How do I add a link in an Excel cell AND have other text in same cell?

Hi @ShawnnaBee, 

Good day to you! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A. 

Regarding to your description, here's how to have a link and sub text in one cell:  

1. Enter Passive Text in the Cell 

• Click the cell where you want the content. 
• Type your full text, including the line you want to reserve for the link. 
• Use Alt + Enter to create line breaks. 
• Example:   [Reserved for link]  This cell contains additional details and context. 

2. Insert a Rectangle Shape 

• Go to the Insert tab → Click Shapes → Select Rectangle. 
• Draw the rectangle over the top line of the cell (where the link text is). 

3. Format the Shape 

• Right-click the shape → Format Shape. 
• Set:  
  • Fill: Same color as the cell background (usually white). 
  • Line/Border: No line. 

4. Add Link Text to the Shape 
   • Click inside the shape and type your link text (e.g., “Visit our site”). 
   • Format it to look like a hyperlink (blue, underlined). 
5. Add the Hyperlink 
   • Select the shape. 
   • Go to the Insert tab → Click Link. 
   • Enter the URL you want to link to. 

This will be the final result:  

If you have any further questions and concerns, please let me know. Looking forward to your response.  

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Hey Jay,

In theory, this is a great work around, but, sadly, it did not work for me :( (Maybe a user issue? :))

When I click on insert shape, it automatically creates the shape (a red square), I do not have the option to draw one. So, I stretched the shape and manipulated it into where I wanted the rectangle and formatted as per your instructions above. I was also able to put the text in the rectangle and format the text. This is where it falls apart....as soon as I click on the rectangle or the text to try to complete the link, the Insert link option is greyed out!! I am happy to hear suggestions as to what I am doing wrong! I feel like this should not be so difficult!

Hi @ShawnnaBee, 

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Support. I understand you're experiencing difficulty inserting a hyperlink into a shape in Excel. Based on your description, below are the recommended steps to ensure this process works correctly. 

1. Enter Text in the Cell 

• Click the cell where you want to place your content. 
• Type your full text, including the line you want to reserve for the hyperlink. 
• Use Alt + Enter to create line breaks within the cell. 

2. Insert a Rectangle Shape 

• Go to the Insert tab. 
• Click Shapes, then select Rectangle. 
• Click and drag to draw the rectangle over the top line of the cell (where the link text is). 

If Excel automatically inserts a default-sized shape when you click, try clicking and dragging instead to manually draw the shape. 

3. Format the Shape 

• Right-click the shape and select Format Shape. 
• Set the following:  
  • Fill: Match the cell background color (usually white). 
    • Line/Border: Set to “No line”. 

4. Add Link Text to the Shape 

• Click inside the shape and type your link text (e.g., “Visit our site”). 
• Format the text to resemble a hyperlink (blue and underlined). 

5. Add the Hyperlink 

• Click the border of the shape to select the entire shape. 
• Go to the Insert tab and click Link (or press Ctrl + K). 
• Enter the URL you want to link to. 

Troubleshooting Tips 

• Ensure you are not in text-edit mode inside the shape when trying to insert the hyperlink. 
• If the shape is grouped or part of a protected worksheet, hyperlinking may be disabled. Try inserting the shape in a new worksheet to test. 
• Always select the shape itself (not just the text inside) before attempting to insert the link. 

If you continue to experience issues, please let us know and we’ll be happy to assist further. 

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