Links in Rich Text
By Richard Rost
25 days ago
Add Clickable Website, Email, File Links to Notes Field
In this video, we will talk about how to use rich text fields in Microsoft Access to store and click on a variety of links, including websites, email addresses, and local files or folders, directly inside a notes field. You'll learn how to convert a plain text notes field to rich text at both the table and form level, see how links become clickable, and get tips for handling common issues like file paths and security warnings. This approach allows you to simplify your database design without needing extra hyperlink fields or buttons.
Trevor from Louisville, Kentucky (a Platinum Member) asks: I use a big notes field in my Access database to keep info on customers, vendors, and other contacts, and I often want to add links in there to things like product pages, resumes, or files on my computer. Is there a simple way to add and click these links directly from the notes field, without relying on the special hyperlink field or creating extra fields and buttons for each link?
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Prerequisites
Recommended Courses
Keywords
TechHelp Access, rich text links, FollowHyperlink VBA, notes field clickable, email links, file links, folder links, hyperlink security warning, text box rich text, launch website from notes, customer form notes, trusted network drive, copy paste link notes, network path hyperlink, launch explorer from field, store multiple links
Intro In this video, we will talk about how to use rich text fields in Microsoft Access to store and click on a variety of links, including websites, email addresses, and local files or folders, directly inside a notes field. You'll learn how to convert a plain text notes field to rich text at both the table and form level, see how links become clickable, and get tips for handling common issues like file paths and security warnings. This approach allows you to simplify your database design without needing extra hyperlink fields or buttons.Transcript If you've been creating extra fields, buttons, or even whole tables, just to store links in Access, you're working way harder than you need to.
Welcome to another TechHelp video brought to you by AccessLearningZone.com. I'm your instructor, Richard Rost. Today we're going to talk about how to stop creating extra fields just for links and turn one simple notes field into a clickable launch pad for websites, email addresses, and even local files and folders in Microsoft Access.
Today's question comes from Trevor in Louisville, Kentucky, one of my Palette members. Trevor says, I use a big notes field in my Access database to keep info on customers, vendors, and other contacts. I often want to add links in there to things like product pages, resumes, or files on my computer. Is there a simple way to add and click these links directly from the notes field without relying on the special hyperlink field or creating extra fields and buttons for each link?
Yes, this can be tricky, but there's a really cool trick I use all the time myself. I'll be honest. Let's talk about what this is and how to do it.
First off, I've covered the hyperlink field type in Microsoft Access. It looks like this. You can put email addresses or websites in here. I don't like them. I don't recommend that you use them. They're okay, but there are much better ways to do it. So watch this video for information on that.
Essentially, what I recommend you do is use plain text, and then we use the FollowHyperlink command. It requires one line of VBA code. That's it, it's really simple to do, but it's so much better than storing data in the hyperlink data types inside of Access. So watch this video if you want to learn how to do that.
But this does require you to create a field for each of those links that you want to have, like an email link, a website link, a resume - fields for each of these in your table. What if you just want to store any number of random links in a big notes field and then be able to click on them whenever you want? That's what I'm going to show you how to do today.
I do this all the time myself, for example, with notes. I keep all kinds of notes on different classes and things, articles I want to read. I just throw them in a notes field with a link, and I'm going to show you how to do that. Yes, you can do email links, you can do website links, and you can do file and folder links too.
In order to do this, you're going to use a text box in your Microsoft Access database, and we're going to turn it into a rich text box. So it's not plain text, it's rich text. If you don't know what that is, go watch this video. These are all free videos. They're on my website and my YouTube channel. Go watch those and come on back.
You don't have to watch the FollowHyperlink one if you're not interested in that, but definitely watch Hyperlinks and this one Rich Text.
So here I am in my TechHelp free template. This is a free database. You can grab it up on my website if you want to. In here, I've got a customer form, and I've got a big notes field. Let's say I want to put a whole bunch of stuff in here.
