{"id":74989,"date":"2023-12-03T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-03T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/helpdeskgeek.com\/?p=74989"},"modified":"2025-01-31T16:04:17","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T21:04:17","slug":"how-to-find-external-links-in-microsoft-excel-workbooks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/helpdeskgeek.com\/how-to-find-external-links-in-microsoft-excel-workbooks\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Find External Links in Microsoft Excel Workbooks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Finding links and external references in a Microsoft Excel workbook isn\u2019t as easy as you\u2019d expect. To find all workbook links, you\u2019ll need to search in the formulas, defined names, objects, chart titles, and chart data series.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this tutorial, we\u2019ll explain how to find external links in Excel quickly and easily.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Find External Links in Excel Cells\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first way to find external links is by searching within cell formulas. To do so, you need to use the Excel Find feature:\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Open your Excel<\/span> <\/span>worksheet<\/span> <\/span>and press Ctrl <\/span>+ F<\/span> to open the Find and Replace dialog box.\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Select Options<\/span>.\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. In the Find what <\/span>box, type \u201c.xl\u201d to capture all Excel file extensions.\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Under Within<\/span>, select Workbook<\/span>.\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Under Look in<\/span>, choose Formulas<\/span>.\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Select Find All<\/span>. The Find and Replace window will display a list of all external links found within formulas inside your workbook.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
    \n
    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
    \n

    Note: <\/span>If you\u2019ve linked your spreadsheet to an external workbook, the link name will display the workbook\u2019s filename along with its .xl file extension. This should be either .xlsm, .xls, or .xlsx.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    How to Find External Links in Defined Names\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Defined names are used to name ranges<\/a> and cells so that they\u2019re easier to reference in formulas and data validation drop-down lists. These lists and formulas often reference external sources of data, so it\u2019s worth searching them for external links:\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Select the Formulas tab<\/span> and then press Name Manager<\/span>.\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. For each entry in the list, check the Refers To <\/span>column. Links to external workbooks should be surrounded by square brackets, making them easy to find.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
      \n
      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

      How to Find External Links in Objects\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      It\u2019s possible to link objects like text boxes, shapes, and WordArt to external Excel files. To find external links within objects:\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. Open your Excel spreadsheet.\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Press the Home tab<\/span>.\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Under Formats<\/span>, choose Find & Select<\/span> <\/span>and then Go to Special<\/span>.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
        \n
        \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
          \n
        1. In the Go to Special <\/span>dialog box, tick the circle next to Objects<\/span> and press OK<\/span>.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
          \n
          \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
            \n
          1. Check the first object for external links, then press Tab<\/span> to move to the next object. Continue until you\u2019ve checked all objects for links to external data sources.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
            \n

            Note: <\/span>To check each object for links, select the object and refer to the formula bar. Alternatively, hover over the object to see where the external link goes.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

            How to Find External Links in Excel Charts\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            To find any external links used in chart titles or chart data series:\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            1. Open the Excel sheet that contains the chart.\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            2. Select the chart title<\/span> <\/span>and check the formula bar for a reference to another file.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
              \n
              \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
                \n
              1. Select the data series <\/span>and check the formula bar for external hyperlinks.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
                \n
                \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

                How to Find External Links in PivotTables\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                Occasionally, Excel users will create PivotTables that reference outside data. To check for external links in your PivotTables:\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \n
                1. Select a cell within your PivotTable.\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                2. Under the PivotTable<\/span> Analyze <\/span>tab, select Change <\/span>Data Source<\/span>.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
                  \n
                  \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
                    \n
                  1. Check whether the source file next to \u201cTable\/Range\u201d links to your current workbook or another workbook.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
                    \n
                    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

                    How to Break External Links in Excel\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                    To break links in Microsoft Excel:\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \n
                    1. Select the Data tab<\/span>.\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    2. Under the Queries & <\/span>Connections <\/span>group, select the Edit Links button<\/span>. If the Edit Links option is gray, it means there are no links in your workbook.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
                      \n
                      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
                        \n
                      1. When the Edit Links dialog box opens, choose the link you want to break, then select Break Link<\/span>.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n
                        \n
                        \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
                        \n

                        Note: <\/span>This method will only help you break links that are present in your cells. Links in PivotTables, Charts, and elsewhere require a different method. Read our in-depth guide on how to break links in Microsoft Excel<\/a>. If they won\u2019t break, find out why<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

                        Cleaning Up Your Excel Workbook\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                        Broken links can be a nightmare, preventing your workbook from functioning correctly. Worse, Excel doesn\u2019t make it easy to quickly scan, break, and replace links \u2014 you have to check each possible location manually or create complicated VBA code macros<\/a> to do it for you. But with this guide, you should be able to find external links and clean your workbook up in no time.\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                        Finding links and external references in a Microsoft Excel workbook isn\u2019t as easy as you\u2019d expect. To find all workbook links, you\u2019ll need to search in the formulas, defined names, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":74977,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[10391,10442],"class_list":{"0":"post-74989","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-how-to","8":"tag-microsoft-excel","9":"tag-microsoft-office"},"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/helpdeskgeek.com\/wp-content\/pictures\/2023\/12\/preview-media-how-to-find-external-links-in-microsoft-excel-workbooks-1.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Jake Harfield","author_link":"https:\/\/helpdeskgeek.com\/author\/jharfield\/"},"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t