Mastering HTML Links: A Step-by-Step Approach to Adding Hyperlinks

Tony Yan

·July 31, 2025

·5 min read

Step-by-step — Image Source: statics.mylandingpages.co

What You’ll Learn & Achieve

Do you want to make text, images, or even emails clickable in your web pages? Whether you’re building a personal project or learning web basics, this step-by-step guide will walk you through adding various hyperlinks in HTML—guaranteed, error-free, and beginner-friendly.

By the end, you'll be able to create:

Working text links
Clickable images
Anchor links that jump within the page
Email links that open mail clients

You'll also know how to check your work at each step, fix common mistakes, and validate your HTML like a pro.

Final Result Preview:

Blue, underlined text links

Clickable images launching new pages

Internal page jumps working flawlessly

Email links opening your default mail app

Ready to become an HTML link master? Let’s get started!

Quick Step Checklist

Prepare your tools and basic HTML file
Add a text hyperlink
Make an image a hyperlink
Create anchor links within your page
Add an email (mailto) link
Open links in a new tab (optional)
Troubleshoot and validate your hyperlinks

Step 1: Prepare Your Tools and Basic HTML File

Command:

Download and open a text editor (Notepad, VS Code, Atom, etc.).
Create a new file and save it as test-links.html.
Copy and paste this starter code:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>HTML Links Demo</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <!-- We will add links here -->
  </body>
</html>

Explanation: You’ll write your link code in the <body> section. Saving as .html lets browsers view your file.

Checkpoint:

Open test-links.html in your browser (double-click the file).
You should see a blank page with no errors.

Common Mistakes:

Forgetting to save your file with .html extension.
Trying to edit the file in Word instead of a code/text editor.

Step 2: Add a Text Hyperlink

Command:

In your file’s <body>, add this line:

<a href="https://www.example.com">Visit Example.com</a>

Explanation: <a> is the anchor tag for hyperlinks. href specifies the destination URL. The words between > and </a> are the clickable link text.

Checkpoint:

Save the file and refresh your browser.
Result: You should see “Visit Example.com” as a blue, underlined link.
Test: Click it. It should take you to example.com.

Common Mistakes:

Missing href or using single quotes and mismatched double quotes (href='...")
Typos in tag (<a> not <a >)
Not saving before refreshing

Troubleshooting: If you only see plain text or nothing happens when clicking:

Recheck your <a> tag, ensure proper quotes and closing </a>.
Compare to MDN example.

Step 3: Make an Image a Clickable Hyperlink

Command:

Add a local or online image to your folder, e.g., logo.png or use an online image URL.
Insert the following snippet into <body>:

<a href="https://www.example.com">
  <img src="https://www.w3schools.com/images/w3schools_green.jpg" alt="W3Schools Logo">
</a>

Explanation: Wrapping <img> inside <a> makes the image clickable. alt gives alternative text for accessibility.

Checkpoint:

You should see the image. Clicking it should open Example.com.
If the image doesn’t show: check the src URL or file name accuracy.

Common Mistakes:

Incorrect image path or URL (typos, missing folders, or wrong extension)
Missing alt attribute—screen readers need it for accessibility
Not wrapping the entire <img> with <a>

Troubleshooting:

W3Schools visual reference
Double-check folder locations if using local images.

Step 4: Create Anchor (Jump) Links Within the Page

Command:

Pick a section of your page to jump to and add an id. Example:

<h2 id="contact">Contact Information</h2>
<p>Email us at info@example.com</p>

Next, add this link at the top or anywhere else:

<a href="#contact">Go to Contact Section</a>

Explanation: The href="#contact" links to the element with the matching id. This scrolls the page instantly to that spot—useful for long pages or tables of contents.

Checkpoint:

Click “Go to Contact Section” and watch the page scroll to your contact info.

Common Mistakes:

Mismatching id and href (#Contact vs. #contact; HTML is case-sensitive!)
Missing # before the id in href

Troubleshooting:

WikiHow anchor link visual guide

Step 5: Add an Email (Mailto) Hyperlink

Command:

Insert this email link anywhere in <body>:

<a href="mailto:test@example.com">Send Me an Email</a>

Explanation: Clicking this link prompts your default email program (Gmail, Outlook, etc.) to open a new message to test@example.com.

Checkpoint:

Click the link—it should open your email app with the address filled in.
If nothing happens: You may not have a default email app set up.

Common Mistakes:

Typing mail:to: instead of mailto:
Forgetting to test with a real email client installed

Troubleshooting:

Double-check mailto: spelling. If you’re using a work/school device, email links may be restricted.
GeeksforGeeks: HTML Mailto Links

Step 6: Open Links in a New Tab (Optional, but Recommended for External Links)

Command:

Modify your anchor tag to include target="_blank" and rel="noopener":

<a href="https://www.example.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Example.com in New Tab</a>

Explanation:

target="_blank" tells the browser to open the link in a new tab.
rel="noopener" helps prevent certain security/privacy risks when opening new tabs. This is a best practice for external sites (detailed rationale).

Checkpoint:

Click the link; it should open Example.com in a new browser tab. Your original page should remain open.

Common Mistakes:

Omitting rel="noopener"—especially for sites you don’t control
Accidentally typing _bank instead of _blank

Troubleshooting:

MDN complete guide to tag attributes

Step 7: Troubleshoot and Validate Your Hyperlinks

Command:

Review each link: Hover over, check mouse pointer and preview URL at browser’s bottom.
Click every link: Confirm each one works as intended (navigation, jump, email, image).
Check for broken links: Use an online HTML validator to detect code errors.
Accessibility Check: Ensure every image link has alt text; links are easy to see and use by keyboard.

Explanation: Validating helps catch subtle issues, such as typos or missing attributes. Accessibility ensures everyone can use your site.

Checkpoint Checklist:

[ ] Text link shows and works
[ ] Image link is visible and clickable
[ ] Anchor link jumps within page
[ ] Email link opens your app
[ ] All links pass W3C Validator

Common Mistakes:

Overlooking missing/extra brackets or quotes
Mixing up internal vs. external URLs
Skipping validation and missing hidden issues

Troubleshooting Tips:

If a link doesn’t work, isolate that line; compare with a working sample.
Use browser “Inspect Element” to quickly spot syntax errors.
For email/anchor issues, double-check the mailto: or #id match.

Wrap-Up: You Did It!

Congratulations! You’ve completed every major HTML hyperlink type, checked your work, prevented common errors, and even learned to validate your results like web professionals.

Next Steps

Experiment with different attributes: try title, rel="nofollow", or styling links with CSS.
Explore MDN’s comprehensive reference for deeper examples.

Handy Resources

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Troubleshooting

Q: My link doesn’t show up at all!

A: Double-check your tag spelling: <a href="...">Text</a>. HTML tags must match exactly.

Q: The link is there but not blue or underlined?

A: Browsers show visited links differently, or custom CSS may change appearance. Try a different browser or clear your cache.

Q: My anchor link doesn’t jump?

A: Make sure there is a specific id (match the case!) on your destination, and that the <a> uses exactly href="#yourid".

Q: Email link won’t open my mail app?

A: You need a default mail application configured. This is device-specific and may not work with web-only setups.

Q: How do I make links more accessible?

A: Always use descriptive text, clear alt, and ensure links are keyboard-navigable. Read more on accessibility.

Progress Tracking Tip: For longer tutorials, use a printable or on-screen checklist, marking each step as you complete it to stay organized and build confidence.

Great job mastering HTML hyperlinks, step by step!