The first thing we have to do to make clickable links is we have to turn this into rich text. You have to do it at the table level and in the form if you've already got a notes field that you want to use. So let's go into our customer table, find the notes field, and down here where it says Text Format, change that to Rich Text. It's going to say your data is going to be reformatted.
Now, so this is now going to save as rich text, which means it's going to basically store some hyperlinks or HTML codes in the background. It's not full HTML. It's like a little subset of HTML that works just with Access. You can do colors and fonts and stuff like that.
Now, in here we have to also change this guy. I'm going to get rid of some of this because we don't need all this for today's class. Let's get rid of that. We'll get rid of this stuff. Let's make this nice and big, so we've got some room to work here. Beautiful.
Now we have to open up this guy's properties and change this Text Format to Rich Text. Got all that? We're done. Let's open it. Looks good. Just come in here and test it. You should be able to do some color changes like this and some bold and some like this.
Why they don't have a hyperlink button on this menu, I don't know, but we've got rich text in here now.
The first and easiest thing you can do is web page links. So type in, for example, you can copy and paste them from your browser if you want to. Just type in http://599cd.com. You can see right there that it created a hyperlink.
If I move over it now and click on it, you get this guy's hands and face loading up in your web browser. That's pretty cool, so that's an easy one.
You can also do mail links. To email someone, you're going to start it off with mailto: and then their email address. So mailto:amicronatgmail.com. Click on that, and there we go. In my case, I have Gmail set up, and I've got my web browser set to launch for email links. If you're using Outlook or whatever else, it should load your default mail program.
Those are the easy ones. You can grab any link you want and just copy and paste it in here. If I go to my browser and I paste in that link, and click on that, see, if you hover over it just right, you get the little finger. Sometimes you get the finger, sometimes you don't. There. Click on that, and it comes to my captain's log page.
That's how to do basic links and mail links. Now, what about files? Well, what if I've got a file and it's on my hard drive as C:\\temp\\file.txt? If I type that in, it doesn't create a link on its own.
But watch this. Come right out in front. Once you've got that in there, now type in file: and look at that - it turns that whole thing into a hyperlink. Sometimes you get the finger, sometimes you can't. Let's see. If you click on that - there's the finger! Sometimes you've got to click on it once and then you can click on it a second time. It's weird.
You may see this pop up from time to time. No, you can't turn it off. All you've got to do is say yes, though. There it is. It opened up off to the right with that file.
You can also type in file:// - that's to keep it a little more in line with how web browsers work. But it's the same thing. It works the same way. Click. Say yes. If it's on a network drive, that should also work. I've got the same thing on my N drive: N:\\file.txt. Then come out in front of it - file:. Now I should be able to click on it.
That's weird that on the C drive, I'm getting the security warning, but on my N drive, which is a networked path drive, I'm not. I can't explain it. I don't know why. Windows and Office are really weird with their security rules.
If you're curious, no, it has nothing to do with the fact that it's not a trusted location, because my database folder is definitely trusted. I can put C:\\database, which I know is 100% for sure in my trusted folders location - file.txt. Then put file: in front of it, and I can open that, and I still get the security warning, even though it's the same file copied into different locations.
It works fine on N. It's weird. I googled it to try to figure out why it does this. The best I could come up with is that it's definitely a Windows security issue. It has nothing to do with Access. When a file is opened through a link inside another program like Access here, Windows applies different security rules than if you double-click on it, for example in your file explorer.
For some reason, local files are treated more cautiously than files on network shares, even though you created the file yourself. If any of you can explain this to me, that would be great. I'm all ears. Just know that I've tried for hours to disable that security warning and you can't do it.
If you're happy living with it, great. If not, just get a network attached drive like I have, put it on your NAS drive, and you won't have to deal with that security warning anymore.
Another issue is that when you're typing it out, if you start off by typing file: and then put in C:\\database\\file.txt, that works fine. But if you've got spaces in your name, and you start like that - file:, C:\\my drive - see how it breaks it?
