There are two kinds of link in a PDF. An external link opens a website or email. An internal link jumps to another page in the same file, which is what makes a digital planner's tabs work. One or two links are quick to add almost anywhere. A planner with the same twelve month tabs on 400 pages needs thousands, so the method matters.
Pick a method
| Method | Best for | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Acrobat | A handful of links in any PDF | Paid Acrobat, or Adobe's online editor with some limits |
| Your design app (Canva, Keynote, Docs) | Links you can add before exporting | Whatever the app costs |
| Mac Preview | Following links only; it can't add them | Free |
| Our hyperlink tool | Tabs that repeat on every page of a planner | Free preview, $7 per file |
Method 1: Adobe Acrobat
- Open the PDF and choose Tools > Edit PDF > Link > Add or edit.
- Drag a rectangle over the text or picture you want to make clickable.
- In the Create Link box, choose how the link looks. For a planner, an invisible rectangle keeps your design clean.
- For a page in the same file, choose Go to a page view, select Next, go to the target page, and select Set Link. For a website, choose Open a web page and type the address.
These steps follow Adobe's own guide, which shows Acrobat Pro. Adobe says its online editor can also add links, though some features need a sign-in or a paid plan. Menus move between versions.
Acrobat adds links one rectangle at a time. That's fine for a contents page, and slow for a planner that needs 12 month tabs on every one of 400 pages.
Method 2: add links before you export
If you made the PDF yourself, it's often easier to add links in the design app and export a PDF that keeps them.
- Canva: select text or an element, choose Link, and pick a page under Pages of this document, or paste a web address. Download as PDF Standard or PDF Print with Flatten PDF turned off, or the links stop working. Downloads as PNG or JPG never keep links.
- Keynote: select a shape or text, add a link and choose Slide as the destination, then export with File > Export To > PDF.
- Word and Google Docs: web links survive the PDF download. Links to headings and bookmarks usually do too, but test the downloaded file.
Method 3: Mac Preview (what it can't do)
Preview opens PDFs and follows the links in them, but it has no tool for adding new links. Answers on Apple's community forums say the ability went away after Mac OS X 10.6. On a Mac, use one of the other methods.
Method 4: link a whole planner with our tool
The hyperlink tool is built for planners designed in Canva, Keynote or Affinity:
- Upload your PDF, up to 60 MB and 1,000 pages.
- Choose Tab strip and draw one box around a whole column or row of tabs. Enter how many tabs it holds and the page each one opens. The tabs are linked on every page.
- Choose Single link for buttons, dates or words, and put each on one page, every page or a range.
- Open the free watermarked preview and tap every link.
- Download the clean file for $7, or as often as you like on the Seller plan.
The tool only adds invisible link areas; your design isn't changed. Password-protected PDFs need an unlocked copy first. More on how it works is on the hyperlink tool feature page.
How to test your links
- Open the PDF in the app you'll actually use, such as GoodNotes, Notability or Samsung Notes, not just on your computer.
- In GoodNotes, switch to read-only mode; in other apps, put the pen down or tap with a finger.
- Tap every tab on a page near the start, one in the middle and one near the end.
- Check that each page's way back, such as a Home tab, works too.
Troubleshooting
- Links stopped working after a Canva download: download again as PDF with Flatten PDF off.
- A link goes to the wrong page: pages were added or removed after linking. Re-link with the final file.
- Links work on a computer but not on the tablet: the app is probably in writing mode. Use read-only mode or tap with a finger, and update the app.
- The file won't open in a linking tool: it may be password-protected or damaged. Export it again from the design app.