Comments on: Hyperlinks not working in Outlook? How to make links open again

The article explains why hyperlinks may not be working in Outlook and provides several solutions to fix the issue. These methods will let you open links in Outlook again with no problem, no matter which version you use - Outlook 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007 or lower Continue reading →

Comments page 2. Total comments: 126

  1. The ChromeHTML solution worked for me, not the htmlfile one,
    thanks!!

  2. Oh yes, the Microsoft "Fix it" tool.... i used this once in the past but now?
    This is what MS say when you search them out.

    "Easy Fix solutions have been discontinued. Instead, you can upgrade to Windows 10 and get troubleshooters that are built right in. To get Windows 10, see Windows 10 Home. "

    OK, I can understand ending support i.e. no longer fixing newly discovered problems but they go a step further and take down all the support for your OS which you still use and want to use.
    Open source when this PC dies (possibly killed by an "infinite loop" error as a result of some update or other. Windows XP Pro, RIP and the laptop you came in. *.1 is bad enough.... but Windows 10 so I can be a cash crop rather than a client, so they can sell me to Big Data? No thanks.

  3. This is how i fixed this issue:
    1 - uninstalled the recent updates to Microsoft office
    2 - created a file .reg with the following contents:
    ------
    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.html]
    @="htmlfile"
    "Content Type"="text/html"
    "PerceivedType"="text"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htm]
    @="htmlfile"
    "Content Type"="text/html"
    "PerceivedType"="text"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.shtm]
    @="htmlfile"
    "Content Type"="text/html"
    "PerceivedType"="text"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.shtml]
    @="htmlfile"
    "Content Type"="text/html"
    "PerceivedType"="text"

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\htmlfile\shell\open\command]

    @="\"C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\IEXPLORE.EXE\" -nohome"
    -----
    save the file as .reg
    double click the file and then click Ok.
    restart outlook and if necessary the computer.

    1. This fix worked for me!
      Thanks

  4. HI I have tried all of the fixes and have had no luck in fixing the issue, I have set " Choose default apps by file type " as well, as well as the fixes above , It appears to have happened after security downloads 25-5-2020, Hyper links in Word , Excell & Outlook all are blocked by Office it would seem while these programs still accept internet connections in but not a hyperlink to web browser , Cheers

  5. These instructions were very helpful, thank you so much! On the contrary although I appreciate your effort, they shouldn't be there in the first place. I think Microsoft is going bananas and thinks that everyone has the technical acumen to pull off such instructions. Like for example my father who is 75 years old uses Office and Outlook for his emails ever since he got to know that there is a program to manage his Gmail emails on. But went bonkers when he could not open links directly from his email client in this case Outlook 2013. So for now; the default programs have been set to Internet Explorer for web browser and Outlook for mail and the links in his emails open. However, he hates it! He want's to use Google as his default browser. I am not sure if he can have the cake and eat it too? Thank you once again; love from INDIA!

  6. This seems to be the solution that works best when running Windows 10 and Outlook.
    1) Install Chrome
    2) Open Settings
    3) Click on Apps
    4) Click on Default Apps
    5) In the right pane under Default Apps click on Web Browser
    6) Select Google Chrome
    7) Close the Settings window
    8) Open Regedit
    9) Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.html
    10) Right click on (Default) in the right pane
    11) Click Modify
    12) In the Edit String window enter ChromeHTML in the Value Data: field
    13) Click the Ok button
    13) Exit Regedit
    14) Restart the computer
    15) Open Outlook and click on a link in an email

    1. I tried many other solutions, this simple one by KWilk6 worked perfectly!

      Todd Hammock

    2. Many Thanks KWilk6 .

      Tried all sorts without luck. The thing is, i am a computer tech in the real world, but i have Dementia for several years, and have never used Outlook for e mails before.
      Your fix worked perfectly, so now i have a Happy Wife which = Happy life.
      Still confused about how this happened, all things on the net refer to this or that, none of these things my wife did to make a change to stop outlook refusing to use hyperlinks. Hey Ho it works now.

      Many, Many Thanks KWilk6 .

