E11 Apps

How to add clickable links to a PDF

By E11 Apps, the developer of PDF Burrow. Updated . 5 min read.

To add a link to a PDF, open it in an editor with a hyperlink tool, select the words or image you want to make clickable, enter a web address or an email address, and save. When someone taps that area, their phone or computer opens the page or starts a new email. Always test the link in a second PDF reader before you send the file.

A PDF hyperlink is a clickable area on a page that opens a destination when tapped. The area is invisible by default. It is drawn over some text or an image, and the destination is usually one of these:

  • a web address, such as your portfolio or a booking page;
  • an email address, which opens a new message;
  • another page inside the same PDF.

This is why a web address typed on a page is not always clickable. Some readers guess and turn visible URLs into links, but many do not. Adding a real link removes the guesswork.

  • A CV or portfolio: link your name to your website and your email to a new message.
  • Invoices: link "Pay online" to the payment page your business already uses.
  • Flyers and menus: link the address to a map, or the phone number to a contact page.
  • Reports: link each source to the original article.
  • Course handouts: link to the video or reading for each topic.
  1. Open the PDF in a tool that can add hyperlinks.
  2. Select the text or image that should be clickable. A short phrase like "View my portfolio" works better than a long URL.
  3. Choose the link type: web address or email.
  4. Type or paste the address. For websites, include the full address starting with https://.
  5. For an email link, enter the address. Some tools also let you set a subject line.
  6. Save the PDF as a new file.
  7. Open the saved copy in a different reader and tap every link to check it.

Because PDF links are invisible areas, readers will not know something is clickable unless the page tells them. A few conventions help:

  • Make the text look like a link. Blue or underlined text is widely understood.
  • Use action words. "Book a call", "Download the brochure", "Email me".
  • Keep the visible URL short if you show it at all, so it works on paper too.
  • Avoid tiny targets. On a phone, a link on a single small word is hard to tap. Link a whole phrase or button.

Usually, but some edits can break them:

  • Flattening may remove interactive elements, depending on the tool. Add links after flattening, or test after. See what flattening a PDF means.
  • Converting to images, or turning a PDF into JPGs, drops all links, because images cannot hold them.
  • Printing to a new PDF often removes links, since the print process only keeps what is visible.
  • Merging usually keeps links, but test them in the merged file anyway. See how to merge PDF files on your phone.

For readers, it is wise to be careful with links in PDFs from strangers. The text you see can say one thing while the link goes somewhere else. Most good PDF readers show the real address or ask before opening a website. If an unexpected PDF asks you to "verify your account" via a link, do not tap it.

For senders, this is a reason to make your links honest and readable: show your real domain, so recipients can see where they are going.

Links, bookmarks and a contents page

If you want links that jump within the same document, bookmarks are often the better tool. They appear in the reader's sidebar and are easy to maintain. Our guide to adding bookmarks and a table of contents to a PDF shows how. Use in-page links for things like "See Appendix B", and bookmarks for overall navigation.

Common problems

  • The link opens the wrong page. Check for typos, and make sure the address includes https://.
  • Nothing happens when tapped. Some basic viewers ignore links. Test in another reader.
  • The email link opens the wrong app. That is your phone's default email setting, not the PDF. On most phones, open Settings and search for "default apps" to change it.
  • The clickable area is offset. The page may have been rotated or cropped after the link was added. Add links last.

PDF Burrow has an Add Hyperlinks tool that makes any text or image a clickable link to a web address or email. It runs on your phone, so the file is not uploaded. If you are building an invoice, the Create Invoice tool makes the PDF first, and you can add a payment link to it afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

Some readers support phone links, but support is patchy. A web or email link is more reliable. If you include a phone number, show it in full so people can dial it by hand.

No, paper cannot be clicked. If the document may be printed, show a short readable address next to the link text.

Yes, in a tool that can edit annotations or links. Links are stored separately from the page text, so removing one does not change the words on the page.

Many PDF readers warn before opening a website as a safety step. It is normal, and the reader decides this, not the person who made the PDF.

More PDF Burrow guides