How to Add, Edit, or Remove Hyperlinks in PDFs Using C#?

Install-Package Syncfusion.Pdf.Net.Core

//Create a new PDF document
using (PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument())

//Add a page to the document
PdfPage page = document.Pages.Add();

// Create text web link
PdfTextWebLink textWebLink = new PdfTextWebLink()
{
    // Set the text to display
    Text = "Click here to access Syncfusion .NET components and controls",

    // Set the hyperlink
    Url = "https://www.syncfusion.com/",

    // Set brush
    Brush = PdfBrushes.Blue,

    // Create font and set to the text web link
    Font = new PdfStandardFont(PdfFontFamily.Helvetica, 12)
};

// Draw the text web link
textWebLink.DrawTextWebLink(page, new PointF(10, 50));

// Save the PDF document
using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("hyperlink-pdf.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write))
{
    document.Save(outputStream);
}

using Syncfusion.Drawing;
using Syncfusion.Pdf;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Graphics;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Interactive;

// Create a new PDF document
using (PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument())
{
    // Add a page to the document
    PdfPage page = document.Pages.Add();

    // Create text web link
    PdfTextWebLink textWebLink = new PdfTextWebLink()
    {
        // Set the text to display
        Text = "Click here to access Syncfusion .NET components and controls",

        // Set the hyperlink
        Url = "https://www.syncfusion.com/",

        // Set brush
        Brush = PdfBrushes.Blue,

        // Create font and set to the text web link
        Font = new PdfStandardFont(PdfFontFamily.Helvetica, 12)
    };

    // Draw the text web link
    textWebLink.DrawTextWebLink(page, new PointF(10, 50));

    // Save the PDF document
    using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("hyperlink-pdf.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write))
    {
        document.Save(outputStream);
    }
}

// Read the PDF file as stream
using (FileStream inputPdfFileStream = new FileStream("data/input.pdf", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read))
{
    // Load the PDF document
    using (PdfLoadedDocument loadedDocument = new PdfLoadedDocument(inputPdfFileStream))

// Access the desired page (e.g., the second page)
PdfPageBase page = loadedDocument.Pages[1];

// Find the word and add link based on the word bounds
List<RectangleF> matchedItems;
loadedDocument.FindText("PDF Succinctly", 1, out matchedItems);

// Create a PdfUriAnnotation object to place the URI link in the first image bounds
PdfUriAnnotation pdfUriAnnotation = new PdfUriAnnotation(matchedItems[0], "https://www.syncfusion.com/succinctly-free-ebooks/pdf")
{
    // Set the border (Empty border)
    Border = new PdfAnnotationBorder(1),
    Color = new PdfColor(Color.Blue)
};

// Add the annotation to the page
page.Annotations.Add(pdfUriAnnotation);

// Save the PDF document
using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("insert-link-into-existing-pdf.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write))
{
    loadedDocument.Save(outputStream);
}

using Syncfusion.Drawing;
using Syncfusion.Pdf;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Graphics;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Interactive;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Parsing;

// Read the PDF file as stream
using (FileStream inputPdfFileStream = new FileStream("data/input.pdf", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read))
{
    // Load the PDF document
    using (PdfLoadedDocument loadedDocument = new PdfLoadedDocument(inputPdfFileStream))
    {
        // Access the desired page (e.g., the second page)
        PdfPageBase page = loadedDocument.Pages[1];

        // Find the word and add link based on the word bounds
        List<RectangleF> matchedItems;
        loadedDocument.FindText("PDF Succinctly", 1, out matchedItems);

        //Create a PdfUriAnnotation object to place the URI link in the first image bounds
        PdfUriAnnotation pdfUriAnnotation = new PdfUriAnnotation(matchedItems[0], "https://www.syncfusion.com/succinctly-free-ebooks/pdf")
        {
            // Set the border (Empty border)
            Border = new PdfAnnotationBorder(1),
            Color = new PdfColor(Color.Blue)
        };

        // Add the annotation to the page
        page.Annotations.Add(pdfUriAnnotation);

        // Save the PDF document
        using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("insert-link-into-existing-pdf.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write))
        {
            loadedDocument.Save(outputStream);
        }
    }
}

//Create a PDF document
using (PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument())

// Add the first page to the document
PdfPage firstPage = document.Pages.Add();

// Create font to draw text on the page
PdfFont font = new PdfStandardFont(PdfFontFamily.Helvetica, 12);

