# How to add a hyperlink to text in Keynote on Mac: steps and a shortcut

> How to add a hyperlink to text in Keynote on Mac: select the words, press Command-K or Control-click, and enter the web address.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/add-a-hyperlink-to-text-in-keynote
Updated: 2026-11-09

Select the words, then press Command-K or Control-click the selection and choose Add Link. In the settings, enter the web address in the Link field and the visible words in the Display field, then click Open Link to test it.

## Quick answer

- Select the words, then Control-click them and choose Add Link.
- Press Command-K (⌘K) to turn the selected text into a link.
- Pick Webpage, then enter the address in the Link field and the visible words in the Display field.
- Click Open Link to test the link, then click the slide to close the editor.
- To remove a link, click the linked text and choose Remove. The words stay on the slide.

Applies to: Keynote on Mac, using the steps in Apple's current link guide. Time: 3 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- Keynote on Mac. Apple says Keynote stays free to create and edit.
- macOS 26 or later for Keynote 15.4, per Apple's What's new page.
- The presentation open, with the text you want to link on screen.
- The web address, email address or phone number you want to link to.

## How to Add a hyperlink to text in Keynote on Mac in Keynote on a Mac

1. **Select the text.** Click into the text box, then double-click one word or drag across a phrase. Only the selected words become the link, so select exactly what a reader should click. Tip: Select the words, not the whole box, unless the whole box should be the link.
2. **Open the Add Link option.** (Control-click the selection > Add Link) Control-click the selected text. Choose Add Link from the menu. On a trackpad, a two-finger click does the same thing. Tip: Apple documents this route step by step, so it is the safest choice.
3. **Or use the shortcut.** Shortcut: ⌘K. Press ⌘K instead of Control-clicking. Apple's shortcut table lists this as the way to turn selected text into a link. If no link settings appear, go back to the previous step.
4. **Choose the destination.** (Add Link > Webpage) In the link settings, pick a destination from the list: Slide, Webpage, Email or Phone Number. For a web address, choose Webpage.
5. **Enter the web address.** Type or paste the full web address into the Link field. Check it once for typos, because the link opens whatever address you enter. Tip: Copy the address from your browser's address bar and paste it to avoid retyping.
6. **Enter the words readers see.** Type the visible words into the Display field. Apple's guide says to enter the words readers see for a text link. Keep them short so the underline stays easy to read on the slide.
7. **Test the link.** Click Open Link. The page should open in your web browser. If it does not, click the linked text again and check the Link field for typos. Tip: Test the link before the talk, not during it.
8. **Close the editor.** Click the slide, outside the link settings, to close the editor. The linked words stay underlined, which shows they are a link.

Keynote gives you two ways to make text a link. The first is the Control-click menu, which is the path in Apple's current Mac link guide. The second is the Command-K shortcut, which Apple lists for turning selected text into a link.

## Before you start: versions, cost and what you need

You do not need a subscription to add links. Apple says Keynote, Pages, Numbers and Freeform will remain free for all users to create, edit and collaborate. Apple Creator Studio is a separate, optional subscription at $12.99 a month or $129 a year in the U.S. Adding a link is editing, so it does not depend on that subscription.

Keynote 15.1, dated January 28, 2026, became part of Creator Studio as a new app. The older Keynote 14.5 app, dated the same day, received only bug fixes and performance changes. To see which one you have, open Keynote > About Keynote and read the version number.

- **macOS 26** Minimum macOS version for Keynote 15.4, per Apple's What's new page ([source](https://support.apple.com/guide/keynote/whats-new-tan700f60676/mac))
- **$12.99** Monthly price of the optional Apple Creator Studio subscription (U.S.) ([source](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/01/introducing-apple-creator-studio-an-inspiring-collection-of-creative-apps/))
- **Free** Apple says Keynote stays free to create, edit and collaborate ([source](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/01/introducing-apple-creator-studio-an-inspiring-collection-of-creative-apps/))

## Control-click the selected text to add a link

Start by selecting the words. Click into the text box, then double-click a single word or drag across a phrase. Select exactly the words a reader should click, because only the selection gets underlined. Then Control-click the selection and choose Add Link. A two-finger click on a trackpad does the same job.

![Person adding a hyperlink to text in Keynote on a Mac laptop while editing slides](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/add-a-hyperlink-to-text-in-keynote/how-to-add-a-hyperlink-to-text-1-f1f45a.jpg)

The link settings offer four destinations. Apple's guide lists Slide, Webpage, Email and Phone Number. Pick the one that matches where the reader should go. The fields change with each choice, so the table below shows what to fill in for each.

| Destination | Fields to fill in | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Slide | Pick the slide you want to jump to | Useful for agenda slides and appendices |
| Webpage | Link field for the address, Display field for the visible words | Paste the full address you copied from your browser |
| Email | To field, optional Subject field, Display field | The settings include a Compose Email button |
| Phone Number | Number field, Display label | The settings include a Call button |

_Fields for each link destination, per Apple's Mac link guide._

## A worked example: linking a pricing slide

Say your slide ends with the line See our pricing for details. You want the word pricing to open your pricing page. Select the word pricing, Control-click it and choose Add Link. Pick Webpage, paste the full pricing address into the Link field, and type pricing in the Display field.

