Adding a hyperlink to a picture in Excel turns a logo, product photo, icon or button into something people can click to open a website, jump to another sheet, open a file or start an email. This guide shows how to link a picture in Excel for Microsoft 365, 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, Mac and the web, add a ScreenTip, link to a cell in the same workbook, and edit or remove the link.
Quick Answer
Click the picture to select it, press Ctrl + K (or right-click it and choose Link), type or paste the address, and click OK.
Link a Picture to a Website
- Insert the picture if needed: Insert > Pictures > This Device.
- Click the picture once to select it.
- Press Ctrl + K, or go to Insert > Link, or right-click the picture and choose Link (called Hyperlink in older versions).
- Under Link to, choose Existing File or Web Page.
- In Address, paste the full URL, including https://.
- Click OK.
Hover over the picture to see the pointing-hand cursor, then click to open the link.
Link a Picture to Another Sheet or Cell
- Select the picture and press Ctrl + K.
- Choose Place in This Document.
- Pick the sheet and type a cell reference, such as A1, or choose a Defined Name.
- Click OK.
This is useful for building a clickable menu or dashboard with icons that jump between sheets.
Link to a File or Email Address
- File: choose Existing File or Web Page and browse to a document. Use files on a shared drive or cloud folder so others can open them.
- Email: choose E-mail Address, enter the recipient and an optional subject. Clicking opens a new message in the default mail app.
Add a ScreenTip
In the Insert Hyperlink dialog, click ScreenTip, type helpful text such as “Visit our product page,” and click OK. The tip appears when someone hovers over the picture.
Select, Edit or Remove the Link
- Select without opening: right-click the picture, or hold Ctrl and click it.
- Edit: right-click and choose Edit Link.
- Remove: right-click and choose Remove Link. The picture stays.
Excel for Mac and the Web
- Mac: select the picture and press Command + K, or right-click > Hyperlink.
- Web: select the picture and use Insert > Link. Linking pictures may be limited in some browser versions; if the option is grayed out, add the link in the desktop app.
Tips
- Shapes and icons (Insert > Icons or Shapes) can be linked the same way and look like buttons.
- Group a picture and a text box, then link the group, to make a labeled button. Links on grouped objects may need to be added to each item in some versions.
- The HYPERLINK function works in cells only, not on pictures.
- Lock pictures in place with Format Picture > Size & Properties > Don’t move or size with cells so links stay where you put them.
Related: Embed a Word document in Excel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn’t clicking the picture open the link?
If the sheet is protected with Edit objects disabled, links on pictures may not work. Also check that the address is complete and that Excel’s security settings allow it.
Can I link a picture to a macro instead?
Yes. Right-click the picture and choose Assign Macro in a macro-enabled workbook (.xlsm).
Will the link work in a PDF export?
Often yes, when you save with File > Save As > PDF. Test the PDF to confirm.
Summary
- Select the picture and press Ctrl + K.
- Choose a web page, a place in this document, a file or an email address.
- Add a ScreenTip for clarity.
- Right-click to edit or remove the link.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.