//Draw text on the page.
firstPage.Graphics.DrawString("This is the first page.", font, PdfBrushes.Black, new PointF(10, 10));

// Add the second page to the document
PdfPage secondPage = document.Pages.Add();
secondPage.Graphics.DrawString("This is the second page.", font, PdfBrushes.Black, new PointF(10, 10));

// Define a destination for the second page
PdfDestination destination = new PdfDestination(secondPage, new PointF(0, 0))
{
    Mode = PdfDestinationMode.FitH, // Fit the page horizontally       
};

// Create a link annotation on the first page
PdfDocumentLinkAnnotation linkAnnotation = new PdfDocumentLinkAnnotation(new RectangleF(125, 10, 200, 20));
//Set destination for the link annotation
linkAnnotation.Destination = destination;
//Set the border for the link annotation
linkAnnotation.Border = new PdfAnnotationBorder(0, 0, 0); // No border

// Add the link annotation to the first page
firstPage.Annotations.Add(linkAnnotation);

// Save the PDF document
using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("internal-navigation.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write))
{
   document.Save(outputStream);
}

using Syncfusion.Drawing;
using Syncfusion.Pdf;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Graphics;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Interactive;

//Create a PDF document
using (PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument())
{
    // Add the first page to the document
    PdfPage firstPage = document.Pages.Add();

    // Create font to draw text on the page
    PdfFont font = new PdfStandardFont(PdfFontFamily.Helvetica, 12);

    //Draw text on the page.
    firstPage.Graphics.DrawString("This is the first page.", font, PdfBrushes.Black, new PointF(10, 10));

    // Add the second page to the document
    PdfPage secondPage = document.Pages.Add();
    secondPage.Graphics.DrawString("This is the second page.", font, PdfBrushes.Black, new PointF(10, 10));

    // Define a destination for the second page
    PdfDestination destination = new PdfDestination(secondPage, new PointF(0, 0))
    {
        Mode = PdfDestinationMode.FitH, // Fit the page horizontally       
    };

    // Create a link annotation on the first page
    PdfDocumentLinkAnnotation linkAnnotation = new PdfDocumentLinkAnnotation(new RectangleF(125, 10, 200, 20));
    //Set destination for the link annotation
    linkAnnotation.Destination = destination;
    //Set the border for the link annotation
    linkAnnotation.Border = new PdfAnnotationBorder(0, 0, 0); // No border

    // Add the link annotation to the first page
    firstPage.Annotations.Add(linkAnnotation);

    //Draw the text for the link annotation for better visualization
    firstPage.Graphics.DrawString("Click here to go to the second page.", font, PdfBrushes.Blue, new PointF(125, 10));

    // Save the PDF document
    using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("internal-navigation.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write))
    {
        document.Save(outputStream);
    }
}

After running this code, a PDF file with an internal navigation link on the first page will be created, allowing users to click and navigate directly to the second page. This enhances navigation and makes your PDF documents more user-friendly.

Navigating to external documents from a PDF

Sometimes, you can provide links within a PDF that direct users to external resources like images, text files, other PDFs, or multimedia files. This is especially helpful for linking to additional documentation, supporting materials, or supplementary resources outside the current document.

Using the .NET PDF Library, you can create file links in your PDF with the PdfFileLinkAnnotation class, allowing seamless access to these external resources.

Step 1: Create a new PDF document

Start by creating an instance of the PdfDocument class to create a new PDF document.

// Create a new PDF document
using (PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument())

Step 2: Add a page to the PDF document

Add a new page where the link to the external document will be placed.

// Create a new page
PdfPage page = document.Pages.Add();

Step 3: Define the link area on the page

Create a rectangle that defines the clickable area for the link annotation.

// Define the bounds for the link annotation
RectangleF bounds = new RectangleF(10, 40, 180, 14);

Step 4: Create a file link annotation

Use the PdfFileLinkAnnotation class to specify the file path of the external document you wish to link. For instance, in this example, we’ll add a Word document.

// Specify the file path for the external document
string filePath = "data/Adventure Works Cycles.docx";

// Create a link annotation to the external file
PdfFileLinkAnnotation fileLinkAnnotation = new PdfFileLinkAnnotation(bounds, filePath);

Step 5: Add the annotation to the PDF page

Now, add the file link annotation to the page’s annotation collection.

