How to Add a Hyperlink in Outlook (2026)
A hyperlink hides a long URL behind clickable text, keeping your email clean. Outlook adds links the same core way everywhere — select text, press Ctrl+K, paste the address — with a few client differences in where the menu lives.
1. Hyperlink Text (Classic Outlook for Windows)
- In a new message, type and select the text you want to link (e.g., “our pricing page”).
- Press Ctrl+K, or go to Insert > Link.
- In the Address box, paste the URL.
- Click OK.
To change the visible text, edit the Text to display field in the same dialog.
2. Hyperlink Text (New Outlook & Web)
- Select the text in your message body.
- Press Ctrl+K, or click the Insert menu and choose Link.
- Enter the web address and confirm the display text.
- Click Insert.
Outlook also auto-links a URL when you type or paste it and press space or Enter.
3. Link an Image
You can make a picture clickable too.
- Insert the image into the message (Insert > Pictures).
- Click the image to select it.
- Press Ctrl+K and enter the URL.
- Click OK / Insert.
This is how logos and banners link to a website in newsletters.
4. Edit or Remove a Hyperlink
- Edit: Right-click the link and choose Edit Hyperlink (classic) or Edit link (new Outlook/web). Change the address or text and confirm.
- Remove: Right-click the link and choose Remove Hyperlink / Remove link. The text stays; the link is gone.
5. Troubleshooting
Ctrl+K does nothing
The message is in Plain Text. Links can’t be styled there. Switch to HTML (classic: Format Text > HTML); rich text is the default in new Outlook/web.
The link isn’t clickable for recipients
Make sure the address includes https://. A bare www. address may not register as a link in some clients.
My signature link broke
Re-add the link inside Signature settings rather than the message body, since signatures are stored separately.
Related Outlook guides: How to insert a table in an Outlook email · How to add a signature in Outlook · How to add an image to your signature in Outlook · How to create an email template in Outlook · How to set a default font in Outlook
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