How to Disable Hyperlinks in Word: A Complete Guide
Microsoft Word automatically converts URLs and email addresses into clickable hyperlinks — blue, underlined, and ready to open a browser. That behavior is useful in some documents, but in others it's distracting, unprofessional, or just plain annoying. Here's exactly how to disable hyperlinks in Word, whether you want to remove them one at a time, strip them from an entire document, or stop Word from creating them in the first place.
Why Word Creates Hyperlinks Automatically
Word's AutoCorrect feature includes an option called "Internet and network paths with hyperlinks." When active, it watches as you type and converts anything that looks like a URL or email address into a formatted hyperlink the moment you press Space or Enter. This is part of a broader set of automatic formatting behaviors Word applies by default.
The result is functional for digital documents, but it creates problems in printed materials, legal documents, academic submissions, or any file where you want plain, unformatted text.
How to Remove a Single Hyperlink
The fastest way to deal with one hyperlink at a time:
- Right-click the hyperlink
- Select "Remove Hyperlink" from the context menu
The text stays in place — only the link formatting is stripped. The text will no longer be blue or underlined unless you've applied those styles manually.
Keyboard shortcut alternative: Click anywhere inside the hyperlink, then press Ctrl+Shift+F9 (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+F9 (Mac). This converts the hyperlink field to plain text.
How to Remove All Hyperlinks from a Document at Once 🧹
If your document is full of links and you want to clear them all in one move:
- Press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Cmd+A (Mac) to select all text
- Press Ctrl+Shift+F9 (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+F9 (Mac)
This removes every hyperlink field in the document simultaneously. It also flattens other field codes, so use it with care if your document relies on fields for things like table of contents entries or mail merge.
How to Stop Word from Creating Hyperlinks Automatically
Removing existing hyperlinks is one thing — preventing new ones from forming is another. To turn off automatic hyperlinking entirely:
On Windows:
- Go to File → Options → Proofing
- Click AutoCorrect Options…
- Select the "AutoFormat As You Type" tab
- Uncheck "Internet and network paths with hyperlinks"
- Click OK
On Mac:
- Go to Word → Preferences → AutoCorrect
- Click the "AutoFormat As You Type" tab
- Uncheck "Internet and network paths with hyperlinks"
- Click OK
Once this is off, Word will leave URLs and email addresses as plain text as you type them. Existing hyperlinks in the document are not affected — you'll still need to remove those manually or with the select-all shortcut.
Quick Undo After a Single Hyperlink Forms
If Word just auto-created a hyperlink you didn't want, the fastest fix is immediate: press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) right after it forms. This undoes the automatic formatting without removing the text. It only works in that brief window before you continue typing.
Comparing Your Options
| Goal | Method |
|---|---|
| Remove one hyperlink | Right-click → Remove Hyperlink |
| Remove all hyperlinks at once | Select All → Ctrl+Shift+F9 |
| Undo a just-formed hyperlink | Ctrl+Z immediately |
| Prevent new hyperlinks from forming | AutoCorrect settings |
| Remove formatting (color/underline) separately | Format the text manually after removing the link |
What Disabling Hyperlinks Doesn't Do
Removing a hyperlink does not automatically reformat the text to match the surrounding content. The text may remain blue and underlined because Word applies a "Hyperlink" character style when the link is created. Stripping the hyperlink field removes the clickable behavior, but the visual style can persist.
To fix this, select the affected text after removing the link and reapply your standard text formatting — usually by selecting "Clear All Formatting" from the Home tab, or manually resetting the font color to Automatic and removing the underline.
Version and Platform Differences to Keep in Mind ⚙️
The core steps above apply broadly, but a few variables affect the experience:
- Word for Microsoft 365 (subscription) receives regular updates, so menu locations may shift slightly between versions
- Word 2016, 2019, and 2021 follow the same general structure but may have slight UI differences
- Word on Mac places preferences under the Word menu rather than File
- Word Online (the browser version) has limited AutoCorrect settings compared to the desktop app — some options may not be available
- Word on mobile (iOS/Android) offers fewer formatting controls overall; hyperlink management is more restricted
The desktop versions of Word give you the most control. If you're working primarily in Word Online or on a mobile device, you may find that some of these settings aren't accessible or behave differently.
The Factor That Changes Everything 🖊️
How you handle hyperlinks in Word depends heavily on what kind of document you're working with and how it will be used. A legal contract, a printed report, a shared collaborative file, and a digital brochure all have different needs — and the right approach for one can create problems in another.
The steps here give you the full toolkit. Which combination of them fits your workflow is a question only your specific document and use case can answer.