Excel hyperlinks not working after convert to PDF

[cowinkidink1]

I am using your Acrobat Pro XII trial version, I am running Excel 2016 for PC.  I have hyperlinks in my excel form and when I convert it to PDF they do not transfer over.  I have tried "Save as" a PDF and also "Print", save as PDF, convert the Excel file to PDF using Adobe PDF maker. none will work. 

Please help.

[Tariq Ahmad Dar]

Hi Cowinkidink1, 

Once you open the excel sheet, click on Acrobat tab, click on preferences, check Settings tab and check if "Add links" is checked.

If yes, hyperlinks should work in PDF.

How did you convert the file to pdf? Is it possible to share that excel sheet with us?

Regards,
Tariq Dar.

[cowinkidink1]

Hello Tarig,

Thank you kindly for replying to my inquiry.

I checked the Add Links and it is checked. Tried again and the hyperlinks are appearing in the converted file , however, I can not click on the link. May I send you the Excel file and you take a look? How would I send the file?

Kindest regards.

[Tariq Ahmad Dar]

Hi Cowinkidink1,

Yes, you can upload the file to either of these cloud options Google drive, dropbox or Adobe Send.

Then using private message to share the file with us. How Do I Send Private Message

Regards,

Tariq Dar.

[cowinkidink1]

Hello Tarig,

I shared the link to the file here. I hope that is okay.

Again, thank you for your guidance.

[Removed the link as the file contains contacts information]

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

Can you please also share your PDF file. Thanks.

[cowinkidink1]

Sure, thank you.

[Removed the link as the file contains contacts information]

[Karl Heinz Kremer · Accepted solution]

The problem is that you've created your links via a macro - for the link to work, Excel needs to execute the HYPERLINK macro, and get it's target from a different cell. No macros in an Excel document are getting converted to JavaScript in the PDF file. If you create your links as true links (Insert>Hyperlink), then the link will survive the conversion to PDF. You have two options: You can either convert your links in the Excel documents to true (and static) links, or you can add your links manually in Acrobat using the link tool.

[cowinkidink1]

Thank you Karl and Tariq.

I very much appreciate the guidance and advice. I will try your suggestion when I return from an appointment later today.

Have a nice day!

[HeatherYoung]

Hi Karl,

I am having the same problem with my excel file not converting the hyperlinks when creating a PDF using the Adobe PDF Maker. I have verified the links are created in excel (Insert>Hyperlink) and the add links feature is checked. The hyperlinks in excel work and take me to diferent cells in the workbook, however, once I convert to PDF the hyperlinks appear but do not work.

Thanks,

Heather

[try67]

When you convert an Excel file to a PDF there are no more cells, so how could it work?

[HeatherYoung]

I'm not sure. I have used the feature before and it has worked, however, on my new workbook it does not work. In adobe, it takes you to the page the cell is located on.

[AJH-FSMT]

I am having the same problem as Heather.

I have a workbook created to be a PDF report when complete, with hyperlinks to various points inside the file itself. (From the Table of Contents to other pages, and from the page titles back to the ToC, etc.) These worked fine in Excel 2007 when I used "Create PDF", but now that I'm remaking this file in Excel 2016, the hyperlinks do not come across in the PDF creation process.

I have confirmed that "Add Links" is checked in Preferences.

I have tried creating the hyperlinks three different ways:

- Via the HYPERLINK formula (I know this does not work, tested it just for confirmation)

- Via Insert Link / Place in this Document / "Sheetname!A1"

- Via Insert Link / Place in this Document / Named Location

None of these hyperlinks work when the file is PDFed! Please help! These worked fine for the last year, I don't see why Excel 2016 would lose this functionality!

2018 Hyperlink Help - Google Drive

Here are three files to refer to: The SAMPLE ANNUAL is last year's file. Notice that from the Table of Contents, you should be able to click on the page names to jump to those locations in the report.

The Hyperlink Testing.xlsx is the Excel file, and the PDF created from it with the same name.

[Red Point]

I am having the same issue. I downgraded from Acrobat DC to Acrobat XI and now have the issue that links are not included in my PDF. Have tried all of the above, used the toolbar, made the setting, went through all compliance: I got it to work for regular text hyperlinks, but if I attach hyperlinks to an image in excel, NADA. It worked before with DC.