The key here is to just put in the whole thing first like C:\\my drive\\file.txt, and then put file: at the front of it, and it will get the whole thing. There are some little quirks here and there.
Also, don't put quotes around it. Sometimes it'll break if you put quotes around the file. That obviously broke it because I didn't have that there first. Let's try this with a file we know works well. If you put quotes around it, like sometimes you'll see that in programs that like to shell out sometimes - if I now do file:, it looks like it's a good link, but it's not. So don't put quotes around it in here.
Practically, what do you use this for? I keep all kinds of notes. I have a whole note-taking database that I built. Of course I have. I do everything on Microsoft Access. I'll still use individual fields like email or website if I want to have a specific email address for my contact. Then I can just click on it, and that's properly normalized and all that stuff.
This is just for whatever notes, but I sometimes have in my "whatever notes" things I want to check out. Like I mentioned before, you might have vendor product pages, links to individual products that you want to check out, or your customer and employee documents or resumes or performance reviews. You could put a link in here that goes to an employee folder or different scanned documents.
Internal tools - use links to specific things like your research article. You could put paragraphs of text in here, followed by an article where you found it for your sources. You can keep all kinds of stuff in here. I use links in my rich text fields all the time. It's basically a launch pad. It's a memory aid. It's a place to park things you don't necessarily want to model in your tables directly. It's another tool for your toolbox.
The big takeaway here is that you don't need a special hyperlink field, extra buttons, or a bunch of separate columns just to store extra links. By using rich text note fields, you can drop in website links, email links, and even file and folder paths and click them directly when you need them.
Yes, you can use folders too. Where I did file links, I didn't cover that in the video, but if you just put a folder there with a trailing backslash, it works - it'll open up file explorer.
It's a simple trick, but this can clean up your design and make your database a lot more flexible and easier to use.
If you found this tip helpful, leave a comment down below. Let me know how you are using rich text links in your databases and what you'd like to see covered in a future TechHelp video.
That's going to be your TechHelp video for today, brought to you by AccessLearningZone.com. I hope you learned something.
Live long and prosper, my friends. I'll see you next time.Quiz Q1. What is the main advantage of using a rich text notes field for links in Microsoft Access?
A. It allows you to store and click multiple types of links in one field, reducing the need for extra fields or buttons.
B. It automatically organizes all your links into categories.
C. It provides stronger security for stored links than regular text fields.
D. It only allows hyperlink data type, so it prevents accidental edits.
Q2. What type of links can you create in a rich text notes field in Access as shown in the video?
A. Only website links
B. Website links, email links, file and folder links
C. Only file and folder links
D. Only email links
Q3. How do you convert an existing notes field in Access to support clickable links as shown in the video?
A. Change the field's Text Format property to Rich Text at both the table and form level
B. Change the field's data type to Hyperlink
C. Add a new button to handle link clicks
D. Use VBA code to parse the links
Q4. How do you create a clickable web link in a rich text notes field?
A. Type http: followed by the web address
B. Type file: followed by the web address
C. Type mailto: followed by the web address
D. Use double quotes around the web address
Q5. What prefix should you use to create clickable email links in a rich text notes field?
A. http:
B. mailto:
C. file:
D. emailto:
Q6. What must you type in front of a file path to make a file link clickable in a rich text field?
A. file:
B. http:
C. path:
D. ftp:
Q7. What issue might you encounter with file links on local drives versus network drives in Access?
A. You may see a security warning when opening local file links, but not for network drive links
B. Local file links do not work at all
C. Network file links are always blocked by Access
D. No differences exist between local and network file links
Q8. When creating file links to folders or files with spaces in their paths, the best way is to:
A. Type the entire path first, then add file: at the front
B. Surround the path in quotes
C. Replace spaces with underscores
D. Use double forward slashes in the path
Q9. What happens if you put quotes around a file path in the rich text notes field?
A. The link may not work as expected
B. The link becomes bolder and easier to see
C. The link becomes clickable everywhere in Access
D. The path is automatically shortened
Q10. What is a key reason for using rich text notes fields for links instead of using multiple hyperlink fields or buttons?
