pagination and having to load to google docs and download again is cumbersome. I know this feature SHOULD work so any tips, advice will help.

If you go to your Adobe settings in work.
Go to "Change conversion settings".
The last tab is called "Bookmarks".
Tick all three options here.

I did this and my links in PDF worked.

Big hugs for you howdougdoesit, your solution is THE solution. Words for me! :D THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am having a similar issue, perhaps someone can clarify...
In word, if I have an embedded object, such as a PDF, the PDF image is plac ed on the word doc and from that word file, I am able to access the linked PDF.

Do those linked objects transfer when the word doc is saved as PDF?

Yes BanG... just so long as you select Save As... and save as a PDF file you will discover that your PDF image retains the hyperlink you gave it in your Word file. I just tested it now.

Perhaps I have the PDF settings wrong, I can't seem to get the PDF to retain the hyperlinks from the embedded objects.

So for example:
-I have the word doc where I used the Insert, Object, Adobe PDF function.
-Now I have a tiny PDF image on my word doc, and whenever I click on it I get a new window which opens up the PDF
-I go to file, save as, Adobe PDF
then voila, the PDF is created! However when I check back on the tiny PDF images, nothing happens.

What am I doing wrong?

Hey BanG I posted a resolve for you on my personal blog. Here's the address: http://trishparr.com/create-pdf-files-from-word-2007-documents-with-active-hyperlinks/

This way others having this same issue, will find a quick resolve. Hope this helps.

ACROBAT CREATES BOOKMARKS FOR EVERY HEADING!!!

In response to SevenB.

With A9/W2007 and these settings:

Word/AcroTab/Preferences/Settings/Bookmarks - convert headings / bookmarks

I got around this problem by manually creating a Word bookmark and then creating the pdf.

Then I just deleted the manual bookmarks and all the rest were fine.

Hope this helps!
cheers
Harley

I had at first difficulty having to make the hyperlink work properly after conversion. My quickest way around the problem using Word 2007 is to save it as a pdf file direct from Word 2007 file. My Adobe is Acrobat 9 Pro.