[Article] Hyperlink Character Style Is Not Automatically Applied - Manual Application of Style Gives All Attributes

Question

Word has a built-in Hyperlink Character Style. Like most built-in styles, the user can modify the characteristics of this style.

However, when the user does this, and then inserts a new hyperlink, no matter how it is inserted, some attributes of that style are not applied to the new hyperlink. If the Styles Pane is showing, the style shown in that pane will be the underlying paragraph style, not the character style.

This is not a question. It is an Article. It is an observation of how Word works.

Despite the tags, these observations apply to all desktop versions of Word from Word 97 to Word 2024 for business or home in Windows and, I believe, Macs.

If the hyperlink is then selected, and the modified style applied, all modifications are applied. In the Styles Pane, the style shown will be the Hyperlink Style.

Here is a link to my feedback about this: https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/888ea3ed-5679-f111-9b47-6045bdbd0989

You can change the underlining in the Hyperlink character style and that will be automatically applied.

You can change the color in the Hyperlink character style and that will be automatically applied.

However, changes to the font name or size will not be automatically applied in newly create hyperlinks.

They have to be manually applied by selecting the Hyperlink and applying the Hyperlink style.

Here is a link to a post in August 2024 by me with responses from Suzanne Barnhill, Jay Freedman, and Stefan Blom. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5346973/modified-hyperlink-character-style-not-applied-aut?forum=msoffice-all&referrer=answers

For instance, here is my Modify Style dialog for the Hyperlink Character style.

Here is what happens with these changes.

The base font in the underlying paragraph style is Garamond 12 pt.

The color change and removal of underlining are automatic. The Small Caps is automatic. The change to a different font and size have to be applied manually or using the macro.

Here is a temporary link to a document demonstrating the problem. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/obzfsib9c6e6nxglre4em/deleteme-Hyperlink-style-problem.docm?rlkey=11xx6063zhy4azz223mq31g1e&dl=0

It is a .docm file because it contains a macro to apply the style to hyperlinks.

That macro is as follows:

Sub HyperlinkFormat()
    '    Charles Kenyon
    '  Applied Hyperlink Character Style to all hyperlinks in a document
    '
    Dim oField As Field
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    On Error GoTo OutOfHere
    With ActiveDocument
        .Save
        For Each oField In .Fields
            If oField.Type = wdFieldHyperlink Then
                oField.Select
                Selection.Style = .Styles("Hyperlink")
            End If
        Next oField
    End With
    GoTo EndOfSub
OutOfHere:
    MsgBox "There was an error. Macro Terminated."
EndOfSub:
    Selection.HomeKey Unit:=wdStory
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
    Application.ScreenRefresh
    Set oField = Nothing
    On Error GoTo -1
    MsgBox "All Done", vbExclamation, "Finished"
End Sub

Here are instructions on what to do with a macro:

• https://gregmaxey.com/word_tip_pages/installing_employing_macros.html
• https://www.gmayor.com/installing_macro.htm

You can create a keyboard shortcut or QAT icon to apply a macro, if you want.

• https://addbalance.com/articles/Assigning%20Keyboard%20Shortcuts%20in%20Microsoft%20Word%202007-2024%20(365).htm
• https://addbalance.com/word/QATmodification.htm#PageStart

Once you have applied the style manually or using the macro, future changes to the Hyperlink style will be reflected in those links which were updated.

The colors for the Hyperlink and Followed Hyperlink styles can also be set in the Theme Colors.