// Add the annotation to the page
page.Annotations.Add(fileLinkAnnotation);

Step 6: Save the PDF document

Save the document to a stream or file.

// Save the PDF document
using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("external-document-navigation.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write))
{
   document.Save(outputStream);
}

Here’s the complete code to add a link to an external document within a PDF file.

using Syncfusion.Pdf.Interactive;
using Syncfusion.Pdf;
using Syncfusion.Drawing;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Graphics;

// Create a new PDF document
using (PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument())
{
    // Create a new page
    PdfPage page = document.Pages.Add();
    // Draw string
    page.Graphics.DrawString("Click here to open an external file", new PdfStandardFont(PdfFontFamily.Helvetica, 12), PdfBrushes.Black, new PointF(10, 40));
    // Define the bounds for the link annotation
    RectangleF bounds = new RectangleF(10, 40, 180, 14);
    // Specify the file path for the external document
    string filePath = "data/Adventure Works Cycles.docx";
    // Create a link annotation to the external file
    PdfFileLinkAnnotation fileLinkAnnotation = new PdfFileLinkAnnotation(bounds, filePath);
    // Add the annotation to the page
    page.Annotations.Add(fileLinkAnnotation);
    // Save the PDF document
    using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("external-document-navigation.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write))
    {
        document.Save(outputStream);
    }
}

Adding links to external documents within a PDF enhances the document’s usability by integrating direct access to additional resources or supporting information. This feature benefits educational or technical documents, making supplementary files readily accessible to readers.

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Navigating to specific pages in an external PDF file

Navigating specific pages in an external PDF file enables users to jump directly to a desired page, improving the usability and efficiency a PDF document. With the .NET PDF Library, you can easily create links that direct users to specific pages in another PDF file, making your content more interactive and user-friendly.

The PdfRemoteGoToAction class creates actions that navigate to a specific page in an external PDF file.

Step 1: Create a new PDF document

Begin by creating an instance of the PdfDocument class, the PDF file containing the remote navigation links.

//Create a new PDF document
using (PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument())

Step 2: Add a new page

Add a page in your PDF document where you wish to insert the navigation link.

//Create a new page
PdfPage page = document.Pages.Add();

Step 3: Define the action to navigate to the external PDF page

Set up the action for navigating to the remote file, specifying the external PDF file and the page number you want to navigate to.

//Create a new remote destination
PdfRemoteDestination remoteDestination = new PdfRemoteDestination();
//Set the remote PDF page number
remoteDestination.RemotePageNumber = 3;
//Set the destination mode
remoteDestination.Mode = PdfDestinationMode.FitToPage;
//Create a new PdfRemoteGoToAction and mention the remote PDF file name and remote destination
PdfRemoteGoToAction goToAction = new PdfRemoteGoToAction("input.pdf", remoteDestination);
//Set the PDF to open in new window
goToAction.IsNewWindow = true;

Step 4: Create the button field to add the action

Create a new button field on the page using the PdfButtonField class and add it to the remote action.

//Create a new PdfButtonField
PdfButtonField submitButton = new PdfButtonField(page, "gotoActionButton");
submitButton.Bounds = new RectangleF(25, 160, 250, 20);
submitButton.Font = new PdfStandardFont(PdfFontFamily.Helvetica, 12f, PdfFontStyle.Bold);
submitButton.Text = "Click here to open the external PDF file";
submitButton.BackColor = new PdfColor(181, 191, 203);
//Add the action to the button.
submitButton.Actions.GotFocus = goToAction;
//Add the submit button to a new document
document.Form.Fields.Add(submitButton);

Step 5: Save the modified PDF document

After adding the remote goto action, save the changes to the PDF document.

using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("navigate-pages-to-external-pdf.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write))
{
   document.Save(outputStream);
}

Here’s the complete code for navigating to a specific page in an external PDF document.

using Syncfusion.Pdf.Graphics;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Interactive;
using Syncfusion.Pdf;
using Syncfusion.Drawing;

//Create a new PDF document
using (PdfDocument document = new PdfDocument())
{
    //Create a new page
    PdfPage page = document.Pages.Add();

