How to Insert a Link in PowerPoint

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Adding links to your PowerPoint presentation allows you to connect to other slides in your presentation, link to external files or webpages, or create an email link that opens a new email message. Using links makes your presentations more interactive and useful for your audience.

In this article, you’ll learn the different types of links you can add in PowerPoint and step-by-step instructions for inserting each kind of link.

Types of Links in PowerPoint

There are four main types of links you can add in PowerPoint:

Slide Links

These links connect from one slide to another within the same PowerPoint presentation file. Slide links are useful for creating an interactive presentation that allows you to jump to other slides.

Web Links

These links connect to external webpages or online documents. Adding web links allows your audience to access useful resources and additional information.

File Links

You can link to documents stored on your computer or network drives, like PDFs, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and more. File links give your viewers access to related presentations, worksheets, or reference material.

Email Links

Email links automatically open a new email message in the default email program. Your audience can click the email link to quickly send a message without needing to copy an email address.

How to Insert a Link in PowerPoint

Inserting a Slide Link

To insert a link to another slide:

  1. Select the text or object you want to be the hyperlink. This will be the clickable area that jumps to the linked slide.
  2. On the Insert tab, click Hyperlink. Or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+K.
  3. Under Link To, choose Place in This Document on the left.
  4. Select the slide you want to link to from the list on the right.
  5. Check the ScreenTip box to add hover text that displays when hovering over the link.
  6. Click OK to insert the link.

When you present your slides and click this link, it will automatically jump to the connected slide.

Inserting a Web Link

To insert a link to a webpage:

  1. Select the text or object to make into a web link.
  2. On the Insert tab, click Hyperlink.
  3. Under Link To, choose Existing File or Web Page on the left.
  4. In the Address box, paste or type the URL of the webpage you want to link to.
  5. Check the ScreenTip box to add hover text.
  6. Click OK.

Now when you click this link in your presentation, it will open the linked webpage in your default browser.

Inserting a File Link

To link to a file stored on your computer or network:

  1. Select the text or object that will link to the file.
  2. On the Insert tab, click Hyperlink.
  3. Choose Existing File or Web Page.
  4. Next to Link To, click the folder icon. Then browse and select the file you want to link to.
  5. Check the ScreenTip box to add hover text.
  6. Click OK to insert the file link.

When presenting, clicking this link will open or download the linked file.

Inserting an Email Link

To create a link that opens a new email message:

  1. Highlight the text or object to make into the email link.
  2. On the Insert tab, click Hyperlink.
  3. Under Link To, choose E-mail Address on the left side.
  4. Type the recipient’s email address into the E-mail address box.
  5. Check the ScreenTip box to add hover text.
  6. Click OK to insert the email link.

Now when presenting, clicking this link will open a new email in the viewer’s default email program.

Tips for Working with Links in PowerPoint

  • To prevent slide links from working during the presentation, right-click on the link and select Remove Hyperlink. This disables the link until you re-enable it.
  • To change or edit an inserted link, right-click on it and choose Edit Hyperlink to open the hyperlink window.
  • Use descriptive hover text so viewers understand where links will take them before clicking.
  • Test all links before finalizing your presentation to make sure they connect properly.
  • Consider adding visual cues like underlines or color changes to make links more obvious.

Conclusion

Adding hyperlinks to your PowerPoint slides helps create an interactive presentation. Use slide links to jump between slides, web links to reference external sites, file links to share documents, and email links to open new messages.

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