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johnp47342834
Participant
September 21, 2021
Question

hyperlink url not available

  • September 21, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 4269 views

I have a text document imported into InDesign in which one imported hyperlink remains red in the hyperlink panel, indicates "URL not available," and will not open the link. There are several other imported links that work properly. 

I can open Edit Hyperlink in the Hyperlink Panel and copy the link, paste it into my web browser, and it will open the link. I can also insert the link into a Word document and it will work. I have tried deleting the link from the Hperlink Panel and recreating it, both by typing it in and by copying and pasting the address from the web browser, when it opens the link. I have even tried inserting the link as the sole content of a Word document, then placing that word document into InDesign; that still only produces the "URL not available" message.

From the other similar posts, my guess is that this is some sort of firewall or login requirement by the website I am trying to link to, but I am curious as to why only InDesign seems to encounter it? And I would greatly appreciate it if anyone can suggest a work-around?

This is occurring on:

27 inch iMac, 2019

Big Sur 11.5.2

InDesign 16.4

The file originally placed is a text file from a web archive of an online posting of the document. Several other links included in that text file do import and work correctly.

As said above, the problem also occurs when the link is created in a Word document and then placed into InDesign.

2 replies

smashkirk
Inspiring
October 24, 2025

Yes this is still a problem. I have run into this problem with a link for LinkedIn. When I include https:// in the link it shows a red dot (error). When I remove the https:// the dot is green (good). I have many other links in the same document with https:// at the beginning and it shows a green dot. What is the reason for this? Seems inconsistent and buggy.

Community Expert
October 14, 2021

If the URL works then why care what InDesign says? 

I know you want to see it is working - but if it works when you publish or export the file - then it's ok - right?

Participating Frequently
June 1, 2024

I have the same issue with InDesign 2024 (v19.4). The link works just fine also when performing the go to destination command from within ID, but URL is marked as not available (red bullet) even when recreated. It certainly is not "ok" even if the link works, I want to be able to trust in the feature so that if the bullet is green, the link is guaranteed to be unbroken, and if it is red, there is need to make a check. If I cannot trust in status of red, how can I trust in status of green?

James Gifford—NitroPress
Legend
June 1, 2024

Is it a complete, valid URL, or a 'short form' one? ID tends to flag links that are not fully formed even if they are valid for browser entry.