PDF Extract Hyperlinks in Make

What this module does

PDF4me — PDF - Extract Hyperlinks reads every clickable hyperlink from a PDF and returns them as structured data — URL, anchor text, and page number for each link — without modifying the document. Completely non-destructive. While platforms like n8n require a separate PDF.co action to get this data, PDF4me delivers it natively as a single Make module with no extra API or service required.

Authenticating Your API Request

Every PDF4me module in Make requires a valid Connection. Create or select one that holds your PDF4me API key so the scenario can call the link extraction service securely.

Get your API Key

Important Facts You Should Not Miss

Three fields per link

Each item in the output array gives you the destination URL, the visible Link Text the reader would click, and the Page Number it appears on. Map any or all three into the next module.

Completely non-destructive

This module only reads — it does not return a modified PDF. Your source document in Dropbox, Google Drive, or any other location is completely unchanged. Use it freely at the start of any link-management workflow.

Run it before Delete Hyperlink

Extract first to log exactly what links exist, then pass the same file into Delete Hyperlink for removal. You get a full audit trail of every link that was stripped — valuable for compliance and change reviews.

Enter a single page, a comma-separated list, a range, or all to scan every link across the whole document.

Parameters

Required: All three parameters — Connection, File, and Page Sequence — must be provided for the module to run.

Parameter	Required	What it does	Example
Connection	Yes	PDF4me API connection used to authenticate extraction requests. Click Add to create one with your API key.	Your PDF4me connection
File	Yes	Source PDF to scan. Choose Dropbox - Download a File for a direct Dropbox trigger, or Map to supply the filename and binary content from a prior module.	Dropbox - Download a File
Page Sequence	Yes	Which pages to scan for hyperlinks. Accepts a single page, comma-separated list, a range, or all to read the entire document at once.	2 or 2,5,6 or 1-2 or all

Output

The module returns a Hyperlinks array. Each item in the array contains:

Field	Type	Description
Hyperlinks	Array	The full collection of link objects returned by the module — one item per hyperlink found.
URL	String	The destination address of the hyperlink — a web URL or mailto address.
Link Text	String	The visible anchor text the reader would click on in the document.
Page Number	Integer	The page in the PDF where the link appears.

Map any of these fields into a Google Sheet row, Airtable record, HTTP request, or a filter condition in your Make scenario.

Quick Setup

1. Add PDF4me → PDF - Extract Hyperlinks to your Make scenario.
2. Select Connection (or click Add to create one with your API key).
3. Set File to Dropbox - Download a File or Map from a prior module that outputs a PDF binary.
4. Enter the pages to scan in Page Sequence — use all to read every link in the document at once.
5. Save and click Run once. The output contains a Hyperlinks array — add an Iterator after this module to loop over each link individually.

Workflow Examples

Workflow ExamplesCommon Make scenario patterns that use PDF - Extract Hyperlinks for auditing, cataloguing, and link management.

Detect broken links across a document library

1. Google Drive triggers the scenario when a PDF is added to the "Reports" folder.
2. PDF - Extract Hyperlinks scans with Page Sequence set to all.
3. An Iterator loops over the Hyperlinks array.
4. HTTP makes a HEAD request to each URL and a Filter checks for non-200 responses.
5. Slack posts an alert with the broken URL and the page it was found on.

Build a searchable link catalog from uploaded PDFs

1. Dropbox triggers when a new file lands in the "Shared Documents" folder.
2. PDF - Extract Hyperlinks reads all links across every page.
3. An Iterator loops over the Hyperlinks array.
4. Google Sheets appends a row for each link — document name, URL, Link Text, Page Number, and date extracted.

Create an audit trail before removing links

1. A webhook fires when a document is approved for external distribution.
2. PDF - Extract Hyperlinks logs every link to a Google Sheet — URL, Link Text, Page Number, and timestamp.
3. PDF - Delete Hyperlink then strips all links from every page.
4. Gmail sends the sanitized PDF to the recipient with a permanent record of what was removed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What data does each extracted hyperlink contain?+

Each link object in the output array has three fields: URL (destination address), Link Text (the visible anchor text), and Page Number (which page it appears on). Map all three or just the ones your workflow needs.

Does it extract internal PDF bookmark links and table-of-contents navigation?+

No. The module focuses on URL hyperlinks — web addresses and mailto links. PDF bookmarks that power the navigation panel or table-of-contents click-through are not included in the output.

What page formats does Page Sequence accept?+

Single page like 2, comma-separated list like 2,5,6, a range like 1-2, or all to scan the entire document in one pass.

Is the output a flat list or grouped by page?+

Flat array. Each link object includes a Page Number field so you can group or filter in Make using an iterator and aggregator, or export to a spreadsheet and sort by page there.

Is my original PDF changed in any way?+

No. This module is purely read-only — it extracts link data without modifying or returning a new version of the document. Your source file in Dropbox, Google Drive, or any other location is completely untouched.

Related Modules

Create Hyperlinks

Add clickable hyperlinks to PDF text by search term — the complement when you need to add links rather than read them.

Delete Hyperlink

Strip all clickable links from specific pages — run Extract first to audit what exists, then Delete to clean up.

Get Document Information

Retrieve page count and metadata — useful for conditional routing before scanning for links in your scenario.

Get Help

Make IntegrationGet your API KeyMake Documentation