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Jim6373's avatar
Jim6373
Copper Contributor
Oct 21, 2025

Links from Word to pdf doc online not working

I I am suddenly unable to jump from a hyperlink in Word to a PDF on the internet. I insert a hyperlink in Word that points to the online PDF. When I click on the link I get a message stating "This file does not have an app associated with it for performing this action. Please install app or, if one is already installed, create an association in the Default Apps Settings page." I have checked my Default App settings, and Adobe acrobat reader is associated with file type "pdf," as well as "URL: adobe acrobat." I also went into "Manage Extensions" in Chrome and made sure to select "Allow access to file URLs" within the Adobe Acrobat extension to Chrome. I can paste the url into a search bar in my browser and that works fine, but not as a hyperlink from within the Word document. This has happened suddenly on my desktop and my laptop. Any idea what the problem is?

1 Reply

  • Kidd_Ip's avatar
    Kidd_Ip
    MVP
    Oct 22, 2025

    Try to check and fix the following:

     

    1. Set default browser by protocol
      • Windows Settings → Apps → Default apps → choose your browser → click Choose defaults by protocol → ensure HTTP and HTTPS are associated with that browser.
    2. Confirm PDF file association
      • Windows Settings → Apps → Default apps → search for .pdf → ensure Adobe Acrobat Reader (or your preferred PDF app) is selected.
    3. Reset browser and PDF defaults
      • In Default apps, scroll to Reset to the Microsoft recommended defaults, then reassign your preferred browser and PDF app.
    4. Repair Office and Acrobat
      • Control Panel → Programs → Microsoft 365 (or Office) → Modify → Quick Repair (if that fails, try Online Repair).
      • Do the same for Adobe Acrobat Reader (Modify/Repair).
    5. Check Word Trust Center and hyperlink behavior
      • Word → File → Options → Trust Center → Trust Center Settings → Protected View: try temporarily disabling Protected View for files from the Internet to test (re-enable after testing).
      • Word → File → Options → Advanced → under Editing options, ensure Use CTRL + Click to follow hyperlink is as expected.
    6. Test a different browser as default
      • Temporarily set Chrome/Edge/Firefox as the default and try the link from Word to isolate whether the problem is the browser registration.
    7. Check for extensions or policies
      • Disable any Word add-ins that might intercept links: Word → File → Options → Add-ins → COM Add-ins → Go → uncheck suspicious add-ins and restart Word.
      • If company-managed device, check with IT for group policies that may block URL handling.
    8. Try creating a new hyperlink type
      • In Word, insert a hyperlink and explicitly start with “https://” (not a file path). If link was added as a file:// URL, change it to https://.
    9. Registry troubleshooting
      • If comfortable: verify HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\http and \https point to correct handlers and that the browser’s ProgID exists.

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