A. It simplifies the database structure and provides flexibility for storing various types of links in one place
B. It increases the database performance significantly
C. It eliminates all security prompts for links
D. It encrypts the stored links for privacy
Answers: 1-A; 2-B; 3-A; 4-A; 5-B; 6-A; 7-A; 8-A; 9-A; 10-A
DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.Summary Today's video from Access Learning Zone focuses on making your Microsoft Access databases more efficient when it comes to handling links. I often notice people creating unnecessary fields, buttons, or even whole tables just to store links, and there's a much easier way to do this.
The question that inspired today's lesson comes from a student who wanted a simple solution for embedding website, email, and file links inside a single large notes field, rather than relying on the Access hyperlink field type or creating separate fields for each link. This is a common situation, especially when you want to keep miscellaneous bits of information tied to customers, vendors, or other contacts.
Let me start by saying that the built-in Hyperlink field in Access is something I do not usually recommend. Although it seems convenient, there are better, more flexible alternatives. Previously, I've shown how you can use plain text fields along with the FollowHyperlink command in VBA, which is much easier to manage and maintain. However, this approach still requires you to dedicate individual fields for each link type. What if you want the freedom to store any kind of link, any number of them, inside one big notes field? That's what I want to show you today.
To achieve this, you will use a rich text-enabled text box in your form, not a plain text box. Rich text boxes allow you to format text (like adding colors and bold), but more importantly for our purposes, they also support clickable hyperlinks. If you are unfamiliar with rich text fields in Access, you might want to review some of my other videos on this topic first.
Assuming you have a notes field and want to make it support clickable links, the first step is to set the field to rich text mode at the table level. Open your table, locate your notes field, and change the Text Format property to Rich Text. Access will warn you that your data is being reformatted, which is normal. Rich text essentially allows a subset of HTML for basic formatting and links.
Next, make sure your form's text box that displays this field is also set to Rich Text for its Text Format property. Once you've updated these settings, your notes field is ready to handle rich text and hyperlinks.
To use this feature, simply type or paste a web address directly into the notes field. For example, typing a standard URL like http://599cd.com instantly turns it into a clickable link. When you click it, your web browser will launch and open that page. The same applies to email links—type mailto: followed by an email address (for example, mailto:amicronatgmail.com), and clicking the link will launch your default email program.
For file links, the process is just as straightforward with a slight twist. If you want to link to a file on your computer, type the full file path (such as C:\\temp\\file.txt), then simply add file: in front of it. The field should automatically recognize this as a hyperlink, and clicking the link will attempt to open the file. Sometimes you will get a security warning from Windows when opening certain local files, and unfortunately, this cannot be disabled. Interestingly, files on network drives may not produce the same warning due to differing security rules in Windows.
Be mindful of spacing and formatting. If your file path contains spaces, type the full path first and then add file: at the beginning. Avoid using quotes around the file paths, as this can break the link recognition in Access.
This technique is perfect for storing all sorts of useful information in a single field. I use it to track articles to read, vendor product pages, or links to files like resumes or scanned documents. It is especially useful in situations where you do not necessarily want to create separate columns or special hyperlink fields.
You can even link to folders simply by ending the file path with a backslash. Access will then open that folder directly in File Explorer. This makes your notes fields into a kind of launch pad for all your reference material, files, and sources.
The main advantage here is you avoid the clutter and complexity of adding extra fields or controls just for the sake of storing links. A rich text notes field can store and launch any hyperlink you need, making your database simpler and more versatile.
If you found this useful, I invite you to share your own experiences with rich text fields and suggestions for future video topics.
A complete video tutorial with detailed, step-by-step instructions is available on my website at the link below.
Live long and prosper, my friends.Topic List Configuring a notes field for rich text in Access
Changing table field properties to Rich Text
Setting form text boxes to use Rich Text format
Creating clickable website links in rich text fields
Adding mailto email links in rich text notes
Adding file links using file: prefix in rich text
Understanding Access security warnings for file links
Opening local and network file paths from rich text
Handling spaces and special characters in file links
Tips for not using quotes with file hyperlinks
Using rich text fields for flexible note taking and links
Practical use cases for links in notes fieldsArticle If you have been creating extra fields, buttons, or even new tables just to store links in Access, there is a much simpler and better way. Instead of cluttering your database structure with additional fields for every possible link, you can turn any simple notes field into a powerful launch pad for websites, email addresses, and even files or folders stored locally or on a network.
A common scenario is having a big notes field in your Access database where you log information on customers, vendors, or other contacts. Often, you might want to add links to product pages, resumes, or files on your computer and have them instantly clickable. The good news is that you do not need the specialized Access hyperlink data type—which is limited and can be clunky—or separate fields for each type of link. Instead, one rich text notes field will do the job, with some small adjustments.
Here is how to set it up. First, you need to make sure your notes field supports rich text. This allows Access to store text with formatting, such as colors, bold, and, most importantly, clickable links. To convert your notes field, open your table in design view, find the notes (or memo) field, and change its Text Format property to Rich Text. Access will warn you that your data will be reformatted; acknowledge this, and save your changes.
Next, for any form that displays this notes field, select the corresponding text box in design view and set its Text Format property to Rich Text as well. This ensures that you can view and use hyperlinks directly on your forms.
Once that is done, using the field is just like working with any other rich text editor. For web page links, just type or paste in the full URL, starting with http:// or https://—for example, http://599cd.com. As soon as you finish typing or pasting it in, Access should automatically turn the text into a clickable hyperlink. Hovering over the link will show a hand cursor, and clicking it will open the link in your default web browser.
To create email links, simply enter mailto: followed by an email address, such as mailto:[email protected]. When you click the link, it will open your default email program ready to compose a message to that address.
Links to files or folders on your computer also work, with a small trick. Type the full path to the file, such as C:\\temp\\file.txt, and then put file: in front, so it reads file:C:\\temp\\file.txt. This will create a clickable link. Clicking the link will prompt a security warning (which you must accept), and then the file will open with its associated program. This also works for files stored on network drives, such as file:N:\\file.txt. You can also link to a folder by ending the path with a backslash, for example file:C:\\Users\\YourName\\Documents\\. Clicking this link will open the folder in Windows Explorer. Pay attention to a few quirks: do not use quotation marks around the filenames, and if your paths include spaces, be sure to type the path and then put file: at the front. That will help Access correctly detect and format the whole hyperlink.
One thing to note is that when you open links to local files, you will often see a security warning. Yes, this can get annoying, and unfortunately there is no reliable way to turn it off. It is a Windows security feature, not an Access property, and sometimes it treats files on your local drive more cautiously than files on a network drive. If that is a problem for you and you have the option, storing files on a network-attached storage or mapped drive can circumvent the warning in many cases.
Using rich text for links is extremely useful in practice. For example, you can keep all your research articles, product links, customer and employee files, or any document references inside a single notes field. You can store notes alongside relevant clickable links without creating new fields or needing VBA to open links. This trick is perfect for keeping a memory aid or a flexible "anything goes" field for sources, references, or to-do reminders.
Of course, it is still important to store things like primary website addresses or email addresses in their own properly named fields if you need to sort or filter by them. But for everything else—extra links, references, documentation, or related files—a rich text notes field can keep your database tidy and make your workflow much more flexible and efficient.
To recap, there is no need to set up special hyperlink fields, add command buttons, or build extra columns just to store and use miscellaneous links. Just turn your notes field into a rich text field at both the table and form level. That way, you can enter, store, and use clickable website links, email addresses, files, and folders in one place.
If you found this technique helpful, try it out in your own database design and see how much easier it is to manage links. If you have thoughts on how you use rich text links or run into any issues, consider sharing your experiences with others. Happy Access development! |
