Remove or Disable All Hyperlinks in Word 2016
To remove or disable all hyperlinks in a Word 2016 document, you can either delete them individually or use a quick method that strips the hyperlink formatting from the entire document at once. The fastest way is to select all text (Ctrl+A) and then press Ctrl+Shift+F9, which removes all hyperlinks while keeping the text intact. If you want to disable future automatic hyperlinks, you can turn off the auto-format option in Word’s settings.
Understanding Hyperlinks in Word 2016
Hyperlinks in Word are fields that contain a URL or a location within the document. When you click them, they open a web page, jump to a bookmark, or start an email. Word automatically creates a hyperlink when you type a web address or email address and press Space or Enter. Hyperlinks are stored as fields, which is why they behave differently from regular text.
There are two main types of hyperlinks:
- External hyperlinks – point to a website (e.g., https://example.com) or an email address (mailto:someone@example.com).
- Internal hyperlinks – jump to a bookmark or heading within the same document.
Removing a hyperlink deletes the field code but leaves the visible text. Disabling automatic hyperlinks prevents Word from creating them in the future, but it does not affect existing ones.
How to Remove All Hyperlinks at Once
The quickest method to remove every hyperlink in a Word 2016 document is to use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+F9. This command unlinks all fields, including hyperlinks, in the selected text.
Steps:
- Open the document in Word 2016.
- Press Ctrl+A to select the entire document (or select only the portion you want to clean).
- Press Ctrl+Shift+F9.
All hyperlinks are removed instantly, and the text remains. If you have a mix of hyperlinks and other fields (like page numbers or cross-references), this shortcut will also remove those fields, so use it with caution. For documents that contain important fields other than hyperlinks, you may want to remove hyperlinks one by one instead.
Removing Hyperlinks Individually
If you only need to remove a few hyperlinks, right-click the hyperlink and choose Remove Hyperlink from the context menu. This deletes the hyperlink but keeps the text. Alternatively, you can place the cursor in the hyperlink text, press Ctrl+Shift+F9 while the cursor is inside the link, and it will remove just that one.
Another way is to use the Insert tab: click on the hyperlink, then go to Insert > Links > Hyperlink and click the Remove Link button in the dialog. This is more cumbersome but works if you prefer using menus.
Disabling Automatic Hyperlinks in Word 2016
If you don’t want Word to create hyperlinks automatically as you type, you can turn off that feature. This does not affect existing hyperlinks, but it stops new ones from appearing.
Steps to disable auto-hyperlink:
- Click the File tab, then Options.
- In the Proofing section, click AutoCorrect Options.
- Go to the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
- Under Replace as you type, uncheck the box next to Internet and network paths with hyperlinks.
- Click OK twice.
Now when you type a URL, it will remain plain text. If you want to re-enable it later, follow the same steps and check the box again.
Common Problems and Solutions
Problem: Ctrl+Shift+F9 doesn’t work.
Solution: Make sure you have selected text. If the document is protected or in a read-only mode, the shortcut may be disabled. Save the file, then try again.
Problem: Hyperlinks reappear after saving and reopening.
Solution: This can happen if the document is saved in a format that re-applies hyperlinks (like HTML) or if the text was pasted from a web page. Use Paste Special > Unformatted Text when pasting from the web.
Problem: Removing hyperlinks also removes other formatting.
Solution: Ctrl+Shift+F9 only removes fields, not formatting. If you see formatting changes, it may be because the hyperlink style (blue underlined) was applied directly to the text. You can reapply your normal style after removal.
Comparing Methods: Shortcut vs. Manual vs. Auto-Disable
There are three main approaches to dealing with hyperlinks in Word 2016. Each has its own use case:
- Ctrl+Shift+F9 – Best for removing all hyperlinks at once. It’s fast and doesn’t require any menu navigation. However, it also removes other fields in the document, so it’s not ideal if you have page numbers or cross-references that rely on fields.
- Right-click > Remove Hyperlink – Good for selective removal. It only affects the hyperlink you click, leaving other fields untouched. It’s slower for large documents.
- Disabling auto-hyperlink – This is a permanent setting change. It prevents new hyperlinks from being created, but it doesn’t remove existing ones. Use this if you frequently paste URLs and don’t want them to become links.
For most users, the shortcut is the go-to solution because it’s quick and effective. If you work with documents that contain many fields, manual removal is safer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does Ctrl+Shift+F9 remove all hyperlinks in the entire document?
A: Yes, if you select the entire document (Ctrl+A) before pressing the shortcut, it removes all hyperlinks in that selection. If you select only a portion, it removes hyperlinks only in that portion.
Q: Will removing hyperlinks change the text color or underline?
A: No, the text remains exactly as it was. Hyperlink formatting (blue and underlined) is part of the hyperlink style, but when you remove the hyperlink, the text reverts to the default style of the surrounding text. If the text was manually formatted, it stays that way.
Q: How do I remove hyperlinks from pasted text?
A: After pasting, select the pasted text and press Ctrl+Shift+F9. To avoid hyperlinks from the start, use Paste Special and choose Unformatted Text or Keep Text Only.
Q: Can I disable hyperlinks for a specific paragraph only?
A: No, the auto-hyperlink setting applies to the whole document. You can, however, remove hyperlinks from a specific paragraph by selecting it and pressing Ctrl+Shift+F9.
Q: What if I want to keep the hyperlink but remove the underline?
A: That’s a formatting change, not a removal. Select the hyperlink text, go to the Home tab, and click the underline button (Ctrl+U) to remove the underline. The hyperlink will still work, but it won’t look like a link.
Q: Will removing hyperlinks affect the document’s file size?
A: Usually not significantly. Hyperlinks are small fields, so removing them may reduce the file size slightly, but it’s not noticeable for most documents.
Related
Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.