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 4. Total comments: 126

  1. 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?

  2. thank you!!!

  3. 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

  4. 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).

  5. THANK YOU ! ! !

  6. 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.

  7. HI

    Thanks for the information.

  8. 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!!

  9. 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 ?

  10. 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.

  11. Why would anyone set IE as their default browser? That's piling huge usability issues on top of an inconvenient problem.

  12. Brilliant! Your help is much appreciated.

  13. Thank you so much for the step by step guide on how to fix this problem. With your clear guidance, I have been able to fix it!

  14. Try this....

    1. Exit Outlook completely.

    2. Set a different default browser.
    Default Programs -> Set program access and computer defaults -> Custom -> Choose a default web browser -> Mozilla Firefox (or ie) -> OK

    3. Set Chrome again.
    Default Programs -> Set program access and computer defaults -> Custom -> Choose a default web browser -> Google Chrome -> OK

    4. Open outlook, enjoy your links.

    You may have to reboot (to make sure outlook refreshes).

    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-performance/your-organizations-policies-are-preventing-us/94986167-d289-477b-ba57-238472079b32?page=5

    1. toasterg,

      Your post did not work for me as it, but I let me to something that did work (none of the other things worked (reset Internet Option Default, regedit)). I did

      Default Programs -> Set program access and computer defaults -> Microsoft.

      That made it work for IE. Then did

      Default Programs -> Set your default programs -> Firefox

      Now it works for Firefox.

  15. I have tried EVERYTHING in your article without any resolution to Hyperlinks not working. When I left click the link the address bar shows "about blank" and the destination window is empty.
    When I go to any website a pop up says do I want to make IE default I click yes.
    Internet (11) is not listed in the default selection window but in the program association list it is linked to htm, html, shmtl.
    Any alternatives for this problem?

  16. We've noticed this at work as well. After working with Microsoft, we saw that Outlook was being denied access to the HKCR\htmlfile\shell\opennew\command key. Before it looks at that key though, it checks the HKCU hive for the same setting. We found that if you copy the HKCR\htmlfile branch into HKCU\Software\Classes, links open without a problem. We still don't know the root cause, but this workaround may work for you.

    This powershell script will accomplish that task. It maps a powershell drive to HKCR, checks if the HTML branch exists for the current user, and if not, copies HKCR\HTMLFILE to the appropriate location in HKCU. It then deletes the HKCR drive.

    Our environment is locked down, but it does allow a normal user to make this change.

    NOTE: I am not a powershell expert, so use at your own risk:
    =======================
    New-PSDrive -PSProvider registry -Root HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT -Name HKCR
    If (!(Test-Path hkcu:\software\classes\htmlfile))
    {
    Copy-Item HKCR:\htmlfile HKCU:\Software\Classes\htmlfile -recurse
    }

    Remove-PSDrive HKCR
    =============================

  17. I've struggled with this for 2.5 days now. Even ran the MS Fixit which did not correct the problem. By logging on the machine as another user and learning it was working that sent me down the path of HKey Current user. Some of the stuff I had read also pointed there, but I got mine resolved by comparing the key hkcu\software\classes\http with a working computer. I ended up having to create two keys where one was Reg_DWord "editflags" (set to 2) and the other REG_SZ "source filter" set to: {E436EBB6-524F-11CE-9F53-0020AF0BA770}
    This did resolve it for me and I never found this information online so if you have tried everything short of reloading the OS, give this a try.
    Robert

    Also note: It was noted the HTTPS key was not the same, but I did not change that one and suspect for secure links its needed.

  18. is work about setting hyperlink, i'm check program bidu have block enable hyperlink, so remove out and edit new.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.html. Verify that the Default value of this key is htmlfile.

    thank you work.

  19. is work about setting hyperlink, i'm check program bidu have block enable hyperlink, so remove out and edit new.
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.html. Verify that the Default value of this key is htmlfile.
    thank you work.

  20. Wonderful post! Thanks for sharing. Also, thanks for your comment on my recent blog post.
    Apprieciated!

  21. Good Day ,,

    Thank you very much for your provided solution .
    The "Edit the registry manually" fixed my problem.

    Thnx again. :)

  22. If the hyperlink comes up with {[......]}...on outlook 2013.

    Resolution: click on new e-mail.....
    Press "alt + F9" solved.

  23. After the installation of Windows 10, I can no longer use hyperlinks from Outlook 2010 to access internet - Using Google Chrome.

    1. It seems to work again if you change the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.html key to htmlfile as suggested above AND enable internet explorer in windows 10 programs and features. Google Chrome then fires up if u have it set as the default browser when u click the hyperlinks. What a pain.

  24. outlook seems to remove hyperlinks from recurring tasks (after the first completion of a task hyperlinks become inactive)
    does anyone know how to fix it?

  25. I have used REGEDIT, and set HKEY classes Root to HTMLfile

  26. Outlook is piece of ... HTML rendering engine from year 1980, nothing works properly, links do not work when you click... people are really stupid to pay for this piece of...

