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How to Add a Hyperlink in a Photoshop PDF?

Published in PDF Editing 3 mins read

Adding hyperlinks directly within Photoshop for a PDF can be achieved by utilizing the slice tool. Here's how:

  1. Select the Slice Tool: In Photoshop, locate and select the Slice Tool from the toolbar.

  2. Create Slices: Create slices around the text or objects that you want to turn into hyperlinks. For instance, you would create a slice around an email address and another around a website address.

While the provided reference mentions creating slices, it stops short of explaining the entire process for creating a functional hyperlink within a PDF that can be exported from Photoshop. It is important to understand that, directly adding clickable hyperlinks to a PDF document within Photoshop is limited. Photoshop is primarily an image editing tool, not a PDF editor.

Alternative Workflow: Creating Image Maps

The slice tool, coupled with saving for web, can allow you to create a HTML image map, but this method may not preserve the hyperlink functionality when saved as a PDF.

  1. Create Slices: As mentioned before, use the Slice Tool to define the areas where you want the hyperlinks to be.

  2. Save for Web (Legacy): Go to File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy).

  3. Select HTML Option: In the Save for Web dialog box, choose "HTML" or "HTML and Images" from the "Format" dropdown menu. This will generate an HTML file and the sliced images.

  4. Edit the HTML: Open the generated HTML file in a text editor. Locate the image map code. You'll need to manually add the <a> (anchor) tags with the href attributes to the corresponding slice areas to define the hyperlinks. For example:

    <img src="images/your_image.jpg" width="500" height="300" border="0" usemap="#your_map" />

<map name="your_map">
  <area shape="rect" coords="0,0,100,50" href="https://www.example.com" alt="Example Website">
  <area shape="rect" coords="100,0,200,50" href="mailto:[email protected]" alt="Email Us">
</map>

Important Considerations:

  • This image map approach creates an HTML file, not a direct PDF with clickable links.
  • Converting this HTML page to a PDF might not preserve the hyperlink functionality depending on the conversion method. Many "print to PDF" or "save as PDF" options will flatten the image and remove the interactive links.

Recommended Approach: Use a PDF Editor

The most reliable method for adding hyperlinks to a PDF is to use dedicated PDF editing software such as Adobe Acrobat Pro, Nitro PDF, or similar tools. These programs offer robust features for adding, editing, and managing hyperlinks directly within PDF documents.

  1. Open the PDF in a PDF Editor: Open your PDF file (created from Photoshop) in Adobe Acrobat Pro or another PDF editor.

  2. Use the Link Tool: Select the "Edit PDF" tool (or a similar tool for editing). Look for a "Link" tool or option to "Add/Edit Web Link."

  3. Draw a Rectangle: Use the Link tool to draw a rectangle around the text or area where you want the hyperlink to be.

  4. Set the Link Action: In the "Create Link" dialog box, choose "Open a web page" and enter the URL.

  5. Save the PDF: Save the PDF file. The hyperlink should now be active.

In summary, while Photoshop's slice tool can be used as a workaround, directly adding and preserving hyperlinks in a PDF is best accomplished using a dedicated PDF editor.

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