    3. Perfect KWilk6... this is the ONY one that worked... good on you ...

    4. This work perfect! Thanks!! This is the only way to work for me.

  7. I was having this problem with Outlook 2016 Pro Plus running on Windows 10 with Chrome as my default browser, and tried the solutions in order. The one that worked for me was the editing of the registry, specifically running the following 3 commands:
    REG ADD HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.htm /ve /d htmlfile /f
    REG ADD HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.html /ve /d htmlfile /f
    REG ADD HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.shtml /ve /d htmlfile /f

    When I re-opened Outlook the links were working and IE was set as my default browser. I went into Default Programs, set Chrome as my default browser again, and it's working fine now.
    Thank you!

  8. The Easyfix did the trick! Thanks!

  9. Thank you, its worked!!!

  10. None of these tips work anymore Microsoft has permanently broken Outlook with the Windows updates and it can't be rolled back.

  11. I use Chrome. After much effort I found I could simply replace the Default String (in Registry Editor)from htmlfile to ChromeHTML and it works perfectly now.

    In Regedit:
    Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.html
    Right click on (Default) & modify data to ChromeHTML

    1. That ChromeHTML solution did it for me. Thanks.
      28 AUG 2020 FWIW

      1. Works for me too

    2. My machine worked with this:
      In Regedit:
      Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.html
      Right click on (Default) & modify data to ChromeHTML

      Thanks bonus

  12. I've performed all the steps above and none of them have worked. I'll just copy and past the links. I've spent too much time on this issue.

  13. i had the same issue as i am using firefox as default browser but somehow i was able to fix it. try the below steps:
    1- Close outlook and open REGISTRY --> regedit
    2- Select Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.html
    3. on the right side window, right click on "Default" and select Modify.
    4. In the value type "htmlfile" (without commas).
    5- restart the outlook.
    I hope this works :)

  14. Thank you, its worked :)

  15. Hi i have done all the mothod but am not winning

  16. NONE of your solutions work with windows 10! I've tried them all the fix it now app doesn't work on windows 10 pro! I've also modified the 2 registry entries, as shown and that didn't help either?
    I've uninstalled Office 2013, ran ccleaner to remove any broken links and rebooted then I reinstalled Office 2013; did not work.
    I"ve also clicked on the button to reset all programs to MS defaults; didn't help.

    This problem started after the O/S was automatically upgraded to a release prior to release 1809.

  17. Thanks...it workked

  18. Had a problem with hyperlinks could not respond to emails in outlook 2010 use your fix it and everything back to normal thanks a million

  19. I have Windows 10, Outlook 2013 and use Microsoft Edge. Editing the registry with htmlfile worked for me.

  20. It worked well, thanks

  21. I guess, the htmlfile works only if you use Explorer. As I am using Chrome, I have replaced (as admin) the Default String from htmlfile to ChromeHTML and it works perfectly since!

  22. Links started to work after changing Registry. The registry was modified by maxthon browser after uninstalling !!

  23. Thanks! That was very helpful & fixed my URL problem :-)

  24. Hi Igor:

    Could you be very specific about how to do this. I have no idea how to get to this area in the registry to change it.

    Darrell

  25. thanks so much!! I did all of these, not sure which step(s) did the trick, but now my excel URL links (which had stopped working for no apparent reason) are working again.

    1 uninstalled Chrome (never used it anyway)
    2 changed default browser to IE from Firefox
    3 changed registry default for .htm .html .shtml to "htmlfile"
    4 Reset IE settings, deleting personal settings.

    Maybe just step 4 would've been enough without the others, I don't know, I was desperate and I'm just so happy it's fixed. Thanks.

  26. I had this problem, WIN 10, Outlook 2013
    Repair ver easy : hange value in registry :
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.html. Verify that the Default value of this key is htmlfile.
    from Mozilla to htmlfile

    1. Hi Igor:

      Could you be very specific about how to do this. I have no idea how to get to this area in the registry to change it.

      Darrell

  27. For Windows 10 users to follow this: IE 11 must be installed from Control Panel --> Programs and features --> Turn Windows features on or off then select Internet Explorer 11 and click ok and restart the computer

    1. Thank you so much, this worked for me after everything else failed, including the REGEDITs.

  28. THANK YOU! The download worked like a charm and was very easy to follow. For days I have tried to fix my problem without any luck. Thank you so much for providing the solution. Awesome!

  29. NOT helpful for those on Macs!

  30. Why cant Microsoft send out a fix for this. After all this time I still have no working link. I'm using Windows 10 and Outlook

  31. thanks its working after default and regedit setting.

