Preventing automatic hyperlinks in Excel is a simple task that can save you a lot of time and frustration. Have you ever typed an email address or a web URL into an Excel cell, only to have it automatically turn into a clickable hyperlink? It can be quite annoying, especially if you’re entering a lot of data and don’t want these links. But fear not, because there’s a quick and easy way to stop Excel from doing this.
Step by Step Tutorial on Preventing Automatic Hyperlinks in Excel
Before we dive into the steps, it’s important to understand what we’re aiming to achieve here. By following these steps, you’ll prevent Excel from turning your text into hyperlinks automatically. This will allow you to maintain the data in its original format without the distraction of unnecessary links.
Step 1: Open Excel Options
Open the Excel Options dialog box by clicking on the ‘File’ tab and then selecting ‘Options’.
The Excel Options dialog box is where you can customize many settings in Excel to suit your preferences. By accessing this box, you will be able to adjust the settings to prevent automatic hyperlinks.
Step 2: Click on Proofing
In the Excel Options dialog box, click on the ‘Proofing’ section on the left-hand side.
The Proofing section contains options for how Excel manages spelling, grammar, and autocorrect features. This is where you’ll find the setting we need to adjust to stop the automatic hyperlinks.
Step 3: Click on ‘AutoCorrect Options’
Within the Proofing section, click on the ‘AutoCorrect Options’ button.
This will bring up another dialog box specifically for AutoCorrect settings. There are many options here that control how Excel automatically formats your text as you type.
Step 4: Go to the ‘AutoFormat As You Type’ Tab
In the AutoCorrect dialog box, click on the ‘AutoFormat As You Type’ tab at the top.
This tab deals with the formatting that Excel applies automatically while you’re entering data into your worksheet. This is the tab where the specific setting for hyperlinks resides.
Step 5: Uncheck ‘Internet and network paths with hyperlinks’
Find the checkbox that says ‘Internet and network paths with hyperlinks’ and uncheck it.
By unchecking this box, you’re telling Excel not to create hyperlinks automatically when it detects something that looks like a web address or email.
Step 6: Click OK to Save Changes
After unchecking the box, click ‘OK’ to save your changes and close the dialog box.
Your changes are now saved, and you can start entering data into Excel without worrying about unwanted hyperlinks being created.
After completing these steps, you’ll find that Excel no longer turns URLs and email addresses into hyperlinks automatically. This can make your worksheets look cleaner and prevent the annoyance of accidentally clicking on a hyperlink when trying to select a cell.
Tips for Preventing Automatic Hyperlinks in Excel
- If you accidentally create a hyperlink, you can remove it by right-clicking on the cell, selecting ‘Remove Hyperlink’.
- You can also press ‘Ctrl’ + ‘Z’ immediately after a hyperlink is created to undo the action.
- If you want to create a hyperlink manually, you can do so by selecting the cell, right-clicking, and choosing ‘Hyperlink’.
- Remember that this setting applies to all future workbooks you open in Excel. If you want hyperlinks in a different workbook, you’ll need to re-check the box.
- Keep in mind that this setting will not affect existing hyperlinks, only new ones that you enter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will this setting also prevent hyperlinks in past Excel files?
No, this setting only applies to new data entered after the setting has been changed. Existing hyperlinks will remain intact.
Can I apply this setting to only one worksheet instead of the entire workbook?
Unfortunately, this setting is applied globally to Excel and will affect all worksheets within a workbook.
What if I want to add hyperlinks again in the future?
Simply go back into the AutoCorrect Options and re-check the ‘Internet and network paths with hyperlinks’ box to allow Excel to create hyperlinks automatically.
Is there a way to remove all existing hyperlinks in a worksheet at once?
Yes, you can use the ‘Clear Hyperlinks’ feature by selecting all the cells with hyperlinks, right-clicking, and choosing ‘Remove Hyperlinks’.
Does this setting affect other programs in the Microsoft Office suite?
No, this setting is specific to Excel. Other programs like Word and Outlook have their own settings for hyperlinks.
Summary
- Open Excel Options
- Click on Proofing
- Click on ‘AutoCorrect Options’
- Go to the ‘AutoFormat As You Type’ Tab
- Uncheck ‘Internet and network paths with hyperlinks’
- Click OK to Save Changes
Conclusion
Preventing automatic hyperlinks in Excel is a breeze once you know where to look. With the simple steps outlined above, you can keep your data free from unwanted links and maintain the integrity of your spreadsheet. Remember, while hyperlinks can be useful, they can also be a nuisance when you’re dealing with large amounts of data. By unchecking that one little box, you take control of your data and how it’s presented. If you ever need to reverse the setting, it’s just as easy to re-enable automatic hyperlinks. Happy Excel-ing!
Matthew Burleigh has been a freelance writer since the early 2000s. You can find his writing all over the Web, where his content has collectively been read millions of times.
Matthew received his Master’s degree in Computer Science, then spent over a decade as an IT consultant for small businesses before focusing on writing and website creation.
The topics he covers for MasterYourTech.com include iPhones, Microsoft Office, and Google Apps.
You can read his full bio here.