Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Special Characters In Hyperlinks.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 22, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
You probably already know that Excel allows you to create hyperlinks to other Excel workbooks. If you create a workbook that uses the pound sign (#) in the file name, Excel has no problem with that. It will have a problem, however, if you try to create a hyperlink that references a workbook with a pound sign in the file name.
The reason for this is because the pound sign is a valid character for a file name, but it is not a valid character for use in a hyperlink. Since hyperlinks are closely related to URLs, you may think that replacing the pound sign with its hexadecimal equivalent (%23) in the hyperlink might do the trick. For instance, you might use the name My%23File.xlsx in the hyperlink instead of My#File.xlsx. This potential solution won't work, however. Excel still complains that it cannot find the file when you click on the hyperlink.
According to Microsoft sources, there are only two potential solutions. The first is to rename the target workbook so it doesn't include the pound sign in the file name. If this is not possible, then the second solution is to create a hyperlink by pasting instead of by using the Insert Hyperlink command. Follow these steps:
Your hyperlink appears, complete with the pound sign, and it will work.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (12572) 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: Special Characters In Hyperlinks.
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2025-05-06 13:02:30
Kiwerry
I have also had problems with the HYPERLINK function, but in my case they were caused by some characters (e.g. space, or minus ) in sheet names. As J. Woolley pointed out below, the problem can be solved by enclosing the sheet name in ' characters.
2022-04-13 13:00:05
J. Woolley
I guess newer versions of Excel have (partially) addressed this issue. To open My#File.xlsx with an Excel Ctrl+K hyperlink, enter the following Address:
My%23File.xlsx
but do NOT enter the following Address:
[My%23File.xlsx]
You can also use the HYPERLINK function with either link_location:
=HYPERLINK("My%23File.xlsx")
=HYPERLINK("[My%23File.xlsx]")
Square brackets are useful (but unnecessary) if the filename has special characters like space, exclamation, or apostrophe (but not hash).
The Tip fails to explain why Excel treats hash (#) as a special character in hyperlinks. It is used to separate Hyperlink.Address from Hyperlink.Subaddress, where the first references an Excel workbook and the second references a cell or a range or a name or a worksheet plus a cell or a range or a name. The HYPERLINK function does not create a Hyperlink object, but the following examples apply:
=HYPERLINK("My%23File.xlsx#A1")
=HYPERLINK("My%23File.xlsx#A1:B2")
=HYPERLINK("My%23File.xlsx#MyName")
=HYPERLINK("My%23File.xlsx#'Sheet1'!A1")
=HYPERLINK("My%23File.xlsx#'Sheet1'!A1:B2")
=HYPERLINK("My%23File.xlsx#'Sheet1'!MyName")
Apostrophes are necessary only if the worksheet name has special characters like hash, space, exclamation, apostrophe (must double like 'Sheet''1'), or quotation (must double like 'Sheet""1' if within quoted text).
The hash character can also be used in a hyperlink to open an Excel VBA procedure in the Visual Basic Editor (VBE):
=HYPERLINK("?#MyProc")
Or to run a VBA procedure:
=HYPERLINK("?#MyFunc(2*3.14)")
The question mark (?) character references the current workbook. MyFunc must be a Function returning Range:
Function MyFunc(arg) as range
...
Set MyFunc = Selection
Exit Function
My Excel Toolbox includes the SuperLink function (a superior substitute for HYPERLINK) and the UseSuperLink.pdf document.
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox
2022-04-12 14:08:32
Christian
Thank you for the tip. Much appreciated.
2018-03-17 23:11:25
Alex B
Its is just bizarre that with an identical Hyperlink dialogue box in MS Outlook and MS Excel, the # works in Outlook but not in Excel.
I have found one other way of doing this.
Using the Hyperlink formula, adding file:/// to the front and replacing the # with the %23
=HYPERLINK("file:///C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\My%23File.xlsx","My#File")
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
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