Microsoft Excel Tutorial: Jody needs a way to convert a column of text URLS into clickable hyperlinks in Excel.

Here is the macro:
Sub MakeSelectedHyperlinksHot()
For Each Cell In Selection
ActiveSheet.Hyperlinks.Add Anchor:=Cell, Address:=Cell.Value, TextToDisplay:=Cell.Value
Next Cell
End Sub

In this video, we tackle a common Excel issue: converting thousands of text strings that look like URLs into clickable hyperlinks. Jody reached out with a situation—5,000 rows of exported data in Excel, all containing text that resembles hyperlinks. The manual method of right-clicking each cell and creating hyperlinks one by one is tedious and inefficient. Is there a faster way? Absolutely. Let’s explore several solutions, including a powerful VBA macro.

First, we discuss a manual trick using the F2 key to edit the cell and press Enter, which works but is impractical for large datasets. Next, we explore the HYPERLINK formula, which creates clickable links but requires keeping both the formula and the original data. While helpful, this method isn’t ideal for everyone. The best approach involves using a VBA macro to automate the process, converting all 5,000 rows into hyperlinks in just seconds.

For those unfamiliar with VBA, don’t worry! We walk through creating a Personal Macro Workbook to store reusable macros. Starting from scratch, you’ll learn how to enable the Developer tab, record a simple macro, and access the VBA editor. From there, we provide a concise, pre-written macro that you can copy from the video description. This macro loops through your selected cells, converting text into hyperlinks effortlessly.

Once the macro is ready, running it is as simple as selecting your data, navigating to the Macros menu, and clicking “Run.” In our demonstration, processing 2,500 rows took just four seconds! Whether you’re dealing with a few hundred or thousands of rows, this method saves you hours of manual work.

Finally, we touch on additional tips for downloading images linked to your URLs directly into Excel using the new IMAGE function in Microsoft 365. Whether you need clickable links or embedded visuals, this video equips you with the tools to handle the task efficiently. Let us know in the comments if you have specific needs or questions, and we’ll help you find the best solution. Thanks for watching, and see you next time on the MrExcel channel!

Table of Contents
(0:00) Problem Statement 5000 Text URLS in Excel need to be clickable
(0:28) Using F2, Enter, Down Arrow, 5000 times
(0:40) Using HYPERLINK() function
(1:05) Creating a Personal Macro Workbook by recording HelloWorld
(1:52) Adding Developer Tab to Ribbon
(2:09) Opening the Visual Basic Editor from the Developer tab
(2:30) Pasting the macro
(2:50) Save Personal Macro Workbook and return to Excel
(3:00) Running the macro for selected cells
(3:12) Running the macro for 2500 cells
(3:37) Using IMAGE function to download all images into the Excel workbook
(4:00) Ctrl+Shift+F5 for larger preview
(4:32) Wrap up

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