Click Open Link to confirm the page loads, then click the slide to close the editor. Only the word pricing should be underlined. If the whole sentence is underlined, you linked too much. Click the linked text, choose Remove, and link the single word again.

## Use Command-K when the words are already selected

Apple's keyboard shortcut table lists Command-K, written ⌘K, as the way to turn text or an object into a link. The entry sits under the Format text group. Apple lists no Option, Control or Shift shortcut for links, so ⌘K is the only keyboard route in its documentation.

Apple's pages do not describe the exact panel that appears after ⌘K. If the link settings do not show up, use Control-click and Add Link instead. Apple documents that route step by step, so you can follow its screens.

Command-K also works on objects. Select a shape, an image or a text box, then press ⌘K to link it. While you edit, a linked object shows a small curved-arrow link button. Apple says that button does not appear during the slideshow.

## Link to an email address or a phone number

For email, choose Email in the link settings. Type the address in the To field. The Subject field is optional, so you can leave it empty. Then fill the Display field with the words the reader should see, such as Email the team.

Phone links work the same way. Choose Phone Number, type the number in the Number field, and add a label in the Display field. Apple's What's new page says Keynote 11.0 added phone number links to table cells, text objects and shapes.

## Test the link before you present

Click Open Link to test a webpage link. Your browser should open the page. Then click the slide to close the editor. For an email or phone link, check the button in the settings instead.

Test on the Mac you will present from, on the network you expect at the venue. A web link only opens when that Mac can reach the internet. Test once more after you move the file to another machine.

![Presenter checking a hyperlink to text in Keynote on Mac before a talk](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/add-a-hyperlink-to-text-in-keynote/how-to-add-a-hyperlink-to-text-2-4f568c.jpg)

## Edit, change or remove a link

To edit a link, click the linked text. In a table, double-click the cell first. The settings open, and you can change the destination, the address or the display words. Click Remove to take the link away.

Remove keeps the words on the slide. It removes the link formatting and deactivates the link, so the text reads as plain text again. This helps when a link points to a page you no longer want to show.

- Change the address: click the linked text, edit the Link field, then click the slide.
- Switch the destination: pick Slide, Email or Phone Number in the same settings.
- Remove the link: click Remove, and the words stay on the slide without a link.
- Edit a table link: double-click the cell first, then click the linked text.

## Turn automatic links on or off

Keynote can turn typed web addresses, emails and phone numbers into links as you type. Open Keynote > Settings > Auto-Correction. Under Formatting, tick or untick the checkboxes for webpage and email links and for phone number links.

Apple says these settings apply to new text only. Existing text keeps its current state, so changing the checkbox does not clean up old links. If you type a lot of addresses into a deck, decide before you start. Turn the checkboxes off first to avoid cleanup later.

## Fix a link that does not work

Apple's pages do not cover link troubleshooting. The advice below comes from two Apple Community threads from 2019 and 2020. Those are user discussions, not Apple guidance, and neither thread confirms a fix from the author.

In the 2019 thread, one user suggested removing the link with the link icon, adding it again with Control-click > Add Link, and testing it. In the 2020 thread, links that worked in older PDFs failed in newer exports. The only reply suggested trying Format > Add Link > Web Page. No Apple page confirms that route, so test it on a copy first.

## Keynote for iCloud works a little differently

Keynote for iCloud uses a similar method. Control-click the selection, or right-click on Windows, and choose Add Link. Then pick Slide, Webpage, Email or Phone number. To change or remove a link, click the linked text, click Edit, then change it or click Remove Link.

Apple's web page does not list a Display field or any keyboard shortcuts. Do not assume ⌘K works in the browser version. Check the settings on screen, and use Control-click or right-click if you work in iCloud.

## Mistakes that waste time

- Linking a whole sentence. Long underlines are hard to read on a slide. Link two or three words that name the destination.
- Skipping the test. Click Open Link once before the talk, so a broken address does not surface in front of the room.
- Filling the Display field but leaving the Link field empty. The visible words do not send readers anywhere without an address.
- Expecting old text to link itself. Auto-Correction works on new text only, so add links to old text by hand.
- Trusting an old tutorial's menu. Keynote menus change between versions, so check your own screen against the steps.

## What to do after the link works

Once the link works, you may want to animate the object that holds it. The Keynote guide on [how to animate an object in Keynote on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/animate-an-object-in-keynote) covers that step. If you also plan to place a clip on the same slide, read [how to add a video to a slide in Keynote on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/add-a-video-to-a-slide-in-keynote).

If you prefer a page that covers Keynote help by topic, the [Keynote on Mac page](https://www.lazur.app/apps/keynote) lists what the assistant can answer on screen.

