Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Windows and Mac
• Method 2 of 3: Mobile devices
• Method 3 of 3: Using a link shortener

Links to online articles and websites improve online text and increase its search engine optimization. You can refer to almost any website by copying and pasting the link into your email, text message or document. The procedure differs a bit depending on the device and program you are using. If the address is very long, you can use a link shortening service.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Windows and Mac

1. Find the link you want to copy. You can copy links from websites, emails, Word documents and almost any other program.
   • Text links on web pages and in emails are often underlined and in a different color than the surrounding text. Many links are buttons and pictures.
2. Right click on the link. If the link is an image, clicking the right mouse button will give an option to copy.
   • If you're on a Mac with just one mouse button, hold down Ctrl and click to open the right-click menu.
3. Select the option "copy link". Once a link has been copied, it will be sent to your clipboard to be pasted elsewhere. The clipboard can only store one link at a time. How this option is worded differs per program you use. Below are a few common examples:
   • Chrome - "Copy Link Address"
   • Firefox - "Copy Link Location"
   • Internet Explorer - "Copy Shortcut"
   • Safari - "Copy link"
   • Word - "Copy hyperlink"
4. Place your cursor where you want to paste the link. Once your link has been copied, you can paste it anywhere you can type. Click to place your cursor where you want to paste the link.
   • You can paste the link anywhere you can type, such as emails, Word documents, your browser's address bar, and Facebook chats.
5. Paste the link. There are several ways you can paste your copied link:
   • Right click where your cursor is and choose "Paste".
   • Press Ctrl+V. (Windows) or ⌘ Cmd+V. (Mac).
   • Click the Edit menu (if there is one) and choose "Paste". Not all programs have a visible Edit menu.
6. Paste the link as a hyperlink with other text. In some programs, such as blogs, email programs, and word processors, you can change the text that is displayed instead of showing the entire link address. This is how you can link to a sentence or word:
   • Place your cursor where you want the hyperlink.
   • Click the "Insert Hyperlink" button. This can be below the text form, or in the Insert Menu (word processors). The button often has a link chain icon.
   • Type what you want to display in the "Text to display" field. This is what will appear as the clickable link.
   • Paste the link in the "Address", "URL" or "Link to" field. Click in the field and press Ctrl+V. (Windows) or ⌘ Cmd+V. (Mac) to paste the copied link.
7. Copy and paste an address from the address bar. If you want to share or save a website you visit, you can copy the address from the address bar of your browser:
   • Click on the address in your browser. This can show the whole address if parts were hidden while browsing.
   • Select the entire address if not already done. Normally the address is automatically selected when you click on it. If not, press Ctrl/⌘ Cmd+a to select the whole.
   • Copy the selected address by right-clicking the selection and then clicking "Copy" or pressing Ctrl/⌘ Cmd+C..
   • Place your cursor where you want to paste the link and press Ctrl/⌘ Cmd+V..

Method 2 of 3: Mobile devices

1. Find the link you want to copy. You can copy links from web browsers, emails and many other apps. Links can be traditional text links or a picture.
   • The process for this is similar regardless of what type of mobile device you are using (Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows mobile, etc.)
2. Press and hold the link you want to copy. Once you find the link, press and hold it until a new menu appears. It may take a few moments for the menu to appear.
3. Tap the "Copy" option. The exact name of this depends on the app you are using. Search for words similar to these examples:
   • To copy
   • Copy link address
   • Copy link URL
   • Copy address
4. Place your cursor where you want to paste the link. Once you've copied the link, you can paste it anywhere you can type. Tap the text field to place your cursor in it.
5. Press and hold your finger on your cursor. Release your finger after a moment. A new menu will appear.
   • If you're using an iOS device (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch), release your finger when the magnifying glass lens appears.
   • If you're using an Android device, release your finger when the indicator appears under the cursor.
6. Tap "Paste" to paste your copied link. You will see the "Paste" option in the menu that appears. Tapping "Paste" will paste the copied address into the text field.
7. Copy and paste a link from a text message (Android). If you received a text message with a link on your Android device, you may have to do a little more work to copy it, especially if there is even more text with it. Not all Android messaging apps will work the same:
   • Tap and hold the message containing the link.
   • Tap the "Copy" button that appears. It can be an icon of two pages on top of each other at the top of your screen.
   • Paste the copied text where you want to paste the link and then manually delete the extra text that came with the original message.

Method 3 of 3: Using a link shortener

1. Use a link shortening service if you need to text or tweet a link. Web site addresses can get very long, especially for pages deep in the site. Link shortening services let you generate a short version of a long address that you can easily app, tweet, or otherwise share.
2. Copy the link you want to share. Use the methods described above to copy the link you want to shorten and share.
3. Visit a link shortening website. There are several services available to shorten links, and most of them work in the same sort of way:
   • bit.ly
   • goo.gl
   • ow.ly
   • tinyurl.com
4. Paste your long link in the field on the shortening site. Click on the field and press Ctrl/⌘ Cmd+V., or press a little longer and select "Paste", to paste your long link into the field on the shortening site.
5. Tap or click the "Trim" or "Shrink" button to generate a new link. You will get a short version of the link which will take the form of the service instead of that of the original website.
6. Copy the shortened link. You can copy it as you would a regular link using the methods above, or tap or click the "Copy" button shown on some sites.
7. Paste your shortened link. Now that your shortened link has been copied, you can paste it like any other link. You may need to provide some context for the link, because the shortened address does not immediately show what it is about.