Jumping to a Specific Cell Using a Hyperlink

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 5, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016


13

Bob wants to use a hyperlink to move from Sheet1 to cell A1 on Sheet2. He's got the hyperlink set up, but when he clicks it, he is taken to the last-used cell on Sheet2 instead of to cell A1. Bob wonders how to correct this behavior.

The answer depends on how, exactly, Bob created the hyperlink. It is possible, for instance, to create a hyperlink using the HYPERLINK worksheet function. If this is how the link was created, then all you need to do is make sure that you include the cell reference in the actual link destination, in this manner:

=HYPERLINK("#Sheet2!A1","Jump To Cell A1 in Sheet2")

If you prefer, you could also use a full worksheet designation, in this manner:

=HYPERLINK("[Book1.xlsx]'Sheet 2'!A2","Jump To Cell A1 in Sheet2")

Of course, it is possible that Bob created his hyperlink using the Hyperlink tool, in this manner:

  1. Select the cell in which you want the hyperlink inserted.
  2. Display the Insert tab of the ribbon.
  3. Click on the Hyperlink tool in the Links group. Excel displays the Insert Hyperlink dialog box.
  4. Make sure that the Place In This Document option is selected at the left of the dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
  5. Figure 1. The Insert Hyperlink dialog box.

  6. Change the Text to Display field, as desired.
  7. In the Type the Cell Reference field, enter A1.
  8. In the area at the bottom of the dialog box, click on the worksheet you want to use as the target of the hyperlink.
  9. Click on OK.

The resulting hyperlink will jump to cell A1 on the designated worksheet. It is possible, in Bob's situation, that the Type the Cell Reference field (step 6) is set to some other value or it is blank. If that is the case, the solution is to go back and edit the hyperlink (right-click the hyperlink and choose Edit Hyperlink from the Context menu) so that A1 is in the field.

If you ensure that the Type the Cell Reference field is set to A1 and the hyperlink still doesn't take you to that cell, it is possible that you are encountering an Excel bug. There are reports that some versions of Excel (minor versions, mind you, not major versions) have this bug. The way you can figure out if you were bitten by the bug is to make sure that your version of Excel is up-to-date.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (13485) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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What is 0 + 4?

2020-10-25 06:07:33

Sunny

Hi All,

I can confirm that the hyperlink "bookmark" bug mentioned in this thread exists in Excel 2016.

I used VBA to generate a hyperlink in a cell in Workbook1 that links to another cell in Workbook2. Normally, this is quite simple to setup, either using the Excel Hyperlink Tool or suitable VBA code. I used the latter below, in a test sub to try and determine why it was not functioning as expected.

So, the error that I am getting is that after the VBA creates the hyperlink in a cell in Workbook2, when closed and re-opened and the hyperlink selected, it opens Workbook1 correctly but incorrectly at the last cell and on the last 'sheet' that was saved for the workbook.


The syntax that the VBA Hyperlink.Add method sets up is:

C:\path_to_Workbook1#'sheetname'!G15

The 'sheet-name' is enclosed by single quotes because the name contains a 'dash' without which it would flag a different error.

This syntax works perfectly in Excel 2009 but fails as described above in Excel 2016.

is there an update to Excel 2016 that addresses this bug?

Sub Test_hLink()

Dim hLinkCell As String
Dim WICSpath As String
Dim hRowNum As Integer
Dim Arr(20, 6) As String
Dim subAddRow As Integer

caseNum = 1
hRowNum = 9 + caseNum
Arr(1, 1) = "TG-A"
Arr(1, 2) = 14
Arr(1, 3) = "..\..\Workbook1.xlsm"

hLinkCell = "B" & CStr(hRowNum)
AppPath = Arr(1, 3)
subAddRow = Arr(1, 2) + caseNum
With Worksheets("Sheet1")
.Hyperlinks.Add Anchor:=.Range(hLinkCell), _
Address:=AppPath, _
SubAddress:="'" & Arr(1, 1) & "'!G" & CStr(subAddRow), _
ScreenTip:="Return to originating Sheet", _
TextToDisplay:="A100.1.1"
End With

End Sub


2016-10-26 11:23:14

DaveS

@Philip

The direction wasn't clear from your question. In your Excel workbook name the cell you want to link to, copy it, go to the place in your Word document, Paste Special, and on the Paste Special dialog select Paste link and Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object. Whatever is in the cell will then be displayed in your document. Naming the cell should prevent the link being broken if you later add or delete rows/columns above/left of the cell.


