Links lost from Word to PDF

This problem persists--and Adobe Create PDF cloud service isn't available. 

Specs:

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC 2020.009.20074
Word 16.39 (20071300)

macOS 10.15.6

Procedure:

1. Select Acrobat from the Word ribbon in a Word document with hyperlinks.
2. Click Create PDF.
   Result: Error dialog with "Acrobat cannot convert this file using Create PDF online service. Use Adobe Acrobat's local PDF converter instead?"
3. Click Yes.
4. Standard Save dialog appears with PDF-specific options for Best for electronic distirbution and accessibiilty (uses Microsoft online service) and Best for printing. User selects Best for electronic... because of hyperlinks.
5. Click Export button.
   Result: Error dialog with "Links in this document could not be retained in the converted PDF."
6. Rinse.
7. Repeat.

Solution:

1. Select Print from the File menu in Word.
2. In the bottom-left corner of the Print dialog click the dropdown arrow beside PDF.
3. Select Save as PDF.
4. A new dialog will appear asking for filename, location, and basic metadata. Complete as needed. Security may also be set on the PDF at this point.
5. Click Save.
   Result: PDF is generated without errors and with functional hyperlinks.

Thank God Mac offers the option of completely bypassing the broken PDFMaker.

Thanks for the article. Our requirement is slightly different.

I create an "index" file that holds hyperlinks to folders on the local Windows file system. The index file sits in the "root" folder together with all the folders that hold the various documents. The idea is to create a complete distribution (1 zip file) with index file, folders and documents in the various folders.

The distribution can then be sent, unpacked and all components accessed via the index file. It's meant for people with less computer skills.

The above works well for the creator. The creator can correctly access the folders via the "index" file. However when the distribution is unpacked and the index PDF is opened by a person other than the creator the links don't work. Hovering over the links in the index file shows the absolute path is stored rather than the relative path that is used say when you link a file into Excel and so the links break as the person will have another folder structure than the creator.

Do you know of a way to make the hyperlinks relative?

The concerns about uploading confidential docs to the cloud were never addressed. Is it true that we just can't get a PDF with links using our own computers? What if we're offline? I can feel my blood pressure rising...

Actually, current versions of Acrobat Pro can no longer open XPS files. For years it has been able to convert XPS to PDF, but Adobe took that out quietly on a recent update.

"Also note that PDFs created in Word PC are actually XPS format" No they aren't. "Adobe Reader easily reads XPS."  No it doesn't. I'm afraid this part of your message is based on bad information.

My solution may be a sacrilege in this audience, but I'm a PC/Mac user. Discovered long ago that Microsoft and Apple do not play well with each other - even now. My solution for Word>PDF>retain link - don't save the doc as PDF in Mac. Use a PC instead. All inserted links preserved.

I was told quite a while ago that this is not an Adobe problem, but a problem with Apple unable to let the software flag links. Result, the software can't resolve the ahref tag when it is "Inserted" into the text (e.g., ctrl k). I asked if this will be solved - they shrugged. No idea.

Also note that PDFs created in Word PC are actually XPS format - Microsoft's own variant of the PDF-like doc. XPS preserves layout features and makes it so that the contents cannot be easily changed/manipulated. There are XPS converters that work on Mac - can't vouch for any of them, but it could be an option. Adobe Reader easily reads XPS.

Probably just committed outright heresy.

Like everyone in this thread, I ran into all the same problems and tried all the suggested fixes to no avail. I'm not sure why this is a problem now as I used to be able to convert MS Word files successfully (with links) in the past on my Mac. After spending far too much time on this, I ended up uploading the MS Word file to Google and downloading it as a PDF. Links work perfect! Thank you Google!

I am trying to convert a document created in Microsoft Word for Mac version 16.11.1 (180319) to PDF such that I have (a) the fonts I have chosen and (b) the hyperlinks I added in Word. I have spent the past hour failing at this seemingly simple task.

I can get a version of the document that has the fonts but not the hyperlinks. I can get a version of the document that has the hyperlinks but not the fonts. Frustratingly, I can’t get both in the same PDF.

The fonts I’m using in Word are Granjon and Helvetica Neue. In the document with hyperlinks, Granjon appears to have been substituted with Garamond, which is pretty close for a guess, but Helv Neue appears to have been substituted with Sylfaen, which is not correct at all. In Word, the Preferences button on the Adobe ribbon tab has only one checkbox—Prompt for using the Adobe Create PDF cloud service—and no other settings.

The only workaround I can think of is to generate both PDF versions, then use the edit links tool in Acrobat Pro to manually, tediously copy the links from the document that has them and paste them to the document that doesn’t, resizing each link frame’s width and height when needed. I’m hoping there is a better way. :-(

After hours of fiddling to no avail... Turns out we don't even need the Acrobat ribbon.

Use the built-in Word Save As PDF, and choose the "electronic distribution" option. Voila! Active links.

Thanks for clarifying that Dov. You say it's an option - but how is it turned off, and is the user warned? In the UK we are just seeing a new swathe of data protection legislation, which means many of us are the wrong side of the law if we let this happen. Companies may detect "leakage" of files too, with serious disciplinary results.