Microsoft Word does not have a built-in, automated link checker to verify if URLs are broken. To check links automatically, you must rely on third-party add-ins, manual native workarounds, or custom VBA macros.
Depending on your workflow and the size of your document, you can choose from the four distinct methods outlined below. Method 1: Use Third-Party Add-Ins
If you have a large document with dozens of links, installing a dedicated add-in is the most efficient solution. Tools like Hyperlink Checker for Word (developed by AbleBits) streamline this process: Install the add-in from the provider’s website. Open your document in Microsoft Word. Click the new AbleBits tab on the Word ribbon. Click the Hyperlink Checker icon.
Review the sidebar menu where broken or mislabeled links are flagged with a question mark (?) or marked as Suspicious. Method 2: The HTML Browser Workaround
For a free option that handles multiple links without installing new software, you can leverage your web browser’s extensions: Open your Word document and go to File > Save As. ChooseWeb Page (*.htm or .html) as the file type. Open the newly saved HTML file in a web browser.
Install a free link checker browser extension (such as Check My Links) via your browser’s extension store.
Run the extension on the page to highlight all broken URLs in red instantly. Method 3: Reveal and Find Links Manually
If your document only contains a few links, you can force Word to reveal the raw URLs so you can audit them yourself: Validate Hyperlinks in a word document – Macro Code
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