Add Links to PDF Online
Make any text or image in a PDF clickable: link to a website, an email address, a phone number or another page. Detect web and email addresses automatically. Free and private.
How to add clickable links to a PDF
A PDF full of web addresses that nobody can click is a missed opportunity. WoowPDF's Add Links to PDF tool turns any text, logo or image in your document into a real, clickable link: to a website, an email address, a phone number or another page of the same PDF. It can also scan the text and make every URL and email address clickable at once. The file is edited in your browser, so it stays private, and the links work in every PDF reader.
How to add links to a PDF
- Open your PDF. Drop the file on the page or click Choose file. All pages appear in a scrollable viewer with thumbnails.
- Draw the clickable area. With Draw link selected, drag over the words, button or picture that should be clickable.
- Set the target. Choose Web address, Email, Phone or Page, then type the address or page number in the side panel.
- Save. Repeat for every link, choose how links should look, then click Save links and download your PDF.
Find links automatically
Documents exported from some apps, scanned-then-OCR'd files and many reports show web addresses as plain text. Click Find links in text and WoowPDF looks through every page for web addresses starting with http://, https:// or www. and for email addresses, then creates a link over each one. You can review them in the list, change their targets or delete the ones you do not want. Addresses that already have a link are left alone.
Four kinds of links
- Web address: opens a website. If you type example.com, https:// is added for you.
- Email: opens a new message to that address in the reader's mail app.
- Phone: starts a call on phones and tablets, handy for brochures and business cards.
- Page: jumps to another page of the same PDF, perfect for a clickable table of contents, an index or "see page 12" references.
Precise editing
Switch to Select to adjust any link: drag it to move it, pull a corner to resize it, press Delete to remove it. Links already present in the original file are shown with a dashed outline so you do not duplicate them. The viewer supports zoom, page thumbnails and touch input, and it works correctly on rotated and landscape pages.
Invisible or visible
Links are invisible by default, which keeps your layout exactly as designed; the pointer changes to a hand when readers hover over them. If you want readers to notice them, or you plan to print, choose Underline or Box and pick a color. The marker is drawn into the page so it shows in every viewer.
Standard, safe PDF links
WoowPDF writes standard PDF link annotations, the same kind created by Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat. They work in Adobe Reader, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Apple Preview and mobile PDF apps. Only safe link types are allowed (web, email, phone and page links), and your file is processed entirely on your device.
Tips for the best result
- Draw link areas slightly larger than the text so they are easy to tap on phones.
- Need to change the words themselves first? Use Edit PDF, then add your links.
- Combine several documents with Merge PDF before creating page links, so the page numbers are final.
- Add page numbers so readers can follow your cross-references, and compress the PDF before sharing it.
Features
- Draw a clickable area over any text, logo or image
- Link to a website, an email address, a phone number or another page
- Find web and email addresses in the text and make them clickable in one click
- Move, resize and edit links; see links already in the PDF
- Invisible links, or a visible underline or box in any color
- Works on rotated and landscape pages
- Real PDF link annotations that work in every PDF reader
- Private: the PDF is edited in your browser, never uploaded
Frequently asked questions
How do I add a link to a PDF?
Open your PDF, drag a rectangle over the text or image that should be clickable, then type the web address, email, phone number or page number it should open. Add as many links as you need and click Save links.
Can WoowPDF find the links in my text automatically?
Yes. Click Find links in text and every web address (http://, https:// or www.) and email address in the PDF text becomes a clickable link. Addresses that are already linked are skipped.
Can a link jump to another page in the same PDF?
Yes. Choose Page as the link type and enter the page number. Clicking the link opens that page, which is perfect for tables of contents and cross-references.
Will the links work in Adobe Acrobat, Chrome and on phones?
Yes. WoowPDF adds standard PDF link annotations, the same kind created by Word or Acrobat, so they work in Adobe Reader, browser PDF viewers, Apple Preview and mobile PDF apps.
Are the links visible?
By default links are invisible, so your design does not change; the mouse pointer turns into a hand over them. You can also add a colored underline or a box so readers can see what is clickable, including on paper.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. Everything happens in your browser. The file never leaves your device.
Can I edit or remove a link after drawing it?
Yes. Switch to Select, click a link to change its target, drag it to move it, pull a corner to resize it, or press Delete to remove it. Links already in the original PDF are shown with a dashed outline and kept.
Which link types are safe?
Web links (http, https, ftp), email (mailto) and phone (tel) links and page links. Scripts and other unsafe link types cannot be added.
Does it work with scanned PDFs?
You can draw links on scanned pages. Automatic detection needs real text, so run the scan through PDF OCR first if you want URLs found automatically.
Can I add links to a password-protected PDF?
Remove the password first with our Remove PDF Password tool (you need to know it), add your links, then protect the file again.