# How to insert a link in Gmail on Mac: hyperlink steps for Safari and Chrome

> Insert a link in Gmail on Mac: highlight the text, press ⌘K or click the Insert link icon, paste the URL, then click Apply. Works in Safari and Chrome.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/insert-a-hyperlink-in-gmail
Updated: 2026-11-07

To insert a link in Gmail on Mac, highlight the text, click the Insert link icon, paste the web address, and click Apply. You can also press ⌘K, but only after you turn on keyboard shortcuts in Gmail settings.

## Quick answer

- Highlight the words, click the Insert link icon at the bottom of the compose window, paste the web address, and click Apply.
- On a Mac, ⌘K opens the same link box, but only after keyboard shortcuts are switched on in Gmail settings.
- If a link goes missing, check whether the message is in Plain text mode under More options. Turn it off and add the link again.
- These steps run in the Gmail web app at mail.google.com in Safari or Chrome.

Applies to: Gmail web app in Safari or Chrome on macOS. Time: 2 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- A Mac with Safari or Chrome installed
- A Gmail account you can sign in to at mail.google.com
- The web address you want to link, copied before you start
- Keyboard shortcuts turned on in Gmail settings, if you want to use ⌘K

## How to Insert a link in a Gmail message on Mac in Gmail on a Mac

1. **Open Gmail in your browser.** Open Safari or Chrome, go to mail.google.com, and sign in to your Gmail account. The steps below run in the Gmail web app on your Mac.
2. **Turn on keyboard shortcuts.** (Settings > See all settings > Keyboard shortcuts) Open Settings, choose See all settings, scroll to Keyboard shortcuts, select Keyboard shortcuts on, and click Save Changes. Skip this step if you only plan to click. Tip: Shortcuts stay off until you switch them on, so ⌘K does nothing before this step.
3. **Start a new message or reply.** Click Compose for a new message, or click Reply on an existing thread. Type the sentence that will hold the link, and leave the cursor at the end of it.
4. **Highlight the words to link.** Drag across the words you want as the link, or double-click one word. Shift-click extends the selection. The words must be selected before you open the link box.
5. **Open the link box.** (Compose window > Insert link) Shortcut: ⌘K. Click the Insert link icon at the bottom of the compose window. You can also press ⌘K while the words are still selected. Tip: If ⌘K does nothing, turn on keyboard shortcuts in Settings first.
6. **Paste the web address.** Click the field at the bottom of the link box and paste the address. Use the full address, starting with https://.
7. **Click Apply.** (Link box > Apply) Click Apply. The highlighted words now link to the address you pasted. The link box closes, and you return to the message.
8. **Test the link.** Send a copy to yourself, open it, and click the linked words. A working link opens the page you expected. Tip: Test on a draft first if you are linking to a private doc.
9. **Send the message.** Read the message once more, then click Send. If a link is missing, check Plain text mode under More options before you send again.

## What you need before you start

You need a Mac, a Gmail account, and Safari or Chrome. Gmail on a Mac runs in the web app at mail.google.com, so there is nothing to install for these steps. Open the page, sign in, and you are ready to write. The steps follow Google's own formatting help, and they apply to new messages and to replies, because both open a compose window.

It helps to know how big Gmail is before you rely on it for work. Google said in a December 2024 post that Gmail has more than 2.5 billion users. That figure counts users, not monthly active users, so read it as a sign of scale. It does not tell you how often people use the link tools.

- **2.5 billion** Gmail users, per Google's December 2024 post. The post says users, not monthly active users. ([source](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/gmail/gmail-holidays-2024-spam-scam/))

![Person typing an email on a MacBook while they insert a link in Gmail on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/insert-a-hyperlink-in-gmail/how-to-insert-a-link-in-gmail-1-5e8bc7.jpg)

## Step by step: insert a link in Gmail on Mac

The job takes four actions. You highlight the text, open the link box, paste the web address, and click Apply. Everything else on this page exists to make those four actions work. Keyboard shortcuts and Plain text mode are the two settings that can stop a link from working as you expect, so check them first.

## Turn on keyboard shortcuts for ⌘K

Gmail needs keyboard shortcuts switched on before ⌘K works. Open Settings, choose See all settings, and scroll to Keyboard shortcuts. Select Keyboard shortcuts on, then click Save Changes. Google's keyboard shortcut page says shortcuts will not work until you do this.

If you only plan to click, you can skip this. The Insert link icon at the bottom of the compose window works without shortcuts. Turn shortcuts on later if you want the faster route.

## Insert link icon or ⌘K: which one to use

| Route | Where it lives | What you do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Toolbar icon | Insert link icon at the bottom of the compose window | Click it, paste the URL, click Apply |
| Keyboard | Works in the compose window once shortcuts are on | Press ⌘K, paste the URL, click Apply |
| Plain text check | More options > Plain text mode | Turn plain text mode off before you add a link |

_Three things to know when adding a link in Gmail on Mac_

Both routes open the same link box. ⌘K is quicker once the text is selected. The icon is easier the first time, because you can see where it sits in the toolbar. Use whichever one you will repeat.

The link box has one field for the web address. It sits at the bottom of the box, and Apply confirms the link. Google's formatting help names Apply as the button to click, so use the mouse or trackpad to press it.

## Paste the right web address

Copy the full address before you start, so you do not have to switch windows in the middle of the steps. Use the address from your browser's address bar, or copy it from the page itself. Include the whole address, starting with https://, so the link opens the page you expect.

A common mistake is pasting a page title or a sentence instead of a web address. The link box expects an address. If what you pasted does not look like a web address, copy it again before you click Apply.

Sometimes the address itself is the right link text. That works when the reader needs to see where the link goes, such as a shared file path or a public page. For most messages, short words that describe the destination read better.