  27. I have an issue that is only affected if Chrome is set to default for hyperlinks.
    If Firefox or IE are set as defaults, hyperlinks work as expected, if set to Chrome I get a 'Server Execution Failure' error message.
    This happened after I uninstalled and reinstalled Google Chrome to correct an issue with Chrome in the past. i do not wish to uninstall and reinstall my Office 2007 product as it was a gift from MS for attending a tech show and uncertain if I still have the loader to reinstall it... Reg settings appear correct for Office, uncertain what to look for in Chrome.

  28. Changing defaults for mail and internet worked for me. Thank you for your help!

  29. An excellent article, cheers.

  30. Does the same thing work when they hyperlink that's broken is an email address embedded in an email?

  31. Thank you. Your registry hack did the job for me.

  32. Thank you, thank you! In only 5 minutes, I was able to resolve a very annoying and time wasting issue of not being able to click on hyperlinks in Outlook without receiving an error message and then having to copy and paste them directly into Google. This problem had gone on for 3 months and no one had any clue on how to fix it, until I finally took a few minutes to research it on the internet and came to your website. 5 minutes -- problem solved with MS Fix It -- and I'm a very happy camper again! :)

  33. Able Bits is truly amazing but as an elderly retired gent who's care-giver to a handicapped wife, I can't afford spending the time required to read, absorb, apply, and test nine pages of excellent instructions for a fix that ought to be readily and automatically detected and applied by MS.
    Thanks for the fix.

  34. Jeff; Check out the info in this article. CT

  35. i use exchange 2012 on google chrome which was working fine before, now since a week once i enter the username and password it takes me to a blank page. However it works fine of internet explorer. I want it to be worked on chrome is there any settings i need to change on it to be worked back? Kindly advise.

  36. Thanks...it Worked...I tried all one by one but not sure which one Workked ..thanks...

  37. Thanks for the "FixIt" link, worked fine. Wondering why so many people like Chrome? I have tried it 3 times in the past and hate it!! I'm I missing something about Chrome? Why is it so popular?

  38. You are amazing, sorted now!

  39. Thank you! Setting defaults worked for me.

  40. I reinstalled chrome, the hyperlinks now work, i then uninstalled chrome settings internet explorer to default with the uninstall tool of chrome, hyperlinks still working on my first machine, but on the second machine this does not work.

    Please help

    1. Hello James,

      Is there any noticeable difference between 2 computers - different versions of Windows, Office, or IE? Anyway, I do not know any solutions other than provided in the article, sorry.

  41. Reinstalled Crome, kept it as default = problem solved!

    Wasted days with MS's BS. I see now why Obama likes them so much... they are just like him... smoke and mirrors for their own gain.

    Thanks for being there.

  42. Re: "Hyperlinks not working in Outlook? How to make links open again in Outlook 2013, 2010 and lower".
    Your reccomended 1st step (applying the MS fix) worked. Thank you.
    What really P@##%D me off about MS was that I spent 3+ hrs with their on-line and phone support people. In the proccess I traveled to the Philippines, India and a few locations in th U.S. and no one told me about the "fix".
    While Outlook may be helpful for a business, I would not reccomend it for home use unless the household has an in-house Tech Support Dept.
    Thank you again for your help.

    1. none of these solutions work for me
      where is the msfix for wondows 10, outlook 2016?

      1. I don't think they have a fix for it as MS wants everyone to use EDGE which is a bloated, ad infested lot of spyware. After they put out 1909, you have ZERO options to use other browsers with MS stuff for "SECURITY"!! ya right load of C#@P

  43. I do not use Microsoft internet explorer for anything.
    and would not make it my default browser,why can't they leave things alone my hyper links worked and now they don't, and I am supposed to trust them.
    no thanks.
    I am thinking of leaving the internet because of all the spying on the public,
    you would think people would have better things to do.
    I suppose they have to have a made up job so they can get a living ?.

  44. I ran the fix it and it works for a while and if I re-boot, it goes back to not working. Each time, several of the defaults are removed from Outlook and from Chrome. I have to run the fix, re-boot, then change the defaults until the next time. This is getting really frustrating. Should I reinstall Office or do a full system restore? I would rather NOT have to do the full reinstallation of my OS and all software.

    Thanks!

    1. Hello JoEllyn,

      This is a really strange issue. Please try to re-install Office after setting Chrome as the default browser. This is the only idea that comes to mind : (

  45. Set IE as default browser and got links to work. Then reset to Chrome as default browser and links again failed. What now?

    1. Hi!

      This is very strange, it should not be that way. I can only suggest trying to reinstall Office after Chrome is already installed and set as default. Also, you can try to contact Microsoft support, probably they will be able to work out an easy fix for you.

  46. What seems not to be said here (in your solutions) is that Outlook will only default to IE.

    What about people who want to use Outlook but also want to have Firefox as their Browser, particularly with the danger in using IE right now?

    Dave Ripley

    1. Hi Dave,

      This is a very good question.

      Setting IE as the default browser is necessary only to get hyperlinks to work in Outlook. When the links are fixed, you can set Firefox, Chrome or any other browser as default. I'm going to add this notice to the article. Thank you for your feedback!

      1. I do not have IE at all :(
        how can fix this without IE?

      2. I set my default program to Firefox and then Outlook and hyperlinks in Outlook started working immediately. I did not have to set IE as the default browser first. Thanks for fix. It worked great!

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