--- title: Add links slug: cms-12/docs/add-links docTags: createdAt: 2026-08-10T15:55:57.000Z --- Links are used on websites to link to content. The following link types are available by default in Optimizely Content Management System (CMS). - **Page** – Links from one page to another on the same website. - **Media** – Links to images, documents, and other media files stored on the web server. - **Email** – Links to create an email message with the linked email address entered. - **External** – Links to content on other websites or media on file shares. - **Anchor** – Links to sections within a page, allowing readers to jump between topics on a page. (Also known as "bookmarks" in other applications.) You can also use **shortcuts**, a specific type of link used for navigation and reusing existing website information. See [All properties editing view](docId\:d3R8i01k20fkNNZR7zagr). ## Create a link You can create a link in the [rich-text editor](docId\:db4C-xsxepb8qZwromg3S) through drag and drop (pages and media files), or by selecting text and clicking the **Insert/edit link** button in the toolbar, which displays the **Create link** dialog box. ![create a link in the rich text editor](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/FLTBEdVBsPUbSvITCEbLK-20260720-145551.png) - **Link title** displays as descriptive text for the link, such as on mouse-over. - **Open in** lets you display the link in a new window, often for links to external sources. - **Language** lets you link to a specific language version for content. **Automatic** directs visitors to the detected browsing language version. Overview of creating different types of links: - **Create a link to a page in CMS** – Drag and drop from page tree or the **Create link** dialog box, and select **Page** or **External link**. See [Link to a page on the same website](docId\:cGmY4fTU-Lly7tJs5DQkF). - **Create a link to another website** – From the **Create link** dialog box, select **External link**. See [Link to a page on an external website](docId\:cGmY4fTU-Lly7tJs5DQkF). - **Create a link to a file in CMS** – Drag and drop from the **Media** folder, or the **Create link** dialog box, and select **Media**. See [Link to files in Media](docId\:U66LIuIrIB8J0KIvN69O4). - **Create a link to a file on a server or another web**site – Select **External link** from the **Create link** dialog box. See [Link to files on a file server or an external website](docId\:U66LIuIrIB8J0KIvN69O4). - **Create a link to an email address** – Select E-mail from the **Create link** dialog box. See [Link to an email address](docId\:U66LIuIrIB8J0KIvN69O4). - **Create a link to a specific location on a page (anchor link)** – Insert anchor from the toolbar, and then from the **Create link** dialog box, select **Anchor**. See [Create anchor links](docId\:U66LIuIrIB8J0KIvN69O4). - **Create link a from an image** – From the **Create link** dialog box, select any of the **Page**, **Media**, **E-mail** or **External link** option. See [Link from an image](docId\:U66LIuIrIB8J0KIvN69O4). ### Link to a page on the same website You can create internal links in two ways: - Place the cursor in the rich-text editor where you want the link, and drag the desired page from the **page tree** into the location. The page name becomes the link name (which you can edit if needed). - Or, select the text where you want the link in the rich-text editor, and click **Insert/edit link**. In the Create link dialog box, you can select the **Page** option and browse to a page to link to or select the **External link** option and paste a web address (URL) to a page on your website. If you choose the **External link** option, Optimizely automatically converts the link to an internal link. ### Remaining URL The **Remaining URL** field is used to add or edit query string parameters. A query string is a dynamic part of a link and is not related to the website structure. It can be data from a logged-in user, data from a form submission, search result data, and so on. A typical URL containing a query string can look like this: [https://www.alloyexamplesite.com/Search/](https://www.alloyexamplesite.com/Search/)**?searchQuery=reseller**. The query string parameters (in bold) following the URL open the search results for "reseller". To create an internal link containing query string parameters, create the link in the Create link dialog using the External link option and paste the entire web address with the query string parameters or using the Page option. In that case, go to the page and add the query string parameters under **Remaining URL**. ![create-link-2.png](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/htJ_VcVejUBGF_o_AppcM-20260720-145551.png) ### Link to a page on an external website Select the text where you want the link in the rich-text editor, click **Insert/edit link**, and use the **External link** option to enter the web address to the website to link to, such as [https://www.alloyexamplesite.com](https://www.alloyexamplesite.com). Suppose you create an external link to a page found on the website you are working on, for example, by copying and pasting a URL from the website. In that case, CMS recognizes this and automatically converts it to an internal link. If the link contains query strings parameters, the query string parameters can be edited in the [Remaining Url option.](docId\:cGmY4fTU-Lly7tJs5DQkF) See [Link to a page on the same website](docId\:cGmY4fTU-Lly7tJs5DQkF). ### Link to files in Media You can create links to media in the Media folder in two ways: - Place the cursor in the rich-text editor where you want the link, and drag the desired file (PDF, Word, and so on) from a **Media** folder into the location. The filename becomes the link name (which you can edit if needed). - Select the text where you want the link in the rich-text editor, click **Insert/edit link**, and use the **Media** option to select a media file to link to. :::hint{type="info"} **Note** You can create a link to any type of document, but the behavior when a website visitor clicks the link depends on the file format and the settings of the visitor's computer. ::: ### Link to files on a file server or an external website Select the text where you want the link in the rich-text editor, click **Insert/edit link**, and use the **External link** option to add the path or URL to the file to link to. For a file server, enter the complete path, including the computer name and the filename with the file extension. The file storage network location must be properly accessible for this to work. Valid external prefixes are *http*, *https*, *ftp,* and *file*. ### Link to an email address Select the text where you want the link in the rich-text editor, click **Insert/edit link**, and use the **email** option to enter the email address to link to. When you click the link, the default email client opens with the email address entered in the email address field. ### Link from an image Select the image in the rich-text editor, click **Insert/edit link,** and add a link using any of the **Page**, **Media**, **External link** or **Email** options. ### Create anchor links When you add an anchor, first create the anchor and then add the link from the **Create link** dialog box. 1. Place the cursor in the text in the rich-text editor where you want to place the anchor. 2. Click **Insert** > **Anchor** on the editor toolbar and enter a name for the anchor. Do not use special characters or spaces. ![anchor-1.png](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/oXGwD__Yu2r8zwwmNRyOR-20260720-145551.png) 3. Select the text in the rich-text editor where you want the link to the anchor. 4. Click **Insert/edit link** and use the **Anchor** option to select the anchor to link to. ![Click Insert or edit link and use the Anchor option to select the anchor to link to.](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/MkjJVCyfYhFJEuzhLGnOj-20260720-145551.png) ## Link properties The following examples show common implementations of link functionality on websites, with functionality similar to what is described for the link dialog box above. ### Image link When you add images to content areas intended for images or blocks and so on, instead of adding the image in the rich-text editor, you can use an image link property to select an image from a folder in Media, automatically placing it properly in the content area. See [Add and edit images](docId\:VjnOnlLqbGmLtl_P3oL-q). ### Link collection A link collection is a property where you can manage a group of links. ![A link collection is a property where you can manage a group of links.](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/vGkAtEnVDcFH-u4a51KYc-20260720-145551.png "Image: Link collection example") On the **Site Settings** tab of the **All Properties** view of the page, you can create links by dropping pages or media files in the link collection area, or by creating links through the link dialog box. You can create links for pages, media files, external sources and email addresses. You can move links to change the order in which they appear. You can also edit the displayed name of the link. ![Create links for pages, media files, external sources and email addresses.](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/TGQueZ54b_wNNp1wEO76n-20260720-145551.png) ## ![Optimizely Customized Commerce icon](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/fWTDXvDbKSlTPqJCcFzxQ-20260720-145551.svg)Link to catalog entries If you have Optimizely Commerce Connect installed, the link dialog box contains an option to select items from the product catalog when you create links. See [Manage content](docId\:rMpmoGdkx1klX_eCDe0dx) in the Commerce Connect Commerce section.