Problem inserting hyperlinks into text.

Question

Outlook is no longer letting me insert hyperlinks into text. When I highlight text and insert a link, the text I highlighted disappears and only a graphic of the linked to page appears below the text.

Answer 1

Hi Joanna Silver1, 

Thanks so much for reaching out to Microsoft Community Support. I’m happy to help! 

I understand you're having trouble inserting hyperlinks into text in Outlook, where the text disappears and a preview of the link shows up instead. Let’s walk through a couple of scenarios to get this sorted: 

If Link Preview is On 

Outlook might be replacing your selected text with a visual preview of the link (like a thumbnail or summary). This is a feature called Link Preview. 

To turn it off: 

• Outlook Web: 
  Go to️ Settings > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Compose and reply, then uncheck Preview links in email. 
• Outlook for PC (New):

Open New Outlook.

Click the Settings icon in the top-right corner.

Select Mail > Compose and reply.

Scroll down to the Link preview section.

Uncheck the option that says Preview links in email.

Click Save.

• Outlook for PC (Classic):

Open Outlook.

Click the File tab in the top-left corner.

Select Options.

In the Mail section, click Editor Options (near the bottom).

Go to the Advanced tab.

Scroll down to the Display email content section.

Uncheck “Show Link Previews”.

Click OK, then restart Outlook.

• To insert a hyperlink in Outlook Classic:

Compose a new email or reply to an existing one.

Highlight the text you want to turn into a link.

Press Ctrl + K or right-click and choose Hyperlink.

In the dialog box:

Text to display: should already show your selected text.

Address: paste the URL here.

Click OK.

Once that’s off, you should be able to insert links into text without any surprises. 

If Link Preview is already Off but the issue continues 

Let’s try a few more things: 

• Check your email format 
  Make sure you're composing in HTML format (not plain text). You can find this in the Format Text tab when writing an email.
• Try Safe Mode 
  Sometimes add-ins can interfere. Try opening Outlook in Safe Mode:    
  • Press Windows + R, type outlook /safe, and hit Enter.
  • Then try inserting the link again.
• Using Outlook Web 
  Try switching browsers (e.g., Chrome, Edge, Firefox) to see if the issue behaves differently.
• Email account type 
  Let us know if you're using Exchange, Gmail, or another type of account, this can affect how links behave too.

If you’re still stuck, feel free to reply with: 

• Which version of Outlook you’re using (Web, New, or Classic)
• Your browser (if using Outlook Web)
• A screenshot (if possible, but please hide your personal identity information)

I truly appreciate your patience and the care you’ve taken to troubleshoot this. If the sound still persists afterward, I’d be more than happy to help you explore the next steps! 

Wishing you a smooth resolution and a great rest of your day! 

Sincerely, 
Jeanie-H - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist.

Answer 2

Hi Joanna Silver1,

Just checking in to see if the steps I shared helped resolve the issue with inserting hyperlinks in Outlook. If you're still experiencing the problem, feel free to let me know:

• Which action are you using to insert the link?
• Which version of Outlook you're using (Web, New, or Classic)?
• Your browser (if using Outlook Web)?
• And if possible, a screenshot of what happens (please hide any personal info).

Happy to keep troubleshooting with you!

Sincerely,

Jeanie-H - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist.

Answer 3

Hello - I'm going to chime in here to ask a question about a similar issue, but with a slightly different situation. Until recently, when I inserted a hyperlink into an Outlook email, the link would be highlighted, and the preview of the link would display below the text. That was what I wanted (both the text hyperlink AND the link preview). I followed the setting guidelines you recommended, but now it looks like I can only have one or the other, but not both. Is that correct?

Answer 4

Hello Joanna,

I, too, am having the same problem with New Outlook, but I do not have the option listed for link preview. In your document, the link preview should be between Reply and Reply All and Link style, and I do not have that. I tried to upload a picture here but it is failing.

I have also tried my web-based email through my district and it is not there either and I have also typed Link Preview in the setting search with no luck.

My hyperlinking was working about a month ago when I last used it, and now I have problems.

Should I be looking somewhere else?