In our previous post, we showed you how to add web links to a Word document. In this post, we’re going to show you how to format web links in a Word document so they look exactly as you want them to.

Existing Format for Web Links in Word

When a web link has been added to Word, the standard way to display it is in a blue colour and also underlined.

Web link text highlighted.

This is helpful but what if the blue colour and underlined text do not match the colour scheme and formatting rules that you are using elsewhere in your document?

You can change the colour and formatting just like any other text in a document but this means that every time you add a web link, you have to manually change the formatting.

How can you change the way that Word displays any web linked text in the first place so that you don’t have to manually format each link yourself?

Formatting Web Links in Word Online

At the moment, the online version of Word does not allow you to change the default way that web links are displayed in a document. In the online version of Word, you can only format individual web links after each one has been created.

To change the default way that Word displays web links, you will have to use the desktop version of Word.

Formatting Web Links in Desktop Word

Highlight the text that contains a web link and then click on the “Home” tab.

Highlighted text and home tab highlighted.

In the styles section of the home ribbon, click on the small arrow icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the section.

Styles expand arrow in the home ribbon.

This will open the Styles window.

Styles window.

Scroll down the list of styles until you see the line headed “Hyperlink”. Hover your mouse over the word and click on the down pointing arrow icon that appears.

Down arrow highlighted for hyperlink style.

When you click on the down pointing arrow, a drop-down menu will appear. In this menu, click on the line that is titled “Modify…”.

Modify link highlighted in hyperlink drop down menu.

This will open the “Modify Styles” window.

The modify style window.

In this window, you can use these fields to change how every web link is displayed by default.

Formatting fields highlighted in the modify style window.

When you are happy with the changes, click on the OK button to save the web link changes and close the windows.

OK button highlighted in the modify style window.

Formatting Clicked Web Links in Desktop Word

The next setting to consider is when you have clicked on a web link in a Word document because Word will display this in a second colour.

Colours of clicked and unclicked web links in a word document.

To change the colour that is used once a web link has been clicked on, click on the “Design” tab at the top of your document.

Design tab highlighted in the Word ribbon.

The ribbon will change to show all the available design options. In the ribbon, click on the down arrow below the “Colors” icon and in the drop-down menu that appears, click on the line that reads “Customize Colors…”.

The customise colours menu option.

This will open the theme colours window.

The customise theme colours window.

Click on the colour icon next to “Followed Hyperlink” and this will let you choose the colour that is used by default when a web link is clicked on in your document.

The followed hyperlink colour setting highlighted in the theme colours window.

When you have chosen the colour you want, click on the “Save” button and the changes will be saved.

The save button highlighted in the theme colours window.
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