How to Stop Excel from Auto Formatting Hyperlinks

Stopping Excel from auto-formatting hyperlinks refers to preventing Excel from generating hyperlinks automatically while pasting new links. Excel, by default, applies formatting to hyperlinks when you enter them in the cell. Sometimes we need to stop auto-formatting the hyperlinks to get only the address.

In this tutorial, we will learn how to stop Excel from auto-formatting hyperlinks using the AutoCorrect option.

The overview image below shows the output after using the AutoCorrect option to stop auto-formatting. The before image shows that the hyperlinks are included, and the after image shows that the hyperlinks are stopped from auto-formatting. Once you go through the whole article, you will know how to stop Excel from auto-formatting hyperlinks.

There are two steps to stop Excel from auto-formatting hyperlinks:

Step-by-Step Procedures to Stop Excel from Auto-Formatting Hyperlinks

In this method, we will use the Excel AutoCorrect option to stop auto-formatting hyperlinks. Usually, the AutoCorrect option is used to correct spelling mistakes, typos, and formatting issues. Also, this option helps us find links to any website and fill in formulas in the table to make our work easier. However, sometimes we don’t need the auto-formatting.

To stop Excel from auto-formatting hyperlinks, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Go to the Excel Options Dialog Box

Go to the File tab.
Select Options.
The Excel Options dialog box will appear.
Select the AutoCorrect options from the Proofing tab.

Step 2: Edit the AutoCorrect Dialog Box

The AutoCorrect dialog box will appear.

Select AutoFormat As You Type.
Uncheck the Internet and network paths with the hyperlinks option.
Press OK.
Paste new links to see how it works.
You will see that Excel will now stop auto-formatting those hyperlinks.

Note: Sometimes we add hyperlinks by mistake. In that case, press CTRL + Z to revise the mistake. The text will still be in the cell where the hyperlink will be removed.

Download Practice Workbook
You can download the workbook used for the demonstration from the download link below.

Stop Excel from Auto Formatting Hyperlinks.xlsx

Conclusion

These are all the steps you can follow to stop Excel from auto-formatting hyperlinks. Overall, in terms of working with time, we need this for various purposes. We have shown multiple methods with their respective examples, but there can be many other iterations depending on numerous situations. Hopefully, you can now easily make the needed adjustments. Please let us know in the comments section below if you have any questions or recommendations.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change the default hyperlink format in Excel?

To change the default hyperlink format in Excel:

Select the cell with the hyperlink.
Go to the Styles group from the Home tab.
Right-click the Hyperlink style.
Pick Modify.
Choose another format.
Press OK.

Why does Excel keep changing hyperlinks?

Sometimes we change the file from one folder to another. In that case, Excel changes the path of the hyperlink.

How do I select a cell without selecting the URL in the cell?

While selecting only the cell to copy the URL, we clicked on the URL, and instead of selecting the cell, we ended up selecting the URL and opening another site. To avoid this problem, you can choose the arrow key (Left, Right, Up Down) from the keyboard, or you can use the mouse to select the cell. While selecting a cell using a mouse, click on the edge of the cell and avoid clicking directly on the URL.