Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 26, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
If you have a hyperlink in a cell (such as cell A1) and then you use a formula in another cell that references that hyperlink, the result of that formula is not a hyperlink. For instance, suppose cell B1 contains this simple formula:
=A1
The result of that formula will not be a hyperlink, even if cell A1 contains a hyperlink. The reason is that the formula extracts the value of the referenced cell, which is the text displayed in A1. If what is displayed in cell A1 is a URL, then you could modify your formula just a bit to result in a hyperlink:
=HYPERLINK(A1)
If cell A1 does not contain a URL, or if it is a hyperlink where the displayed text is different than the underlying URL, then the HYPERLINK function won't work as expected.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (9603) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: References to Hyperlinks aren't Hyperlinks.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
When you establish links between data on a target worksheet and data on a source worksheet, those links are typically ...
Discover MoreExcel allows you to define hyperlinks in your worksheets, and these can target specific cells on other worksheets. Here ...
Discover MoreMake a hyperlink to a cell in your workbook, edit the structure of that workbook a bit, and you may find that the ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments