The Microsoft 365 bundle includes the email and calendar app. To manage daily emails and calendar events, use Outlook. However, after updating to Windows 11, many users have reported experiencing problems with hyperlinks not working. Users may find it frustrating because hyperlinking in emails is necessary for businesses and independent producers that wish to market their brands or products via email.
So, if you’re having trouble with links not working on your Windows 11 computer or laptop, don’t worry. When hyperlinks in Microsoft Outlook for Windows 11 stop functioning, we’ve listed some of the best fixes you may attempt in this comprehensive fix guide. To resolve the problem on your computer or laptop and open hyperlinks in Outlook without any problems, read it through to the conclusion.
How To Fix Outlook Hyperlinks Not Working on Windows 11
Now, you may find the best solutions to attempt when Outlook hyperlinks stop working on your Windows 11 computer or laptop below. But first, let’s look at the potential causes of the hyperlinks not working in Outlook issue before moving on to the technical solutions.
You know, there are a tone of possible explanations as to why hyperlinks in Outlook in Windows 11 won’t open. Bugs with the Outlook program (if you are using a beta version of Outlook), problems with web browser settings, and a few other things are some of the typical causes for the problem.
Whatever the reason, we have provided detailed instructions for some of the top cures for hyperlinks that don’t work in Outlook on Windows 11. See them directly below!
1. Speak with your administrator
The Microsoft Outlook program for Windows 11 is a component of the Microsoft 365 package, as you may already be aware. Therefore, if the version of Outlook you are using on your Windows 11 laptop or computer was provided by your company or business, things should be simple for you.
Your administrator might be able to quickly fix the problem if you experience one of the following errors when you click a hyperlink in Outlook on your Windows 11 device:
This operation has been canceled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator.
Therefore, if one of the aforementioned issues appears when you click a hyperlink in Outlook on Windows 11, get in touch with your company’s IT team right once and explain the situation.
They might be able to remotely resolve the problem in this situation. If, however, that is not the case and there are other causes for the hyperlinks not working in Outlook on Windows 11 issue, move on to the next solution.
2. In Windows 11, make Microsoft Edge your default browser.
The second solution we have entails switching to Microsoft Edge as your main web browser in order to cure the hyperlinks in Outlook on Windows 11 issue. There is a good probability that switching to Microsoft Edge will resolve the Outlook hyperlinks issue if your Windows 11 computer or laptop currently uses Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox as its main online browser.
Follow the instructions directly below to make Microsoft Edge the default web browser in Windows 11.
1. To open the Settings app in Windows 11, press Windows + I.
2. Select the Default applications option from the Apps tab.
3. Use the search box to look for Microsoft Edge under the Set defaults for program section.
4. To access the advanced options, click Microsoft Edge.
5. After selecting Make Microsoft Edge your default browser, click the Set default button.
Try opening a hyperlink in the Outlook programme on Windows 11 after making this change to the operating system’s settings. The link from the Outlook app should now open in Microsoft Edge on your Windows 11 computer or laptop since the problem has been resolved. But if the problem still exists, move on to the following solution.
3. In Windows 11, make Microsoft Edge the default HTTP browser.
Resetting the default application for the HTTP file type is now another thing you should attempt when you encounter the hyperlinks not working/opening in Outlook on Windows 11 issue on your computer or laptop. There is a good probability that this solution will work for you if the prior one did not.
Therefore, follow the instructions below to make Microsoft Edge the default application for HTTP file types in Windows 11:
1. In Windows 11, press Windows + It to launch the Settings app.
2. Select the Default apps menu under Apps.
3. Now, use the search bar under the Set a default for a file type or link type section to search for “HTTP” (without quotes).
4. Click your current default web browser for the HTTP file type
5. Select Microsoft Edge and press the Set default button in the ensuing box.
Now that the Outlook hyperlinks not working/opening in Windows 11 issue has been addressed, you can dismiss the Windows Settings programme and reopen Outlook on your computer or laptop. You should now be able to use Microsoft Edge to access hyperlinks from Outlook.
4. In Windows Registry Editor, verify the HTML Key Value.
Now, you can check the HTML registry values on your device if the procedures mentioned above didn’t work to fix the Outlook hyperlinks not working or opening in Windows 11 issue on your device. You know, sometimes the Windows registry settings can be reset or corrupted, and if that happens to the values for the HTML registry entry, this might lead to problems in Windows 11.
To resolve the Outlook hyperlinks issue in this scenario, you must make adjustments to the Windows registry. Before beginning the instructions, it is important to note that making improper modifications to the Windows registry can result in serious problems with Windows 11, which may need reinstalling Windows on your computer. As a result, we advise you to backup your registry files before making any changes.
To avoid problems with your Windows 11 laptop or PC’s operating system as a whole, complete the procedures listed below exactly as written. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s move on to the instructions for altering the HTML registry key values in Windows 11.
1. To use the Run tool, press Windows + R.
2. In the text area, enter “regedit” (without the quotations).
3. On the Windows Security prompt, select Yes.
4. Copy and paste the next URL into the URL box above the Windows Registry Editor window, then hit Enter.
Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.html
5. Next, determine whether or not the Data value for the (Default) entry is set to htmlfile.
6. Double-click the (Default) option to see its properties if the data value is not set to htmlfile.
7. After that, enter “htmlfile” in the Value data area (without the quotations) and press the OK button.
8. Restart your Windows 11 computer or laptop after making these changes.
Open the Outlook software in Windows 11 after the restart to see if the hyperlinks not opening issue has been resolved. If the problem still exists, move on to the next solution.
5. In Windows 11, Re-register Necessary DLL Files
Although there is a very small possibility that this approach will help to resolve the Outlook hyperlinks not working in Windows 11 issue, it is still worthwhile to give it a shot. Depending on the version of Outlook you are using on your Windows 11 device, you may need to re-register six files.
While shdocvw.dll is used by some versions of Outlook, shdoc401.dll may be used by others. Therefore, use the methods listed below to re-register the.dll files to resolve the Outlook hyperlinks not working problem in Windows 11:
1. To open the Run tool, press Windows + R.
2. Type “regsvr32 [file name]” (without quotation marks) in the text field for Open, then press the OK button. Use the list immediately below for the [file name]
- Shell32.dll
- Oleaut32.dll
- Actxprxy.dll
- Mshtml.dll
- Urlmon.dll
- Shdocvw.dll (Some systems might use Shdoc401.dll)
3. A notification should appear once you click the OK button, verifying the success of the operation for each file.
Open the Outlook programme in Windows 11 and verify whether the hyperlinks not working issue has been resolved on your device or not after re-registering the necessary.dll files.
6. Look for updates for Windows 11
Now, you might wish to check for Windows updates if none of the aforementioned fixes for Outlook hyperlinks not opening in Windows 11 work on your computer or laptop. As was previously noted, obsolete Windows versions may be the root of these kinds of problems, which a quick update may be able to resolve for your device.
So, adhere to the instructions below to check for updates for Windows 11 and instal them on your desktop or laptop:
1. In Windows 11, press Windows + I to open the Settings app.
2. Select the Check for updates option under the Windows Update menu.
3. Click the Download and instal option when the updates appear on the screen to begin installing them on your computer or laptop right immediately.
4. After the update, restart your Windows 11 device.
After restarting, launch the Outlook app in Windows 11 and try clicking on a link on your desktop or laptop. At this time, your device should have a remedy for the Outlook hyperlinks not working/opening in Windows 11 issue, and the links should operate in Microsoft Edge.
Questions and Answers
Is Windows 11 compatible with Microsoft Outlook?
Although the Outlook app for Windows is compatible with Windows 11, many customers have claimed that after upgrading from Windows 10 the software isn’t working properly on their computers and laptops. Users claim that the software frequently loses responsiveness and is unable to open hyperlinks.
Why won’t my Windows 11 laptop let me open links in Outlook?
While there are a variety of possible causes for why Outlook hyperlinks won’t open in Windows 11, some of the more typical ones include blocked links, out-of-date Windows versions, incorrectly set browser preferences, and a few others.
Is it free to download Outlook for Windows?
The Microsoft Outlook software for Windows is a component of the Microsoft 365 package, which is a subscription-based service offered by the Redmond behemoth. Outlook for Android, iOS, and the web are all free to download.
Last Words
This detailed article offers step-by-step instructions for resolving the Outlook hyperlinks issue in Windows 11 on your computer or laptop. We wish you luck in using one of the aforementioned techniques to resolve the problem on your Windows device.
If that is the case, please let us know in the comments section. By clicking the provided link, you can also view comprehensive fix guides similar to this for a number of other Windows 11-related difficulties on our site.