## Choose link text your reader will understand

Link text should tell the reader where the link goes. Project brief works. Click here does not, because it says nothing about the destination. A reader who skims the email should understand each link from the words alone.

Keep link text short, usually a few words. Long links are hard to scan, and they pull attention away from the sentence around them. Put the link on the word that matters most, not on a whole paragraph.

## Why a link disappears in Plain text mode

Plain text mode strips formatting from a message, and a link counts as formatting. To check, open More options in the compose window, then look for Plain text mode. Turn it off, then add the link again. Google's formatting help covers turning this mode on and off.

Check the setting before you send, not after. A missing link is easy to miss in a long draft, so scan the message once you have finished adding links.

## Edit or remove a link later

Google's formatting help explains how to add a link. It does not explain how to remove one, so this guide does not give removal steps. If you need to change a link, make the change in a draft first. Send a copy to yourself, then click the link to check it.

## Check the link before you send

Send a copy to yourself and click the link. A working link opens the page you expect in your browser. If it opens the wrong page or nothing at all, go back to the draft, highlight the linked words, and add the link again with the correct address.

![MacBook open on a desk, ready for how to insert a link in Gmail on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/insert-a-hyperlink-in-gmail/how-to-insert-a-link-in-gmail-2-eb70de.jpg)

## A worked example: linking a follow-up email

Say you are writing a follow-up after a call with a client. You want the words project brief to link to the shared doc. Type the sentence, double-click project, then shift-click brief so both words are selected.

Press ⌘K, paste the doc address, and click Apply. Send a copy to yourself and click project brief to confirm it opens the doc. Most of the time goes to finding and copying the right address, not to Gmail.

## Mistakes people make with links in Gmail

- Opening the link box with nothing selected. Highlight the words first, then click Insert link or press ⌘K.
- Pressing ⌘K before turning on keyboard shortcuts in Settings. Nothing happens, and the cause is easy to miss.
- Leaving Plain text mode on, then wondering why the link vanished from the message.
- Pasting a page title instead of the web address. The link then points nowhere useful.
- Linking a whole sentence. Pick a few words that name the destination instead.

Each of these mistakes is quick to fix once you spot it. Check the draft after each change, not just at the end.

## Optional: keep Gmail one click away on your Mac

Safari on macOS Sonoma 14 or later can turn a website into a Dock icon. Open Gmail in Safari, then choose File > Add to Dock. You can also click the Share button in the toolbar and choose Add to Dock. This does not change how links work, but it saves a step when you open your inbox.

## Where to go next

For more control over the compose window, read [how to turn on keyboard shortcuts in Gmail on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/turn-on-keyboard-shortcuts-in-gmail). If you send the same closing line often, [setting up a signature](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/create-an-email-signature-in-gmail) saves retyping it. Both guides stay inside the browser, like this one.

## Shortcuts

- Insert a link in the compose window: ⌘K

## If it does not work

- **⌘K does nothing** Turn on keyboard shortcuts: Settings > See all settings > Keyboard shortcuts, select Keyboard shortcuts on, then click Save Changes. Highlight the text before you press ⌘K.
- **The link vanished after I added it** Open More options and check Plain text mode. Turn it off, add the link again, and check the draft before you send.
- **The link goes to the wrong page** Copy the full address again, starting with https://, and paste it into the bottom field. Click Apply, then send yourself a test copy.
- **I cannot find the Insert link icon** Look at the bottom of the compose window, where Google's help places it. If it is still missing, turn on keyboard shortcuts and use ⌘K with the words selected.
- **I need to remove a link** Google's formatting help does not document removing a link, so this guide has no steps for it. Test the change in a draft and send yourself a copy first.

## 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

- “Where is the Insert link button?”: Lazur circles the Insert link icon at the bottom of the compose window and labels it. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Can I insert a link in Gmail on Mac without the mouse?

Partly. Turn on keyboard shortcuts in Settings, then highlight the text and press ⌘K to open the link box. Google's help does not list a keyboard route for Apply, so you click Apply with the mouse or trackpad.

### Why does ⌘K do nothing in Gmail?

Usually keyboard shortcuts are off. Google says shortcuts will not work unless you select Keyboard shortcuts on in Settings and click Save Changes. Also check that the words are highlighted before you press ⌘K.

### Why did my link disappear after I sent the email?

Check whether the message was in Plain text mode. Plain text mode strips formatting, and a link counts as formatting. Turn it off under More options, add the link again, and check the draft before you send.

### Do I need to use the Gmail web app or a separate Mac app?

This guide covers the Gmail web app at mail.google.com in Safari or Chrome. Google's formatting help describes the web app, so these are the steps that match it. If you use another mail program, its link tools may work differently.

### Can I change the text of a link after I add it?

Google's formatting help covers adding a link but does not explain editing or removing one. This guide does not give those steps. Test any change in a draft, send yourself a copy, and click the link.

### Do these steps work in the Gmail app on iPhone or Android?

No. This guide covers the Mac browser steps only. Mobile apps can have different toolbars, so check Google's help for those devices before you rely on the same steps.

### Does it matter whether I use Safari or Chrome?

Both browsers run the same Gmail web app, and these steps were written for both. The keyboard shortcut and link box work the same way in each one, so pick the browser you already use.

## Sources

1. [Format your messages - Computer - Gmail Help](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/8260?hl=en), Google, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Keyboard shortcuts for Gmail - Computer - Gmail Help](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6594?hl=en), Google, checked 2026-11-07
3. [Google Blog: Gmail holidays 2024 spam and scam post](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/gmail/gmail-holidays-2024-spam-scam/), Google, checked 2026-11-07
4. [Use Safari web apps on Mac - Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/104996), Apple, checked 2026-11-07