Making phone numbers live links in a PDF or ePub

[Guest]

I would like to be able to have the phone numbers in the newsletter I am working on be live links in a PDF and/or ePub, so that when viewed on a smart-phone, all one has to do is click on the number and it dials automatically. I know how to make the web addresses, but haven't figured out phone numbers.

Is it possible, and if so, how?

Thanks!

[tonyharmer · Accepted solution]

Hi

This works on a PDF on the iPhone, I'm afraid I can't test it anywhere else...

In the link destination, simply type tel:+000000000, obviously replacing the zeroes with the number you are after, in the international format (for example +44 would get you a UK number).

Hope that helps.

[Guest]

Thank you for responding, and I am about to try this. One question, when you create the new hyperlink, in the "link to" pull down menu, I can choose from URL, File, Email, Page, Text Anchor, and Shared Destination. None of these seem appropriate. Which should I be using?

[tonyharmer]

ah, now to be honest I added my link in Acrobat (for no particular reason, it was just the first app open at the time) but URL should do it, I think. Try it out and let me know.

[Guest]

Bust. It didn't work using the URL in ID, but I'll try the others.

How did you apply this in Acrobat?

[tonyharmer]

Hi

I just added it as an action with a clickable link.

Anyhoo - I just tried it in InDesign and it works perfectly both in the PDF on the iPhone and amazingly in iBooks as well, so I'm really grateful for you asking this question!

So probably best to outline how I did it and take it from there.

In InDesign I created some text, and highlighted the part of the text I wanted to be a link (I would also recommend using a character style here so it is obvious to your user that it is a clickable link).

Then using the hyperlinks panel added my number into the URL field as described above.

Next I exported the PDF - I used the interactive export defaults here.

All I did then was upload it onto a server and then downloaded it on to my iPhone (sideloading would work equally well).

I tapped the link and it worked perfectly.

If you don't get any joy this time I will gladly PM you the InDesign file and a PDF you can use.

[tonyharmer]

Here's a link to an ID (CS5.5) file, select the text "here" and look at the URL in the Hyperlinks Panel.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21192016/testPhoneLink.indd

Replace the 44 with the country code you are after and then the zeroes with the number you want to use. Remember that it is usual to remove the first zero in the UK (and probably elsewhere) so an STD dialling code of 01458 would become simply 1458. Don't use any spaces in the numbers.

Then try exporting it to an (interactive) PDF and get it onto your iPhone (as per your PM). Should work just fine - you should get a blue 'bubble' asking you if you want to place the call and take it from there.

[tonyharmer]

I recorded the steps for you in this short, silent video, hopefully that will get you on your way!

[phyllisj9]

Not my thread, but what an awesome response!  Thanks for that video.  I'll use this method if I need to do the same thing (I'll probably be doing something interactive like this at some point).

Thanks, Phyllis

[tonyharmer]

Thanks, Phyllis - you're welcome!

[Guest]

I don't know what I am doing wrong. I followed your directions both here in the forum, and on the video, but it's still not working. I link it, create the interactive PDF and email it to myself on my iPhone. When I click on the link, nothing happens.

[tonyharmer]

The only thing I can think of is... Are you putting the Colin in after the tel part? Sorry I'm presenting today so my window for responses is limited. I will pick up on it when I get back later this evening, promise I will get you there.

Sent from my iPhone

[tonyharmer]

Hi

Hopefully you picked up in my earlier response I meant of course colon, not colin (didn't notice the predictive autocorrect).

Could you PM me a copy of your PDF, or a link I could download it from? I'll try looking from there.

[Guest]

Thank you to Tony who spent an extraordinary amount of time helping me with this. His answer works perfectly if the PDF is in a browser, but not if the PDF is received as an email attachment.

Thanks again Tony!

[tonyharmer]

You're welcome!

[Slavitca]

It will say in the links panel that it does not work,. however after you export it, it should work.  That's what it did for me and I thought it didn't work at first either, but I exported it and it worked fine.

[mukeshs21381240]

How can I put a link in PDF if I have to include meeting ID etc... For example, If users have to directly dial into my conf#. 962-827-1888,2#,8279445.

This works great if I have this same number stored in as my contacts. Suggestions please

[ccastagne]

Hello, has anyone found that the links and buttons don't work in epub only pdfs for interactive phone numbers?

[BobLevine]

Please do not hijack old answered threads. This one is almost eight years old.

Start a new discussion with full details and note that the term "epub only pdfs" makes no sense.