Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 3, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021
Alan is writing a 900-page book with hundreds of hyperlinked cross-references. One thing he can't figure out is how to implement a way to take a reader back to where the hyperlink was clicked. Alan would like the reader to be able to follow the cross-reference by clicking, and then have a way for them to go back to where they clicked.
There are three ways you can approach this issue. Before getting to the three methods, however, it is important to consider exactly how Alan is creating the cross-references. You see, the term "cross-reference" is very specific in Word, and a cross-reference is created by using the Cross Reference tool on the Insert tab of the ribbon. A cross-reference (to either a bookmark or a heading style in the document) is implemented using a REF field.
A hyperlink, on the other hand, can work essentially the same as a cross-reference, but it is implemented using a HYPERLINK field. You create one by using the Link tool on the Insert tab of the ribbon and choosing "Place in this Document" as the target of your link. A hyperlink, too, can be to either a bookmark or a heading style.
Regardless of whether Alan is using cross-references (REF field) or hyperlinks (HYPERLINK field), they can be followed by using the mouse to point at the field and holding down the Ctrl key as the mouse button is clicked.
This brings us to the first approach to Alan's issue. Once followed, you can return to the source (where you Ctrl clicked) by pressing Alt+Left Arrow. This shortcut works whether you subsequently move the location of the insertion point or make any edits in the document. In other words, Alt+Left Arrow returns to the last place you Ctrl clicked to follow a cross-reference or a hyperlink. As a bonus, Alt+Left Arrow will step back through multiple Ctrl click actions. It is very similar, in this regard, to the Back button on a web browser.
Which brings us to the second approach—you can add a Back tool to the Quick Access Toolbar. Follow these steps:
The Back tool now appears on the Quick Access Toolbar. It looks like a left-pointing arrow, very similar to the Back button visible in most web browsers. After you Ctrl click to follow a cross-reference or a hyperlink, you can click the Back tool to return to the point where you Ctrl clicked.
Both Alt+Left Arrow and the Back tool function exactly the same. If you are comfortable with keyboard shortcuts, you'll probably want to use Alt+Left Arrow. If you are more comfortable with using the mouse, then you'll probably want to use the Back tool. (Since you used the mouse to Ctrl click the cross-reference or hyperlink, you may want to use the mouse to get back to the source of the cross-reference or hyperlink, which means using the Back tool.)
The third approach is to add "reverse links" to get back to the source of the original cross-reference or hyperlink. This can get a bit tricky, but some people prefer it. For instance, you could add a bookmark at the location of the original cross-reference or hyperlink and then, at the target of the cross-reference or hyperlink add a hyperlink that says "Return to . . ." with its target being the bookmark you added.
Of course, this can get quite involved, and it can be quite a lot of work—especially in Alan's case where he indicates he has hundreds of hyperlinks. This approach doubles the number of bookmarks or hyperlinks in your document. You can, however, create a macro to do the tedious work of creating the return links. Here's an example of one that could work for you:
Sub ReverseLinkRefs() Dim fld As Field Dim bkmk As String Dim bkmkR As String Dim aRange As Range Dim destRange As Range Dim destText As String Dim lHCnt As Long Dim lRCnt As Long lHCnt = 0 lRCnt = 0 Selection.HomeKey Unit:=wdStory ' Go to beginning of document Set aRange = Selection.Range Do ' Find next hyperlink or REF field aRange.MoveEnd Unit:=wdCharacter, Count:=1 aRange.Start = aRange.End aRange.Select With Application.Browser .Target = wdBrowseField .Next End With Set aRange = Selection.Range aRange.MoveEnd Unit:=wdWord, Count:=1 If aRange.Fields.Count = 0 Then Exit Do Set fld = aRange.Fields(1) bkmk = "" If fld.Type = wdFieldHyperlink Then bkmk = aRange.Hyperlinks(1).SubAddress lHCnt = lHCnt + 1 ElseIf fld.Type = wdFieldRef Then bkmk = fld.Code bkmk = LTrim(Mid(bkmk, 5)) If InStr(bkmk, " ") > 0 Then bkmk = Left(bkmk, InStr(bkmk, " ") - 1) lRCnt = lRCnt + 1 End If If bkmk = "" Or Right(bkmk, 1) = "R" Then Set aRange = Selection.Range aRange.Start = aRange.End GoTo nxtfield End If If (fld.Type = wdFieldHyperlink And InStr(fld.Code, "\l") = 0) Then GoTo nxtfield If Not ActiveDocument.Bookmarks.Exists(bkmk) Then If bkmk <> "" Then MsgBox bkmk & " Bookmark does not exist" GoTo nxtfield End If ' Place bookmark ending in "R" at field fld.Select DoEvents bkmkR = bkmk & "R" ActiveDocument.Bookmarks.Add Range:=aRange, Name:=bkmkR ' Change reference to a hyperlink pointing to bookmark Set destRange = ActiveDocument.Bookmarks(bkmk).Range If destRange.Hyperlinks.Count = 0 Then ' Only one hyperlink per bookmark destText = destRange.Text With ActiveDocument.Hyperlinks.Add(Anchor:=destRange, _ Address:="", SubAddress:=bkmkR, TextToDisplay:=destText) .Range.Fields.Update ActiveDocument.Bookmarks.Add Range:=.Range, Name:=bkmk .Range.Fields.Update End With End If nxtfield: aRange.Select Loop MsgBox lHCnt & " Hyperlinks" & vbCrLf & lRCnt & " REF fields" End Sub
The macro steps through each HYPERLINK and REF field and adds a bookmark at the field. It then makes the target of those fields into active hyperlinks (using a new HYPERLINK field) back to the original field using the added bookmark. The macro does not add any new text to the document; it only adds the new bookmarks and hyperlinks.
