Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Changing Links.

Changing Links

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 4, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


You already know that Excel allows you to establish links between your workbook and other objects, such as graphics, Word documents, and other items. (We're talking regular links here, not hyperlinks.) There may come a time when you wish to change the links. For instance, you may have a picture linked in your workbook, and you want to change the location of the picture (to a different directory or drive). Excel allows you to change your link so it can point to the proper file as the source of the object in the workbook.

To change links in this manner, follow these steps:

  1. Choose Links from the Edit menu. Excel displays the Links dialog box.
  2. Select the link you want to change.
  3. Click on Change Source. Excel displays the Change Links dialog box.
  4. In the Change Links To box, specify a new path for the file you want used as the source of the link.
  5. Make any additional link changes necessary by repeating steps 2 through 4.
  6. Click on OK.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3084) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Changing Links.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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