## Version notes and what Apple does not say

Apple's Mac link guide does not name a Keynote version. The steps above describe the documented path without a version tag. Apple's What's new page lists 15.4, 15.3, 15.1 and older releases. It says Keynote 15.4 requires macOS 26 or later, and it gives no release dates.

Wikipedia lists Keynote 15.4 as the stable release, dated September 29, 2026, but its version table stops at 15.1. Apple's October 2026 Creator Studio post adds a Keynote assistant that needs macOS 27. That post does not mention hyperlinks, so no Apple source reviewed here describes a change to the link steps.

![Desk with a Mac and notes for adding a hyperlink to text in Keynote](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/add-a-hyperlink-to-text-in-keynote/how-to-add-a-hyperlink-to-text-3-a90e83.jpg)

If your screen differs from these steps, the version is the likely cause. Check Keynote > About Keynote, then compare the menus with this page. Apple's Keynote support pages are the place to confirm the current route.

## Keyboard and menu paths at a glance

The fastest route is ⌘K when the words are selected. The documented route is Control-click, then Add Link. Keynote > Settings > Auto-Correction controls automatic links. Keynote > About Keynote shows your version.

## Shortcuts

- Turn selected text or an object into a link: ⌘K

## If it does not work

- **Command-K does nothing visible** Apple lists ⌘K as turning selected text into a link, but its pages do not show the panel that opens. Control-click the selection and choose Add Link to open the settings.
- **The linked text is not underlined** Apple says linked text is underlined. Click the text and check the link settings. If the settings are blank, add the link again with Control-click > Add Link.
- **An old link fails after a newer export** A June 2020 Apple Community thread describes this. A reply suggested Format > Add Link > Web Page, which no Apple page confirms. Remove the link, add it again, then click Open Link to test.
- **Typed addresses are no longer linked automatically** Automatic link detection applies to new text only. Check Keynote > Settings > Auto-Correction, then add links to existing words by hand.
- **The link opens the wrong page after editing** Click the linked text, check the Link field for the address, and click Open Link again. Then click the slide to close the editor.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Walk me through adding a link to these words.”: Lazur circles Add Link on screen, then guides you one click at a time through the Link and Display fields. It does not click for you. (Walks you through it)

## FAQ

### Can I add a hyperlink to text in Keynote on Mac without Control-click?

Yes. Select the text and press Command-K (⌘K). Apple's keyboard shortcut table lists this as turning text or an object into a link. Apple lists no other link shortcut for Mac.

### Do I need a paid subscription to add links in Keynote?

No. Apple says Keynote stays free to create, edit and collaborate. Apple Creator Studio is optional and costs $12.99 a month or $129 a year in the U.S.

### Which macOS version do I need for the steps on this page?

Apple's What's new page says Keynote 15.4 requires macOS 26 or later. Apple's link guide does not name a version, so older Keynote releases may show different menus.

### How do I link to another slide in my deck?

Control-click the selected text and choose Add Link. Pick Slide as the destination, then choose the slide you want readers to jump to.

### How do I remove a hyperlink but keep the words?

Click the linked text, then click Remove in the link settings. Apple says the words stay on the slide, but the link formatting and the link itself are removed.

### Why does my link work on my Mac but fail after an export?

A 2020 Apple Community thread describes links that failed in newer exports. No Apple page confirms a fix. Re-add the link with Control-click > Add Link, then click Open Link to test it.

### Can Lazur add the link for me?

No. Lazur does not click buttons or edit your slides. It can circle the menu item on screen and guide you one click at a time.

## Sources

1. [Add links in Keynote on Mac (Apple Support Guide)](https://support.apple.com/guide/keynote/add-links-tande32a1b86/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-09
2. [Keyboard shortcuts for Keynote on Mac (Apple Support Guide)](https://support.apple.com/guide/keynote/keyboard-shortcuts-tanfde4a3e6d/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-09
3. [What's new in Keynote on Mac (Apple Support Guide)](https://support.apple.com/guide/keynote/whats-new-tan700f60676/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-09
4. [Link to a website, email, phone number, or slide (Keynote for iCloud)](https://support.apple.com/guide/keynote-icloud/link-to-a-website-email-phone-number-or-slide-gil594ec0d68/icloud), Apple, checked 2026-11-09
5. [Keynote (presentation software), Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keynote_(presentation_software)), Wikipedia, checked 2026-11-09
6. [Introducing Apple Creator Studio (Apple Newsroom)](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/01/introducing-apple-creator-studio-an-inspiring-collection-of-creative-apps/), Apple, checked 2026-11-09
7. [Apple Creator Studio adds powerful new AI features (Apple Newsroom)](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/10/apple-creator-studio-adds-powerful-new-ai-features-and-even-more-creative-tools/), Apple, checked 2026-11-09
8. [hyperlink issues in keynote (Apple Community)](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250787105), Apple Community, checked 2026-11-09
9. [What's wrong with hyperlinks in newer versions of Keynote? (Apple Community)](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251440169), Apple Community, checked 2026-11-09