For the best results, you should run this macro only after you are completely done creating and editing your document. (In other words, you don't really want to run a macro such as this twice on a single document.) It is also a good idea to save the final document and then run the macro on a second copy of the document. That way, if something doesn't work as desired, you have the "clean" version of the final document to fall back on.
Naturally, the question will come up as to why go through the trouble of creating the return links, either manually or with a macro, when using Alt+Left Arrow or the Back tool are so much easier. There are two reasons. First, if the document you are working with will be used by others, you may not have the opportunity to teach them how to use the keyboard shortcut, and you probably don't want to instruct them on how to add the Back tool to the QAT. Second, if some of the other users are still using very old versions of Word (say, Word 2003 or older), then the shortcut key or Back tool may not be available in their version of Word.
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13935) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021.
Do More in Less Time! Are you ready to harness the full power of Word 2013 to create professional documents? In this comprehensive guide you'll learn the skills and techniques for efficiently building the documents you need for your professional and your personal life. Check out Word 2013 In Depth today!
Cross-referencing has long been a capability in Word documents. You can easily add and remove cross-references but ...
Discover MoreIf you have a word that includes punctuation as part of the word itself, then you may be frustrated by how Word treats ...
Discover MoreNeed to see how many pages, words, paragraphs, or lines are in your document? Word makes it easy to retrieve such ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2024-08-05 09:02:03
Timothy J. McGowan
@Phillip Holt:
You may stop looking. The Alt+Left keystroke is definitely not available in iOS versions of Word, according to Google, nor any other key combination. According to Internet lore, Back was enabled in Word for Windows when Microsoft wanted to make the program more Web-like, and they changed their minds about that before the feature could be added to Word for iOS.
2024-08-04 14:13:24
This whole function aparently is unavailable on a MAC. Or I cannot find equivalent key to implement this funcion.
2024-08-04 05:06:48
Ken E
RON S
I agree that Word has problems with large and complex documents. Not only can the document become unstable but any editing and moving around the document will be very slow.
The largest document that I have worked on had 1800 pages and for editing was split into two documents before being combined into the final document. Most of the editing was done in draft mode to prevent re-pagination that cannot be turned off in Print Layout mode. Spell checking is always running in background even though it appears to be off in the options.
2024-08-04 03:29:16
Ron S
For a ~900 page document, with lots of cross references. Personally, in this size/complexity document I would stay away from the technique of adding "back to ..." links/cross references. Although it is more of an issue in older versions, Word still does have a problem with "document complexity". The more features you add, the more "complex" the document becomes. Sometimes this complexity leads you into parts of the program code that are rarely used and definitely not tested enough. This "bad code" can cause your document and/or Word to "crash". This can have various effects. The "best" is just losing unsaved changes. The "worst" is the document can no longer be opened.
For fear (due to personal experience) of "document corruption" I try to avoid "document complexity" when I can. This is one case where some can be avoided (don't add the back links).
An answer to users not knowing the shortcut or QAT button feature is to create a "how to ... use this document online" page. I'd put it somewhere up front, near the "introduction". Give them step by step instructions for USING the 2, or 3 techniques (NOT for inserting "back to" links!, just how to use them!)
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 © 2024 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments