is there a way to add hyperlinks in a Illustrator document?

Question

I am creating a CV in Illustrator and exporting it to a PDF. I just read an article which stated that it is a good idea that we use hyperlinks in the CV so that the employer can just click and not have to copy the address. I like this idea, but I don't know how to add a hyperlink to text in Illustrator. Is it possible?

Answer 1

In short, no.

This forum post points out that Illustrator does have hyperlinking capabilities, but they have more to do with exporting to HTML than PDF. They won't do you much good.

Your alternatives are to either add the links in Acrobat after you've exported to PDF or to make your CV in InDesign instead of Illustrator.

If you choose to use Acrobat, it's as simple as using the Link tool to create a rectangle, which you can then assign a link to. When it comes time to update your CV and re-export to PDF, you have a couple of options: you can either select all of the links with the Link Tool or Select Object tool and copy/paste into the updated document, or use the Replace pages feature to replace the current page with the updated page (it keeps the links).

If you choose to use InDesign, you select your text and then enter your link in the Hyperlinks palette. Just make sure that when you're exporting your PDF, you check the box to include hyperlinks.

Answer 2

You can create hyperlinks in Illustrator through the Attributes Panel:

Create your text:

Select Polygon from the drop down Image Map:

Enter in your favorite URL:

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The better approach would be to create CV in InDesign if you haven't already created it:

Navigate to Window -> Interactive -> Hyperlinks:

the mighty panel will appear:

select your text and add your URL:

you can double click the URL if you want to make any adjustments:

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Since you've already created it and if it's text let's add another awesome way!!

Open your PDF in Acrobat Pro:

Select your text and right click, navigate to Create Link:

Add your properties:

Select radio Open a web page and click Next:

Add your URL:

Click OK and you have it.

Answer 3

If you type a URL or an e-mail address in Illustrator and export it to PDF, the URL/e-mail will be automatically made clickable and will act as a hyperlink.

What you really cannot do directly in Illustrator, is to create a "real" hyperlinks when arbitrary text acts as a hyperlink.

Answer 4

There's a slightly different way: don't add any link in Illustrator; instead, export your file and place it in InDesign. There you can create shapes that you can map as hyperlinks. It's way more efficient than placing hyperlinks over text in Illustrator: sometimes it just doesn't work; also, this method doesn't support AppStore and Google play links, while InDesign mapping does. Hope that helps ;)

Answer 5

Yes, you can. I have searched online and seen all of the same answers which do not work. It is true that Adobe do not support hyperlinks in Illustrator but if you want to ad a hyperlink to text that will be saved as a PDF, here is what you do:

1. In the first layer, type the text you want to display ie 'GO TO WEBSITE', and then go to: Type > Create Outline (Shift+Ctrl+O).
2. In the second layer, which needs to be on top of the first layer, type the URL e.g. 'www.example.com'. Then play around with the font height and size so the URL fits the size of your display text in the first layer.
3. Change the opacity of the second layer to zero, so it can't be seen.
4. Save it as a PDF, and that's it