Links in Word files behaviors

That’s a really good question — and it’s a common (and frustrating) issue when uploading Word documents with hyperlinks to Brightspace (D2L), which automatically converts them into PDFs.

Here’s a breakdown of why some links stop working and how you can fix it:

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Why Some Links Don’t Work After Conversion

When Brightspace converts a .docx to a PDF, it uses an automated PDF generator that sometimes mishandles hyperlinks. Common causes include:

1. • If a link was just typed (like www.google.com) but never converted into a real hyperlink (blue + underlined with clickable metadata), Brightspace’s converter may not recognize it.
2. • If the hyperlink text wraps to a new line or has hidden formatting, the conversion process can “cut” the URL, breaking the link.
3. • If the hyperlink display text is different from the actual URL (e.g., “Click here” linked to a long URL), Brightspace sometimes fails to embed it correctly.
4. • Links like mailto: or local file paths (C:\Documents\...) often don’t translate well in the PDF conversion.
5. • Certain Word themes, SmartArt, or table styles can block link metadata when converted.

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How to Fix It

Try these steps before re-uploading to Brightspace:

1. • Highlight the link text → Right-click → Link → Insert Link → Paste the URL → OK.
   • Avoid copy-pasting from browsers directly into Word; instead, paste the text first, then add the link.
2. • Make sure the entire link (display text and URL) is on one line in Word.
3. • Always start links with https:// — not www. or a shortened link.
4. • Go to File → Save As → PDF → Options → Document structure tags for accessibility → ✔️ checked.
   • Upload your own PDF version instead of letting Brightspace convert it.
5. • Open your saved PDF locally and click every link. If it works in Adobe Reader, it should work in Brightspace.
6. • Brightspace’s converter often drops hyperlinks attached to non-text objects.