76
9
I am running Google Chrome 5. How can I select hyper link text using the mouse with, for example, CTRL or ALT keys?
mmonem
Posted 2010-08-07T16:46:39.617
Reputation: 1 315
How to Select Hyperlink Text in Google Chrome?
Answers
66
EDIT: Updating this answer since the latest Chrome (v52) now works the same way as Firefox:
Pressing ALT while selecting text prevents hyperlinks being followed, and therefore allows all or partial text in links to be selected and copied.
Ignore the rest of this answer.
This question is old, but it pops up as the top result in Google so I'd like to point out a better way with the latest Chrome (v44).
Start the selection just above the text (not below like the top voted answer). Just before the mouse cursor changes to a hand. This way you can drag to the right and don't need to mess with the left arrow (which doesn't seem to work anyway).
It would be nice if Chrome supported ALT-select like Firefox does, since the above method fails if there is selectable content immediately above the link text... but it's good enough most of the time!
rwired
Posted 2010-08-07T16:46:39.617
Reputation: 903
22
The answer is:
Put the mouse cursor below the hyper link just after the cursor changes to the arrow. Now press the left button and move the mouse until the required text is selected. If you put the cursor above the hyper-link it does not work in most cases.
mmonem
Posted 2010-08-07T16:46:39.617
Reputation: 1 315
4my intuition told me to do this too. but this isn't working for me on chrome 38 on a mac. they made me use a mac. – Alexander Taylor – 2014-11-04T10:22:49.180
4This does not always work. – jameshfisher – 2015-11-05T15:23:05.667
3This does not allow selecting only a middle section of a link. – Louis – 2016-01-26T12:58:30.867
1This is consistently and repeatably not working for Chrome on OS/X. Safari works fine. – javadba – 2016-02-25T15:17:26.850
This doesn't work. Try selecting google search results. – theonlygusti – 2017-01-21T10:33:39.517
@theonlygusti This works just fine on Google results. Just keep in mind the cursor must be right below the link (right when the cursor changes from pointer to normal cursor), and right before the place where you want to start the selection. Holding ALT is also an alternative so you don't have to find the right spot for the cursor and just select as you like – Piyin – 2017-12-14T16:49:18.053
7
Try this extension: Hyperlink Text Selector
holden321
Posted 2010-08-07T16:46:39.617
Reputation: 214
How does this thing work?? I activated it within Chrome but depressing shift does not make selecting the text possible - at least in OS/X. – javadba – 2016-02-25T15:26:02.973
Please quote the essential parts of the answer from the reference link(s), as the answer can become invalid if the linked page(s) change. – DavidPostill – 2018-09-09T09:45:50.017
Please read How do I recommend software for some tips as to how you should go about recommending software. You should provide at least a link, some additional information about the software itself, and how it can be used to solve the problem in the question.
– DavidPostill – 2018-09-09T09:46:08.1073
There is a chrome extension now called: ToggleLink: Select Text From Link
Tony Lee
Posted 2010-08-07T16:46:39.617
Reputation: 49
Worked well for me - I just have to tap Shift and it removes the hyperlink so the text underneath is fully selectable just like any other webpage text. – Pat – 2016-05-12T16:52:31.667
1Tried that a while ago. Didn't work for me :( – Der Hochstapler – 2013-02-19T16:37:00.513
@OliverSalzburg This extension is not working on some page like Gmail. But most site appear fine. See introduction of the extension on Google Web Store for detail. – Tony Lee – 2013-02-19T20:33:54.993
This works for me, it's a little bit tricky to use but it works. Just right click on the link and select ToggleLink(GetText) from context menu. – Iuliu Atudosiei – 2013-08-19T07:13:03.200
1
You can use the Google Chrome Copy Link: it will adds a copy link text in the contextual menu when selecting some text and right-clicking on it. It is rated 4.1/5 with 54 reviews and 7500 users on the Google Chrome store (vs. 3.3/5 with 89 reviews and 4300 users for Copy Link Name, and 3.3/5 with 20 reviews and 4850 users for Copy Link Text).