There is no way I am EVER upgrading to DC again, so please no comments to that regard. If anyone has an idea over and beyond the already mentioned, please let me know!

Its amazing how many post I have open at Adobe with no solutions. My Illustrator still crashes since two years, no help there either. I can only say that I have the feeling the apps are getting worse not better. Unfortunately, there is no real competition and Adobe's monopoly and government involvement is not helping produce stable apps.

Its frustrating...

Cheers.

[PerryBekerman]

I am having the same issue....any solutions that work?

[Marketing2024]

I am having the same problem. It seems Adobe does not care.......

[Aziz A.24817609ramf]

Hello,
I have been searching for solutions to make a dynamic hyperlink survive the conversion to PDF and i couldn't find any.
It is clear in your comment that only static links will be exported.
Is this still the same after 6 years? or do you think there is a solution? or a turnaround maybe??
I did many trials, like "index and match", "if", reference to another cell, with IF in that cell, ... all works perfectly in excel, but none survived the export.

[Aziz A.24817609ramf]

As well, since i don't have many options for linking, i have tried to use multiple static links, and use conditional formatting for the links i don't want to show, by changing the color of the text, or hiding the text with three semi columns in format ";;;", but the link will still be there in both options (even if the text don't show, the blank cell is clickable)

[Illia24869366oru2]

I actually got it fixed if you or anybody still looking for a solution. 

FYI, I was creating a link to an existing document on the server drive to which employees in the company has access, so they can use my pdf and easily open in it the documents I linked. (It was not the web page linked)

So, my steps: 
1. Right click on the cell with text >> Link >> Insert link (To get that insert link window open).

2. Righ click the document I need to link >> Properties >> Copy the location of the file (i.e. Z:\2021\Current Project\RFI's\RFI 001 - First)
3. Insert this location path to the excel link window and add the file name in the end. It should look something like Z:\2021\Current Project\RFI's\RFI 001 - First\FileName.pdf

4. Export excel sheet to pdf and you should be good to go. Links are opening the pdfs I linked (not in acrobat, in browser instead, but I am okay with that).

[raeben3]

The Excel file is gone, so I'm not sure of the appearance of your links. If the display text is the URL in the PDF, you may be able to "convert URLs to hyperlinks" in Acrobat. This creates real hyperlinks from URLs in Acrobat and is found in the Document Processing panel.

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

Take a look here for instructions about how to use Adobe's own Document Cloud to share a file: Share Documents via Adobe's Document Cloud - KHKonsulting LLC

[francescot19611807]

Hello, I am exporting a file from Excel to PDF. The file consists of a table of contents and several worksheets.  The table of contents is hyperlinked to all the separate sheets in the document while on Excel format.

When exporting to PDF however I lose the hyperlinks. Do you have any suggestions on how to solve this problem?

I have bought Adobe Pro and have activated the “Add links” check box under the ACROBAT – preferences tab.

[Bernd Alheit]

Open the Excel in OpenOffice and export as PDF.

[francescot19611807]

sorry, I forgot to include that it must be done through a Macro.

new message:

Hello, I am exporting a file from Excel to PDF through a Macro. The file consists of a table of contents and several worksheets.  The table of contents is hyperlinked to all the separate sheets in the document while on Excel format.

When exporting to PDF however I lose the hyperlinks. Do you have any suggestions on how to solve this problem?

I have bought Adobe Pro and have activated the “Add links” check box under the ACROBAT – preferences tab.

here is my export PDF macro:

Sub PRINTPDF_()

'

' PRINT_ Macro

ActiveWorkbook.Sheets.Select

ActiveSheet.ExportAsFixedFormat Type:=xlTypePDF, Filename:= _

    "Monthly Progress Report.pdf", Quality:=xlQualityStandard, IncludeDocProperties:=True, _

     IgnorePrintAreas:=False, OpenAfterPublish:=True

    'Application.PrintCommunication = True

    'ActiveWindow.SelectedSheets.PrintOut Copies:=1, Collate:=True, _

        'IgnorePrintAreas:=False

End Sub

[Bernd Alheit]

When you print to Adobe PDF you will not get working links.