    //Create a new remote destination
    PdfRemoteDestination remoteDestination = new PdfRemoteDestination();
    //Set the remote PDF page number
    remoteDestination.RemotePageNumber = 3;
    //Set the destination mode
    remoteDestination.Mode = PdfDestinationMode.FitToPage;
    //Create a new PdfRemoteGoToAction and mention the remote PDF file name and remote destination
    PdfRemoteGoToAction goToAction = new PdfRemoteGoToAction("input.pdf", remoteDestination);
    //Set the to open in new window
    goToAction.IsNewWindow = true;

    //Create a new PdfButtonField
    PdfButtonField submitButton = new PdfButtonField(page, "gotoActionButton");
    submitButton.Bounds = new RectangleF(25, 160, 250, 20);
    submitButton.Font = new PdfStandardFont(PdfFontFamily.Helvetica, 12f, PdfFontStyle.Bold);
    submitButton.Text = "Click here to open the external PDF file";
    submitButton.BackColor = new PdfColor(181, 191, 203);
    //Add the action to the button.
    submitButton.Actions.GotFocus = goToAction;
    //Add the submit button to a new document
    document.Form.Fields.Add(submitButton);

    using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("navigate-pages-to-external-pdf.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write))
    {
        document.Save(outputStream);
    }
}

After running this code, the PDF file will be created to include a navigation link that directs users to a specific page in the designated external PDF. This functionality enhances user experience by allowing quick access to relevant content, making your documents more interactive and easier to navigate.

Modifying existing hyperlinks in a PDF

Modifying existing hyperlinks in a PDF allows you to update URLs, change destinations, or alter the appearance of the links within your document. The Syncfusion .NET PDF Library will enable you to easily access and update hyperlink annotations, ensuring your PDF content remains accurate and functional.

To modify a hyperlink, you’ll typically retrieve the existing annotation, change its properties, and then save the updated document. This straightforward process lets you keep your documents current without recreating them from scratch.

Step 1: Load the existing PDF document

Begin by creating the PdfLoadedDocument class to open the PDF file containing the hyperlinks you want to modify.

using (FileStream fileStream = new FileStream("data/document-with-hyperlinks.pdf", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.ReadWrite))
{
    //Load the existing PDF document
    using (PdfLoadedDocument loadedDocument = new PdfLoadedDocument(fileStream))

Step 2: Access the page with the hyperlink

Access the specific page in the PDF document where the hyperlink is located.

// Access the desired page (e.g., the third page)
PdfLoadedPage page = loadedDocument.Pages[2] as PdfLoadedPage;

Step 3: Retrieve the existing hyperlink annotation

Loop through the annotations on the page to find the hyperlink you want to modify.

// Loop through the annotations on the page
foreach (PdfLoadedAnnotation annotation in page.Annotations)
{
      // Check if the annotation is a hyperlink
      if (annotation is PdfLoadedUriAnnotation)
      {
           PdfLoadedUriAnnotation uriAnnotation = annotation as PdfLoadedUriAnnotation;

           // Modify the existing URL
           uriAnnotation.Uri = "https://www.syncfusion.com/succinctly-free-ebooks/pdf";
      }
      else if (annotation is PdfLoadedTextWebLinkAnnotation)
      {
           PdfLoadedTextWebLinkAnnotation linkAnnotation = annotation as PdfLoadedTextWebLinkAnnotation;

           // Modify existing URL
           linkAnnotation.Url = "https://www.syncfusion.com/succinctly-free-ebooks/pdf";
      }
}

Step 4: Save the modified PDF document

Save the updated PDF document after making the necessary changes to the hyperlinks.

using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("modify-existing-hyperlinks.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.ReadWrite))
{
     // Save the modified document
     loadedDocument.Save(outputStream);
}

Here’s the complete code for modifying existing hyperlinks in a PDF document.

using Syncfusion.Pdf;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Interactive;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Parsing;

using (FileStream fileStream = new FileStream("data/document-with-hyperlinks.pdf", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.ReadWrite))
{
    //Load the existing PDF document
    using (PdfLoadedDocument loadedDocument = new PdfLoadedDocument(fileStream))
    {
        // Access the desired page (e.g., the third page)
        PdfLoadedPage page = loadedDocument.Pages[2] as PdfLoadedPage;

        // Loop through the annotations on the page
        foreach (PdfLoadedAnnotation annotation in page.Annotations)
        {
            // Check if the annotation is a hyperlink
            if (annotation is PdfLoadedUriAnnotation)
            {
                PdfLoadedUriAnnotation uriAnnotation = annotation as PdfLoadedUriAnnotation;

