How to combine text and hyperlink into a hyperlinked text in Excel?
When working with Excel, it is common to maintain separate columns for display text (such as project names, item descriptions, or document titles) and their corresponding hyperlinks (URLs or file paths). However, there are scenarios where you may need to merge these two elements—combining the descriptive text with its associated link into a single cell as a clickable hyperlink, as shown in the screenshot below. Doing so improves readability, reduces clutter, and makes worksheets more interactive for viewers. This tutorial provides detailed methods to efficiently achieve this, tackling both basic and advanced needs.
- Combine text cell and hyperlink cell with a formula
- VBA code to combine text and hyperlink into hyperlinked text (bulk & advanced scenarios)
- Other built-in Excel methods: Insert hyperlink manually
Combine text cell and hyperlink cell with a formula
For most straightforward tasks, using the HYPERLINK function is an efficient way to merge text and link in Excel. This method is well-suited for standard records where the web address or file path corresponds directly to the text label. It is especially effective when combining two columns with one formula and can be quickly extended to large datasets.
Syntax
=Hyperlink(link_location,[friendly_name])
Parameters explanation:
- link_location (required): The actual address to link to, which can be a URL, file path, or workbook location.
- friendly_name (optional): The text you want to display in the cell (if omitted, the link_location is displayed as the link text).
To apply this method:
1. Select a blank cell where you want the combined result to appear. Enter or copy the following formula into that cell, then press Enter to confirm:
=HYPERLINK(B2,A2)
Note: In this example, B2 contains the web address or hyperlink, while A2 contains the text to be displayed as the clickable link in the resulting cell. Adjust references as needed if your data starts from a different row.
Afterward, hover over the bottom-right corner of the cell (the fill handle), then drag it down to fill the formula for additional rows. This will automatically generate clickable hyperlinks for each pair in your table.
- If either the text cell or link cell is empty, the formula may generate an invalid hyperlink or display an error. Double-check both columns before applying to large ranges.
- When linking to external files or other locations within a workbook, ensure the path is accessible by anyone who needs to use the hyperlink.
- This formula-based method does not retain any pre-existing cell formatting from the original text or link cells.
In case the hyperlinks do not seem clickable after applying the formula, make sure the cell format is set to “General” (not “Text”), or re-enter the formula for Excel to recognize it.
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VBA code to combine text and hyperlink into hyperlinked text (bulk & advanced scenarios)
While formulas are convenient for straightforward one-to-one data, complex requirements—such as combining multiple pieces of text, applying the same hyperlink to several cells, or handling advanced formatting—may require a more automated approach. Using Excel VBA lets you perform bulk operations in just a few clicks and gives you greater flexibility. The VBA method is especially useful when you need to process a large dataset at once or concatenate multiple columns into the display text for each hyperlink.
Use case: For example, you want to create a hyperlink that uses the contact name and department as the display text, and links to their profile page URL, all in one cell for each row.
Precautions: VBA cannot be undone with Ctrl+Z. Consider saving your workbook before running the code. If your data set includes special characters, ensure the link text and URLs are properly formatted.
How to use:
1. Go to the Developer tab > Visual Basic. In the Visual Basic for Applications editor that opens, click Insert > Module, and paste the following VBA code inside:
Sub CombineTextAndHyperlink()
Dim ws As Worksheet
Dim lastRow As Long
Dim i As Long
Dim linkText As String
Dim linkURL As String
Dim resultCol As Long
On Error Resume Next
xTitleId = "KutoolsforExcel"
Set ws = Application.ActiveSheet
' Prompt for text column, link column, and output column
Dim rngText As Range
Dim rngLink As Range
Dim rngOutput As Range
Set rngText = Application.InputBox("Select the text column:", xTitleId, Selection.Address, Type:=8)
Set rngLink = Application.InputBox("Select the hyperlink column:", xTitleId, Selection.Address, Type:=8)
Set rngOutput = Application.InputBox("Select the result output column:", xTitleId, Selection.Address, Type:=8)
If rngText Is Nothing Or rngLink Is Nothing Or rngOutput Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
lastRow = ws.Cells(ws.Rows.Count, rngText.Column).End(xlUp).Row
resultCol = rngOutput.Column
For i = 1 To rngText.Rows.Count
linkText = rngText.Cells(i, 1).Value
linkURL = rngLink.Cells(i, 1).Value
If linkText <> "" And linkURL <> "" Then
ws.Hyperlinks.Add Anchor:=ws.Cells(rngText.Cells(i, 1).Row, resultCol), _
Address:=linkURL, TextToDisplay:=linkText
End If
Next i
End Sub2. Click the 
“Run” button in the VBA editor toolbar. You will be prompted with dialog boxes to select:
- The column containing your text
- The column containing your hyperlinks
- The column for outputting the new combined hyperlinked text
After these selections, the macro will automatically fill the output column with clickable hyperlinked cells using your text and URLs from each row.
- This macro can process an entire column or a specific range—just select appropriately when prompted.
- To combine multiple fields into the display text (such as =A2 &" - "&B2), first use a helper column to concatenate your desired fields, then use that helper as your “text column”.
- If an error occurs, double-check that the ranges you select are of matching size and located within the same worksheet.
If you encounter unexpected results, such as missing links or errors, verify your data for empty cells and make sure you select matching rows in each range selection prompt. For repetitive tasks, you can save the macro within your workbook for future use.
Other built-in Excel methods: Insert hyperlink manually
For situations where you only need to combine a small number of text and link cells or need additional customization beyond formula-driven approaches, the manual "Insert Hyperlink" dialog provides flexible options. This method is ideal when:
- You need to manually specify the hyperlink for each cell
- You want to use link targets such as documents, email addresses, or cell references within a workbook
- You prefer to set link screen tips or advanced display text options
Operation steps:
- Select the cell you wish to contain the hyperlinked text.
- Type or edit the display text as needed.
- Go to the Insert tab and click Link or right-click the cell and choose Link from the context menu.
- In the "Insert Hyperlink" dialog box, enter or paste your link (URL, file path, workbook reference, or email address) into the Address field. You can also click "Place in This Document" to link to specific sheets or cells.
- Optionally, adjust the display text, add a screen tip, or tweak address options as desired. Click OK to confirm.
- This method offers maximum flexibility for custom hyperlinks, but may be less efficient for large data ranges.
- Always check the destination after inserting to confirm the hyperlink works as expected.
If you need to edit or change the hyperlink later, simply right-click the cell and choose "Edit Hyperlink" to adjust the address or display text.
Using the manual dialog is most suitable when links are few, vary greatly in type, or require special labels and options not easily managed by formulas or VBA.
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