How do you activate a URL in a pdf assignment?

[sr1080041]

So my professor requires us to download the assignment as a .docx but submit it as a PDF. I work on it in word and part of each assignment is to link a URL to the page we found the answer from. After adding the URL, I press enter to make sure it is blue. When I submit the assignment, I open it as a PDF and click on the link to make sure it works and it always does but my professor says that when she gets my assignment it doesn't. Is this because I have a Mac and she uses Windows? Why do the links activate for me but not for her? Can I get a reply asap please, points are being taken off of my assignments.

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

Hello  @sr1080041  Welcome to the Canvas Community.  Thank you for posting your question.  I'm using a Windows 10 laptop and don't have a Mac, so I'm not sure if going from one operating system to another would be an issue or not.  I wouldn't think so...but then, I've been wrong before.  As you were describing your steps, you said that you inserted your link into the Word document, hit "Enter" to make sure it was blue (active link), and then you saved your document to upload it to the assignment in Canvas for your instructor to grade.  When you saved your document, did you save it as a Word document (with the *.docx extension)?  Or, did you choose to save as a *.pdf file?  I'm a bit confused as to when you say:

When I submit the assignment, I open it as a PDF and click on the link to make sure it works

I don't know that Canvas would automatically change a file from a *.docx file to a *.pdf file...so that's why I'm wondering how you are saving the file once you've added the link.  Maybe one of these websites will be of help:

• Save or convert to PDF on your Mac - Word for Mac
• How to Save or Convert Word Doc to PDF on Mac
• How to Convert Word to PDF on Mac 2019 (Catalina Included)

I hope these resources will be of help to you, Shanyce.  Please let Community members know if you have any questions about this information...thanks!

[sr1080041]

I manually save it as a PDF. When I said I open it as a PDF, I mean that I open the newly formatted assignment once I am finished with it and have saved it as a PDF myself. I am not having trouble with the type of file, I am having trouble with activating the links because even though they show up as blue for me and work when I click it, it doesn't do the same for my professor. Sorry if the way I worded it was too roundabout but I was just trying to include as many details as possible because I did not know if the problem was due to the file type. Thank you.