Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007 and 2010. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Closing Documents after a Hyperlink.
When Tom hyperlinks from one Word document to another, he would like the previous document to close automatically. He notes that if he has several documents hyperlinking to several others, he can end up with quite a few Word documents open at the same time.
Believe it or not, this behavior is built into Word and, unfortunately cannot be changed. You could, however, bypass hyperlinks all together and create some sort of macro or macro button to open the new document and close the old one. The ways in which you would implement such a workaround will depend on the names and locations of the documents you want to access.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11700) applies to Microsoft Word 2007 and 2010. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Closing Documents after a Hyperlink.
Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!
Want to add a small pop-up window over a word in your document? There is no way to do this directly in Word, but you can ...
Discover MoreKaren is having problems getting hyperlinks to print in a document on her home computer. There are only a limited number ...
Discover MoreWhen creating hyperlinks in a document, it is important to remember the difference between absolute and relative ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2024-12-20 07:38:14
jamies
got a hyperlink to an excel file, or a WinWord document in a WinWord document -
click to open that file -
( set to read only and on a server - )
great - you can read, copy and print it
So -
Changed it, use SaveAs to save the changed version
Well the displayed text on the link does not change,
but the link is now pointing to the newly created version !
You just lost the link to the original !
And you will get the newly created version presented every time you use that link !
even though the link is shown on the document as being the original file !
2013-05-21 07:01:44
nic
Hi I would like docs to close in the same way but from Excel 2010. Can this be done?
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007 and 2010. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: 
Comments