  32. I have Windows 10, MS Outlook 2007 & the Hyperlinks have suddenly stopped working in Outlook. My default web browswer has been Firefox for some years now. The fix that you can download from MS is not for Windows 10, only lower versions. MS advise going through the troubleshooting route which was useless. I have tried changing my default web browser to IE 11, Goggle Chrome, and back to Firefox - several times for each one! Wasted many hours. Suggestions please? PS I am not competant to edit the registry!

  33. I uninstalled Firefox while it was my default browser. Only the manual registry edit worked for me. I replaced references to IE with Firefox in the instructions above and it worked like a charm.

  34. Thanks! Very nice tutorial, easy to follow AND it worked.

  35. Uninstalling and shuffling between default browsers (Chrome, Firefox and MSedge) didn't fix the problem. Only (and eventually) the manual registry edit.

  36. on excel 2010 why hyperlink is not working

  37. i working in an environment where IE is the only supported browser and google chrome was being removed not long ago and i got few users having this issues and none of your above solutions can work. Reinstalling chrome is an no option, what other solutions do we have???

  38. Thank you very much

  39. Every 'solution' here is for everything except Windows 10. Do we have to sit around waiting for Microsoft to offer a definitive solution after yet another time-wasting update (seven hours on this one) ... or get around to correcting the update that caused it!

    I have been on pretty well every site referring to this problem going back, it would seem, around five years. I see only complicated work-arounds of uncertain value to all previous Windows products and nothing useful for Windows 10, the premier product. The registry solutions are dangerously complicated for amateurs and do not seem to apply to Windows 10.

    I just want to be able to link from Outlook to Firefox ... very simple, not ambitious. It should not be rocket science to the point that I am getting very suspicious about the motivation behind all the this. I am wondering whether a dossier might be sent to the competition authorities. Certainly Google and Mozilla should be asking some questions.

    If it is not conspiracy, it is incompetence - either way, it has to stop! Can we have a simple definitive solution for Windows 10 and Outlook 2013 that allows simple linking to Firefox, please, and can we have it now instead of waiting another five years.

  40. THANK YOU!!!!!!!

  41. The article stops at Windows 8, an assumes you changed FROM Internet Explorer. I am running Windows 10, and changed TO Internet Explorer. I hate Edge. It is too much like Chrome. It is for lay people who do not know much about computers and takes away tools I am used to using. I NEED my Internet Explorer. How do I get my Outlook 2016 email links to work in Windows 10 and KEEP Internet Explorer?

  42. thank you!!!

  43. I have both IE and Firefox installed. To fix this issue all I did was make Firefox the default browser and then close it. Then open IE and make it the default browser and .... shezam, hyper links now work. MS WTF

  44. Thanks a lot!! Microsoft's solution (the first two steps listed here) did not fix it. However, the registry solution did fix it. In fact, the registry values were partly not set at all and partly set to OperaStable. No idea how the user managed to mess that up but it's working now (didn't even require a reboot).

  45. THANK YOU ! ! !

  46. 1) When clicking on a hyperlink in an e-mail, I get this Message: "This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator."
    2) We tried by changing default program settings and set program access & computer defaults. But it doesn’t solve the issue.
    3) We tried by resetting IE browser and setting Default Web browser in IE but it doesn’t work.
    4) So we found that Google Chrome was installed earlier in system.
    5) This issue we found after uninstalling Google Chrome from computer.
    6) Whenever we open hyperlink (URL’s) in outlook it was trying to open through google chrome bcz it was selected as default browser in computer.
    7) Solution: This issue resolved by re-installing Google Chrome, and selecting IE as a default web browser.

  47. HI

    Thanks for the information.

  48. Fucking idiots!
    Re-install Chrome - none of you know what the fucking problem is!
    Just admit that your solution to everything is re-install.

    Does your car have a problem - just install a completely new engine!!
    No engineers present!!

  49. We are having the same issue*** Your organization's policies are preventing us from completing this action for you. For more info, please contact your help desk****
    We are using RDS environment and we are currently using a workaround (changing the reg key for effected user) but this problem is keep coming back. There were some session hosts with Chrome installed. We uninstalled chrome 3 weeks ago but don't know why this is happening again and again. Any permanent solution/suggestion ?

  50. The whole office 365 is riddled with bugs, it can't spell check, can't open hyperlinks, installs 16 bit by default, outlook is slow to pick up mail and sometimes needs a restart to get mail. The upgrades break things, for a leage company such as Microsoft they really need to get their act together.

    I am thinking about going back to open office, at least it works.

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