Weekly Computer Tip # 398
5 July 2013

Remove the underline from hyperlink text (PowerPoint 2003-2013)

A hyperlink is text or a graphic that points to another item -- for example, a file on your hard disk or a Web page on either the World Wide Web or your organisation's intranet. Clicking on a hyperlink allows you to "jump" to the associated item. The text hyperlink is typically underlined, but I was recently asked how to remove the underline in PowerPoint. The short answer is "you cannot", but there is a workaround.

Here's how:

  1. Drag and draw a shape where you want the hyperlink to appear on your slide.
  2. Right-click the shape, click Edit Text, and then type the text that you want to use for the hyperlink.
  3. Right-click the shape (but not the text inside of the shape) and select Hyperlink.
  4. In the Address box, type, say, the Web address, and then click OK.
  5. Right-click the shape and click Format Shape. In the Format Shape dialog box, do the following: a) Click Fill in the left pane, click Color in the right pane, and then click the colour that matches the background of your presentation. b) Click Line Color in the left pane, click No line in the right pane, and then click Close.
  6. If necessary, right-click the shape and select a different Font Color in the mini toolbar above the list of menu options.

To test the hyperlink, in Slide Show view (F5 or SHIFT+F5 anyone?), click the hyperlink text (i.e. the "invisible" shape, containing the text).