Microsoft Word - unable to open https link within document

Question

I cannot open links that starts with https://app.asana.com/ within MS Word 365 documents. I get:

Unable to open http.://... . Cannot download the information you requested

I'm using Windows 10 1803 and the newest MS Word 365 desktop application.

Other links I can open without any problems...

Solution 1

Try to create the following registry key in this computer:

1. Quit any programs that are running.
2. Open Registry Editor. (Click Start, and then click Run. Type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.)
3. In Registry Editor, browse to one of the following subkey (create the keys when they do not exist):

For a 32 Bit version of Office on 64 bit version of Windows

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet\

For a 32 Bit version of Office on 32 bit version of Windows

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet

For a 64 Bit version of Office on 64 bit version of Windows

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet

4. Make sure the Internet subkey is selected. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value. Add the following registry value: Value Name: ForceShellExecute
5. Double-click ForceShellExecute, and then set the Value data to 1. Click OK. On the Registry menu, click Exit.

Open Word again, check if the hyperlink works now. Reference: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/218153/error-message-when-clicking-hyperlink-in-office-cannot-locate-the-inte

Solution 2

Refer Microsoft Answer for this problem: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/troubleshoot/error-messages/cannot-locate-server-when-click-hyperlink

To fix this problem automatically, download and run this tool which provides by the Microsft.

Link: https://download.microsoft.com/download/2/7/4/2746551A-B7FF-4DF9-9EF0-1D81FC7DF272/MicrosoftEasyFix50655.msi

Error message when selecting hyperlink in Office: "Cannot locate the Internet server or proxy server"

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Symptoms

When you create a hyperlink in an Office document and then select the link, you may receive one of these error messages:

Unable to open . Cannot locate the Internet server or proxy server.

Unable to open . Cannot open the specified file.

= the hyperlink you inserted.

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Cause

This problem occurs when the following conditions are true:

• You are using Microsoft Internet Explorer:

  • A proxy server -or-
  • A firewall that does not allow HTTP requests to be placed on your local network

• Internet Explorer is not your default browser.

• The ForceShellExecuteregistry key is not present in the following location or is not set to 1:

  For 32 bit Office Versions installed on 64 bit operating systems

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet

  For 32 Bit Office Versions installed on 32-bit Operating Systems or 64 Bit Office Versionsinstalled on 64-bit Operating Systems

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet

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Workaround

To have us work around this problem for you, go to the "Here's an easy fix" section. If you prefer to fix this problem manually, go to the "Let me fix it myself" section.

Here's an easy fix

To fix this problem automatically, select the Download button. In the File Download dialog box, select Run or Open, and then follow the steps in the easy fix wizard.

• This wizard may be in English only. However, the automatic fix also works for other language versions of Windows.
• If you’re not on the computer that has the problem, save the easy fix solution to a flash drive or a CD, and then run it on the computer that has the problem.

Let me fix it myself

To work around this issue, either add the ForceShellExecute subkey, if it is not present, and set the Value data, or if it is present, set the Valuedata of the ForceShellExecute subkey.

Adding the Internet Subkey to the Registry and Setting the Value Data

1. Quit any programs that are running.

2. Select Start, and then select Run. Type regedit in the Open box, and then select OK.

3. In Registry Editor, browse to one of the following subkey (create the keys when they do not exist):

   For a 32 Bit version of Office on 64-bit version of Windows

   HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet\

   For a 32 Bit version of Office on 32-bit version of Windows

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet

   For a 64 Bit version of Office on 64-bit version of Windows

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common\Internet

4. Make sure the Internet subkey is selected. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then select DWORD Value. Add the following registry value:

   Value Name: ForceShellExecute

5. Double-click ForceShellExecute, and then set the Value data to 1. Select OK.

6. On the Registry menu, select Exit.

Solution 3

Try to use: https://asana.com/product#login instead of https://app.asana.com/. It is a certificate problem.

Comments

[Sandra Rossi]

Note that there is the very same Unable to open http.://... . Cannot download the information you requested error message after clicking an hyperlink in Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, at least intermittently, as explained and solved by Microsoft here.

[Magl]

Unfortunately I have tried this but with no luck.

[Magl]

When i click hyperlink no matter which browser im using, this error shows up, there must be something wrong with this site ( i mean credentials).To see the content of this hyperlink i must be logeed in first. Thats why Word cannot open those links. What you think?

[Magl]

I can open those links from Outlook, Notepad++ normally.

[WinniL]

@Magl Try to create a new document in Word, paste app.asana.com, then save the document to Desktop, check if you can click the hyperlink now. I tested in my Word 2016 and get the same error as yours. After created the registry setting ForceShellExecute, the hyperlink can be opened correctly. Please refresh the registry setting, reopen Word document to have a try.

[Magl]

Finnaly works!! The trick with registry works!! Big thanks @WinniL

[WinniL]

@Magl Glad it works. Please remember to mark it as answer if it helps :) Nice day.

[Sandra Rossi]

Do it exactly as explained. In my Registry, only the registry keys Office\15.0 and Office\16.0 did exist, the proposed solution worked only after I created the whole key "chain" Office\9.0\Common\Internet exactly as it is explained above -- I did not expect that an old version (9.0) should still be used. Note that the solution applies to the very same issue with Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.