How to Find Links to External Sources in Excel? Before we dive into finding links to external sources, it’s essential to understand these links and how they work. An external link in Excel is simply a reference to a file or location outside the current workbook. For example, if you include a link to a web page in your Excel spreadsheet, clicking on that link will open the web page in your default web browser.
How to Find the Links
The easy way to do this is to use the Find and Replace method in Excel. Here’s how:
- Open the desired worksheet to search for external links.
- Tap Ctrl + F on your keyboard to open the Find and Replace dialog box.
- Click on the Options button to expand the dialog box.
- Click on the Find tab.
- In the “Find what” field, enter “http://” or “www.” (without the quotes).
- Click on the Find All button.
It will generate a list of all your spreadsheet cells containing a link to an external source. You can then review the list to see which cells have links to external sources and take any necessary actions.
See More: Microsoft Excel | Microsoft Office 365
Managing Links to External Sources
Now that you’ve found links to external sources in your Excel spreadsheet, you may want to manage them. Here are a few things to follow:
Edit the Link
If you need to change the location of the external source, you can edit the link directly in the cell. Click on the cell containing the link and then click on the formula bar at the top of the Excel window. You can then edit the link as needed.
Remove the Link
If you no longer need it, you can remove it from the cell. To do this, right-click the cell containing the link and select Hyperlink > Remove Hyperlink.
Update the Link
If the location of the external source has changed, you may need to update the link to ensure that it continues to work. To do this, right-click the cell containing the link and select Hyperlink > Edit Hyperlink. You can then update the link as needed.
Manage the Link Target
When you create a link to an external source in Excel, you can choose whether the link opens in a new or similar window. To manage this, right-click the cell containing the link and select Hyperlink > Edit Hyperlink. You can then choose whether the link should open in a new or similar window.
Test the Link
Finally, it’s always a good idea to test your links to external sources to ensure they work correctly. To do this, click on the link in the cell and verify that it opens the correct external source.
Conclusion
Links to external sources can be a powerful tool in Excel, allowing you to reference data from other sources and create dynamic spreadsheets. However, it’s crucial to understand how to find and manage these links to ensure that your spreadsheet remains accurate and functional. Following this article’s tips, you can easily find and organize links to external sources in your Excel spreadsheets.
