# Disabling Hyperlink in Word Processer/Spreadsheet

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disabling-hyperlink-in-word-processer-spreadsheet/459302>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 8, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disabling-hyperlink-in-word-processer-spreadsheet/459302 "2008-08-08T16:55:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SharkB8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@SharkB8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SharkB8)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disabling-hyperlink-in-word-processer-spreadsheet/459302/1 "2008-08-08T16:55:10Z")

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Anyone know if there are any presets you can alter so that if you type an email address or website in Word, Excel, Pages & Numbers so that they’re not hyperlinks?

Also, if not, I’ve been doing the ol’ change the color from blue to black and un-underline it, but it still remains a hyperlink. If I change all of that, is there anyway to just make it so it wont open a browser window and just be plain text? Other than breaking the link. It’s really becoming a pain in the arse!

Thanks, my brainy little angels!

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**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disabling-hyperlink-in-word-processer-spreadsheet/459302/2 "2008-08-08T16:57:12Z")

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[QUOTE=SharkB8]  
Anyone know if there are any presets you can alter so that if you type an email address or website in Word, Excel, Pages & Numbers so that they’re not hyperlinks?

Also, if not, I’ve been doing the ol’ change the color from blue to black and un-underline it, but it still remains a hyperlink. If I change all of that, is there anyway to just make it so it wont open a browser window and just be plain text? Other than breaking the link. It’s really becoming a pain in the arse!

Thanks, my brainy little angels!  
[/QUOTE]

To unlink one that’s already there, right-click on it and choose “edit hyperlink” or “remove hyperlink”, something like that. That turns it into plain text.

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**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disabling-hyperlink-in-word-processer-spreadsheet/459302/3 "2008-08-08T18:13:47Z")

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Go to the AutoCorrect / AutoFormat options and under “Replace as you type” uncheck “Internet and network paths with hyperlinks”.

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**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disabling-hyperlink-in-word-processer-spreadsheet/459302/4 "2008-08-08T21:38:18Z")

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To generalize, many of Word’s most frustrating behaviors (“why does this %&$& software think it knows what I want? Grrr!”) can be disabled under AutoFormat and AutoFormat As You Type.

…as of Word 2003, anyway. I’m not familiar with Word 2007.

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**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disabling-hyperlink-in-word-processer-spreadsheet/459302/5 "2008-08-08T21:45:58Z")

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You can also copy and paste something back to itself with “paste special” and past it as unformatted text.

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**Author:** ![SharkB8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@SharkB8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SharkB8)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disabling-hyperlink-in-word-processer-spreadsheet/459302/6 "2008-08-08T21:50:10Z")

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Dumb question probably, but I’m on a MacBook and have no clue how to right click…I tried apple(command)-clicking and it opened a mail message, just as before!

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**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disabling-hyperlink-in-word-processer-spreadsheet/459302/7 "2008-08-08T21:52:30Z")

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Also, a global removal of hyperlinks (in Word 2003, at least, don’t know about 2007) can be done by selecting the text and pressing CTRL-SHIFT-F9.