2016-10-26 05:01:50

Philip

@Ed, I am looking to link to a specific location in a WORD document, not an Excel workbook ...


2016-10-25 18:16:15

Bob

Thanks to all for replying to my query. I had developed the link in each of the ways described and while it performed properly on some versions of Excel the problem still occurs with Excel for Mac v. 15.23. Strangely, when I updated to v. 15.27 for Mac the problem disappeared. Answer: do not rely on new versions from Microsoft - test thoroughly - especially versions for the Mac which do not seem to get the same rigorous testing before release.
Thanks again. Love the service and support from all
Bob


2016-10-24 17:09:54

Tigertom

The Hyperlink tool works for me but the first Hyperlink function example won't work in Excel 2010. I'm trying to put a reference to cell H1 on the sheet "P&L". Following the first example I write =HYPERLINK("#P&L!H1","Jump To P&L H1") and get error "Reference is not valid". I tried "P&L!H1", "'P&L'!H1" and "[P&L]!H1" but each time I get "Cannot open the specified file".


2016-10-24 14:16:01

Nikojohn

@Robert
Dear Robert I followed the steps exacly as you and MaIR describe many-many times. I'm afraid to inform you that my Excel-System didn't perform as expected...
Anyway thank you a lot.


2016-10-24 05:31:01

Laurent

I want to create a hyperlink to a hidden sheet. Can I do this without a macro? above method doesn't appear to work when the targeted sheet is hidden...


2016-10-24 04:59:44

Dave S

@Philip
Create a bookmark in your Word document at the place you want to link to. In Excel, use the Insert Hyperlink dialog to locate the Word document so that its address appears in the Address box, and then add # followed by the bookmark name. For example, if your bookmark name is ExcelLink you end up with an address like:

d:Mydocument.docx#ExcelLink


2016-10-23 21:37:49

Robert

Nikojohn
Right click on the cell as if you are going to move it then press the alt key.When you move the cell to the worksheet tab you want to create the hyperlink, it activates that sheet. Release the alt key. Move cursor to location on the sheet you want the hyperlink and release. A menu will pop up. Select "Create Hyperlink". Done.


2016-10-23 12:39:03

Nikojohn

@MaIR : I use MS Office Pro Plus 10 and I tried too many times to create an hyperlink useing your way without result. Is there something wrong ?


2016-10-22 21:32:14

MalR

To get a hyperlink to appear in sheet 1 and link to one in a cell in sheet 2 do the following.
Right click on the frame of the cell in sheet 2. Hold down Alt and drag it to the worksheet tab of sheet 1. This allows you to enter sheet 1. Release the Alt. Keep dragging it up to the cell where you want the hyperlink displayed. Release the mouse. Click on the option in the drop down of "Create a hyperlink here". Make sure you are pointed exactly in the centre of the cell or it may not work.
The cell in sheet 1 will have a hyperlink linking to the cell in sheet 2. I use this quite a lot to save time.


2016-10-22 10:41:01

Philip

On a related question, is it also possible to link a cell to a specific location in an MS Word document ? I have only found the possibility to link to the Word document as a whole ... but probably I missed something ?


2016-10-22 09:38:52

Ed

In the Name Manager (under the Formulas tab) you can create a meaningful name for your link and then use that in the Hyperlink tool. In the Hyperlink tool just select the created name in the box "Or select a place in this document" under "Defined Names".


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