How to Use HYPERLINK Formula in Excel - Compute Expert

How to Use HYPERLINK Formula in Excel


Home >> Excel Tutorials from Compute Expert >> Excel Formulas List >> How to Use HYPERLINK Formula in Excel





In this tutorial, we will discuss the use of the HYPERLINK formula in excel. HYPERLINK can be used to put a navigation link in your cell. The navigation link can be directed to a cell, sheet, workbook file, website, or an email address.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links from which we earn commission from qualifying purchases/actions at no additional cost for you. Learn more

Want to work faster and easier in Excel? Install and use Excel add-ins! Read this article to know the best Excel add-ins to use according to us!

Learn Excel Dashboard Course






HYPERLINK Usability

HYPERLINK formula is useful to create a navigation link in your cell. Links can make it easier to go to other workbooks/websites/places in your workbook or send emails from your sheet.



Result

The result you get after you write a HYPERLINK formula is a navigation link in your cell.



The Excel Version From Where the HYPERLINK Formula Can Be Used

HYPERLINK is there since Excel 2003.



The Writing Method and Inputs

The way to write a HYPERLINK formula generally is as follows:

=HYPERLINK(link_location, friendly_name)


And here is a bit explanation of the inputs needed in this formula writing:
  • link_location = the destination to where the navigation link from the HYPERLINK formula will head
  • [friendly_name] = this input is optional, which is the input for the text that will represent your navigation link in the cell. If you don’t give input here, then HYPERLINK will show the navigation link inputted earlier as the text in your cell



The Usage Example

Here will be given and explained the usage example of the HYPERLINK formula and the result you get from it.

HYPERLINK Function in Excel - Screenshot of the Usage Example

In the example, we can see how the HYPERLINK formula is used and the result we get from it. Input the navigation destination and the representative text correctly and you will get the link you need.



If you want to input an email sending link, then don’t forget to type “mailto:” before inputting the email address. Further explanation about the navigation destination input writing in HYPERLINK will be given completely in the next part of this tutorial.



Writing Options for the Navigation Destination Input in HYPERLINK and Their Purposes

In this part, we will give the examples of inputs you can give for the link_location/navigation destination of HYPERLINK. It will be explained too what is the distinct purpose of using each of them.

Navigation Destination Input WritingPurpose
"#C3"Go to cell C3 in the same sheet as to where your HYPERLINK formula is
"#Sheet1!C3"Go to cell C3 in the sheet with the name “Sheet1”
“[another-workbook.xlsx]Sheet1!C3”Go to sheet “Sheet1”, cell C3 in “another-workbook.xlsx” in the folder where the workbook file with your HYPERLINK is
"another-workbook.xlsx"Go to the workbook file named “another-workbook.xlsx” in the same folder as the workbook file where your HYPERLINK is
“C:\Documents\another-workbook.xlsx”Go to the workbook file named “another-workbook.xlsx” in the Documents folder inside the C folder
"https://computeexpert.com"Go to a website with the address “https://computeexpert.com"
"mailto:compute.group@gmail.com"Go to the email sending page with the sending destination: compute.group@gmail.com
“mailto:”&A1Go to the email sending page with the sending destination in the A1 cell


After learning the possibilities of the navigation destination input writing, next we will learn the steps to write a HYPERLINK formula.



Step-by-step Writing

The following will explain in detail the steps to write a HYPERLINK formula in excel. Each step here will be accompanied with a relevant screenshot to help your understanding.

  1. Type an equal sign ( = ) in the cell where you want to put your navigation link, the result of the HYPERLINK formula

    HYPERLINK Function in Excel - Screenshot of Step 1

  2. Type HYPERLINK (not case-sensitive) and an open bracket sign after =

    HYPERLINK Function in Excel - Screenshot of Step 2

  3. Input the navigation link destination / the cell coordinate where this destination is written after the open bracket sign. If you want to type it directly, not using a cell coordinate, then don’t forget to type it between quotes signs (“”)

    HYPERLINK Function in Excel - Screenshot of Step 3

  4. Optional: Type a comma sign ( , ) then input the representing text for your link. If you don’t give input in this part, then the representing text will be just as what your link destination is

    HYPERLINK Function in Excel - Screenshot of Step 4

  5. Input a close bracket sign

    HYPERLINK Function in Excel - Screenshot of Step 5

  6. Press Enter
  7. Done!

    HYPERLINK Function in Excel - Screenshot of Step 7




Other Ways to Input Links in Your Cell

Besides using HYPERLINK, you can also input a navigation link directly if the navigation destination is a website or email. Just type the website or email address in your cell and press enter. The navigation link will be automatically created by excel.



HYPERLINK Function in Excel - Screenshot of the Way to Put Link in Excel Directly (Web & Email) 1

HYPERLINK Function in Excel - Screenshot of the Way to Put Link in Excel Directly (Web & Email) 2

By using this method, the representing text in the cell will be the same as the website or email address. If you want to edit the text, then you must go to the Edit Hyperlink menu. Access the menu through the right-click on the cell where the link is.

Alternatively, you can also input a link by using the Hyperlink menu in excel. To access this menu, you can go to the Insert tab and choose the Link menu there. Another way is to right-click on your cell then choose Hyperlink. You can also use the Ctrl + K (Command + K on Mac) shortcut to access the menu.

HYPERLINK Function in Excel - Screenshot of Other Ways to Put Link in Excel: the Hyperlink Menu Location


Exercise

After learning how to use HYPERLINK, now let’s do this exercise to sharpen your understanding of it!

Download the exercise file and do the instructions. Download the answer key file to check your answers if you have done them. Or just look at the file if you are confused when trying to do one of the instructions!

Link to the exercise file:
Download here

Instructions

  1. Make a link to navigate to the google website with “Google” word as the representative text in the cell!
  2. Make a link to move to the cell with the “Text” word in it on the second sheet!
  3. Make a link to go to your email sending page with your email address as the destination!

Link to the answer key file:
Download here



Additional Note

If you input a website as the destination, then input it with the “http://example.com" or “https://example.com" format. If not, then the result of your HYPERLINK will be invalid and the website navigation cannot be done through your link.



Other relevant tutorials you should learn too:



Want to Learn More About Excel?


Get updated excel info from Compute Expert by registering your email. It's free!





Want to Learn More About Excel?


Get updated excel info from Compute Expert by registering your email. It's free!




Learn Excel Dashboard Course

Follow our tutorial content also on


Excel Calculation

Sum in Excel

Subtraction in Excel

Multiplication in Excel

Division in Excel

Average in Excel



Excel Formula

VLOOKUP Function in Excel

IF Function in Excel

SUM Function in Excel

COUNTIFS Function in Excel

SUMIFS Function in Excel



Excel Tips and Trick

How to Print in Excel

Convert Number to Text in Excel

Excel Worksheet Definition

Excel Range Definition

Excel Shortcuts



Excel Products & Services Recommendation

Best Laptops for Excel

Best Tablets for Excel

Best Keyboards for Excel

Best Mouse for Excel

Best Monitors for Excel



Excel Consultation

Recommended Things

About Us

Contact Us

Privacy Policy

Affiliate Disclosure

Terms & Condition



© 2024 Compute Expert