Are the hyperlinks in your embedded PDF not working or appearing as plain text instead of clickable links? Link support in PDF Embedder requires our PDF Embedder Premium plugin; if you are on the free version, links will not activate. If you are already on Premium and links are still broken, the issue is almost always how the PDF was created, not a plugin setting.
This guide covers why PDF links break and how to fix them based on the application you used to create the document.
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Understanding Why PDF Links Break
The PDF format has a specific data structure for hyperlinks. PDF Embedder only activates links that are defined as proper hyperlink annotations in the PDF file; it does not guess based on URL-like strings in the text. Some PDF creation tools export text that looks like a URL without creating an actual link object in the file. Other viewers, such as browser-native PDF readers, detect URL patterns and make them clickable regardless, which is why a link might work in one viewer but not another.
The fix is to ensure hyperlinks are created correctly in the source document before the PDF is exported.
Every hyperlink in the source document must include the full protocol (
http://orhttps://) as part of the address. A link toexample.comwithout a protocol is not recognized as a hyperlink by the PDF Embedder scripts.
Fixing Links in Microsoft Word
Word’s default .docx format does not reliably export hyperlinks to PDF. Use this process instead:
- Save the Word document as Word 97-2003 Document (.doc)instead of the default
.docx. - With the file saved as
.doc, go to File > Export and export as PDF.
Use Export rather than Print to PDF. Export retains all formatting, including links. Printing flattens the document and strips the links.
The same .doc export method works for other Microsoft Office formats:
- Excel: save as
.xls(not.xlsx) before exporting to PDF - PowerPoint: save as
.ppt(not.pptx) before exporting to PDF
Fixing Links on Mac with Pages
On macOS, use the Pages app to export the .doc file:
- Open the
.docfile in Pages. - Go to File > Export To > PDF.
- Select Electronic Distribution instead of Best for Printing.
The Electronic Distribution option preserves link data in the exported file. Best for Printing flattens the document and removes links.
For Excel on Mac, convert the spreadsheet to a Word table first, then export from Word using the .doc process above.
Using Canva
Canva supports hyperlink export. Make sure links are added using Canva’s built-in link tool rather than typed as plain text, and export using the PDF with links option.
What Does Not Work
PDFs created in LibreOffice will not have working links in PDF Embedder. LibreOffice does not export hyperlinks in a format the plugin recognizes. Use Microsoft Word, Pages, or another tool that properly embeds link annotations in the PDF output.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common questions about hyperlinks in embedded PDFs.
My links show as plain text URLs in the PDF viewer. Can I fix this without going back to the source document?
In some cases, yes. Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat and check whether the links are defined as proper link annotations. If they are plain text, the most reliable fix is to recreate them in the source document using the steps above. Acrobat also has a tool under Edit > Links > Add or Edit Web or Document Links that lets you add link annotations to existing text directly in the PDF; this avoids returning to the source application entirely.
Does hyperlink support work with the free version of the plugin?
Hyperlinks are only supported in our PDF Embedder Premium plugin. The free version does not activate links.