Simple steps to email a URL
By
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Writer
- University of Vienna
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
Updated on October 21, 2022
Reviewed by
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Reviewed byJon Fisher
- Wichita Technical Institute
Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA-certified technologist with more than 10 years of experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
What to Know
- Copy a link: Right-click or tap-and-hold a link to copy it, or highlight the URL and press Ctrl+C (Windows) or Command+C (macOS).
- To send the web page link in any email client: Paste the copied URL directly into the message before you send it.
- Or, embed the link in Gmail: Highlight the anchor text, select Insert link (the chain link icon) in the bottom menu, then paste the URL.
Instructions in this article explain how to send a link in an email using any email client (such as Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, Windows Live Mail, Thunderbird, or Outlook Express).
How to Copy a URL
You can copy a website link in most desktop web browsers and other programs by right-clicking or tapping-and-holding the link and choosing the copy option. If you're using a web browser, the URL is located at the very top of the program, likely above or below the open tabs or bookmarks bar.
The link should look something like this, with http:// or https:// at the very start:
https://www.lifewire.com/send-web-page-link-hotmail-1174274
You may need to click into the address bar of your browser to see the full URL. For example, the Chrome browser doesn't show the http or https prefix until you've selected the text in the address bar.
You can also select the URL text and then use the Ctrl+C (Windows) or Command+C (macOS) keyboard shortcut to copy it to the clipboard.
How to Email a Web Page Link
Now that the website link has been copied, just paste it directly into your email program. The steps are identical no matter what program you use:
Right-click or tap-and-hold within the body of the message.
Choose the Paste option to insert the URL into the email.
Send the email as usual.
The above steps will insert the link as text, much like you see in the above example that links to this page. To make a hyperlink that will actually link the URL to specific text within the message is different for each email client.
We'll use Gmail as an example:
Select the text that should have the link anchored to it.
Select the Insert link from the bottom menu within the message (it looks like a chain link).
Paste the URL into the Web address section.
Press OK to link the URL to the text.
Send the email as usual.
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Most email clients let you share links through a similar option called Link or Insert Link. Microsoft Outlook, for example, lets you email URLs from the Insert tab, via the Link option in the Links section.
FAQ
How do I link an email address to my website?
The process may differ depending on the host and what web editing software you use, but the HTML code to link an email address on a web page is fairly simple. Use <a href="mailto:[email address]">[display text]</a>, entering your email address and the text you want viewers to see in place of the HTML link.
How do I add a website URL to my email signature?
Different email services will have slightly different steps to add a URL to your email signature, but in general the option should be in your account settings or preferences. When setting up your signature, highlight the text you want to connect to a URL and select Edit > Add Link, then type in or paste the URL you wish to use.
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