Permission requirements:
Franck Dernoncourt
Posted 2010-08-07T16:46:39.617
Reputation: 13 518
Thanks but I can't stand with "Read and change all your data in the websites you visit" unless the author of the addon is Google. Does it really need this permission? – mmonem – 2020-02-27T10:57:06.000
@mmonem idk, I'm not familiar with Chrome permissions. – Franck Dernoncourt – 2020-02-27T16:46:19.630
1
That's a problem with all browsers, because a click on the link executes it.
The workaround is to move the cursor a bit to the right or left of the link, until the cursor changes to its normal shape (not the link-type shape), then click and drag to select the text, finally using ctrl-c to copy the text to the clipboard.
harrymc
Posted 2010-08-07T16:46:39.617
Reputation: 306 093
In Firefox is pretty simple actually. Just right-click the link and select "Bookmark This Link". Then you can copy the text from the dialog and click on cancel. – Robert – 2014-07-21T22:05:28.347
Yeah the default is to actually drag an object version of the hyperlink. But honestly how often do people use that capability? I don't think I've ever dragged a hyperlink. If I want to add a bookmark I will navigate to the page and drag the page icon to my bar. I'd much rather be able to select text in a link than drag a hyperlink! – devios1 – 2014-09-03T17:51:54.833
2In firefox you can just hold <alt> and drag select text. It's annoying Chrome doesn't share this feature. – Morphit – 2014-10-19T20:48:32.247
3Actually my concern is the text in the middle of a long hyperlink. I can't believe it is a missing feature in all browsers! – mmonem – 2010-08-09T17:10:48.110
@mmonem: No way - need to select it all, then cut up using a text editor. – harrymc – 2010-08-09T19:04:48.247
@harrymc, do ypu have any reference for what you say? – mmonem – 2010-08-10T04:58:21.477
@mmonem: Only my personal experience. But as you can see, no other person on this forum has come up with another idea. – harrymc – 2010-08-10T06:24:18.290
0
Fine Link Selector - Chrome Web Store might work.
Pat
Posted 2010-08-07T16:46:39.617
Reputation: 641
0
You can use built in Developer Tools to locate hyperlink in raw html code and select any part of it.
- Right click target hyperlink and choose "Inspect Element" from drop-down menu.
Developer Tools window will appear in the bottom with hyperlink highlighted in html page code. - Double click hyperlink text (the one between
<a>,</a>tags).
Edit box will appear allowing to select (or edit) any part of hyperlink text.
ks1322
Posted 2010-08-07T16:46:39.617
Reputation: 403
0
I’m getting “undefined” with the “Copy Links” and “Copy Link Name” Chrome extensions that are supposed to copy the text.
The "Copy Link Text" extension under Blogging from Afuna seems to work for me.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/copy-link-text/lhdokmjpoambonhlpgcodobebebjdeil
Jeff Kang
Posted 2010-08-07T16:46:39.617
Reputation: 544
I wish it was as easy as Chrome for Android, where you can select to copy the text or the hyperlink. Addin that to the righ click as a Chrome feature would be handy... – Metafaniel – 2015-10-21T14:40:01.657
Needs more upvotes - this answer works when the above doesn't. – Danny Staple – 2017-05-01T09:36:02.017
9Press ctrl + alt if you're on Linux. – MageWind – 2017-11-13T17:41:44.623
1"Alt + Shift" works as well on KDE. – fywe – 2017-11-16T09:24:19.253
1anybody knows how to do this on mac? on mac opt+click downloads the file as of March2018 – santiago arizti – 2018-03-20T23:01:57.423
1"cmd + alt" works for Firefox 61 on Linux with MATE desktop. The "cmd" is necessary or MATE will interpret your action as moving the window. "ctrl + alt" also makes it possible to select, but in that case releasing the mouse opens the link. – pzy – 2018-09-13T01:31:47.503