                // Modify the existing URL
                uriAnnotation.Uri = "https://www.syncfusion.com/succinctly-free-ebooks/pdf";
            }
            else if (annotation is PdfLoadedTextWebLinkAnnotation)
            {
                PdfLoadedTextWebLinkAnnotation linkAnnotation = annotation as PdfLoadedTextWebLinkAnnotation;

                // Modify existing URL
                linkAnnotation.Url = "https://www.syncfusion.com/succinctly-free-ebooks/pdf";
            }
        }
        using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("modify-existing-hyperlinks.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.ReadWrite))
        {
            // Save the modified document
            loadedDocument.Save(outputStream);
        }

    }
}

After executing this code, the specified PDF file will be updated to reflect the modified hyperlinks. Users will benefit from the updated links, ensuring the document provides accurate and relevant information, thus enhancing its functionality and user engagement.

Removing hyperlinks from a PDF document

Removing hyperlinks from a PDF document can help streamline the content, eliminate outdated or incorrect links, or enhance the document’s appearance. With the Syncfusion .NET PDF Library, you can easily access and remove hyperlink annotations from your PDF, allowing you to control user content.

The process involves loading the existing PDF, identifying the hyperlink annotations, and removing them as needed.

Step 1: Load the existing PDF document

Start by creating an instance of the PdfLoadedDocument class to open the PDF file containing the hyperlinks you want to remove.

using (FileStream fileStream = new FileStream("data/document-with-hyperlinks.pdf", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.ReadWrite))
{
    //Load the existing PDF document
    using (PdfLoadedDocument loadedDocument = new PdfLoadedDocument(fileStream))

Step 2: Access the page with the hyperlinks

Access the specific page in the PDF document where the hyperlinks are located.

// Access the desired page (e.g., the third page)
PdfLoadedPage page = loadedDocument.Pages[2] as PdfLoadedPage;

Step 3: Identify and remove hyperlink annotations

Loop through the annotations on the page and remove any hyperlink annotations found.

// Loop through the annotations on the page
for (int i = page.Annotations.Count - 1; i >= 0; i--)
{
     PdfAnnotation annotation = page.Annotations[i];
     // Check if the annotation is a hyperlink
     if (annotation is PdfLoadedUriAnnotation || annotation is PdfLoadedTextWebLinkAnnotation)
     {
          // Remove the hyperlink
          page.Annotations.Remove(annotation);
     }
}

Step 4: Save the modified PDF document

After removing the hyperlinks, save the updated PDF document.

using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("remove-hyperlinks.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.ReadWrite))
{
     // Save the modified document
     loadedDocument.Save(outputStream);
}

Here’s the complete code for removing hyperlinks from a PDF document.

using Syncfusion.Pdf;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Interactive;
using Syncfusion.Pdf.Parsing;


using (FileStream fileStream = new FileStream("data/document-with-hyperlinks.pdf", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.ReadWrite))
{
    //Load the existing PDF document
    using (PdfLoadedDocument loadedDocument = new PdfLoadedDocument(fileStream))
    {
        // Access the desired page (e.g., the third page)
        PdfLoadedPage page = loadedDocument.Pages[2] as PdfLoadedPage;

        // Loop through the annotations on the page
        for (int i = page.Annotations.Count - 1; i >= 0; i--)
        {
            PdfAnnotation annotation = page.Annotations[i];
            // Check if the annotation is a hyperlink
            if (annotation is PdfLoadedUriAnnotation || annotation is PdfLoadedTextWebLinkAnnotation)
            {
                // Remove the hyperlink
                page.Annotations.Remove(annotation);
            }
        }
        using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("remove-hyperlinks.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.ReadWrite))
        {
            // Save the modified document
            loadedDocument.Save(outputStream);
        }
    }
}

After executing this code, the specified PDF file will no longer contain hyperlinks. This can be particularly useful for cleaning up documents or preparing them for distribution without external links, ensuring the content remains focused and relevant for the audience.

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GitHub reference

For more details, refer to the add, update, or remove hyperlinks in PDF using the C# GitHub demo.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading! This blog has covered adding, updating, and removing hyperlinks in PDF documents using the Syncfusion .NET PDF Library in C#.

We encourage you to explore the PDF Library’s documentation to discover additional functionalities and features to help you manipulate PDFs effectively.

If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to comment below or contact us through our support forum, support portal, or feedback portal. We are always here to assist you!

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