Copy a Help Topic URL in Excel 2010

Excel 2010 Help is normally connected to Office.com so each Help topic has a specific web address (URL) that can be easily copied. This is only for Windows computers running the latest Excel version 2010.

You can check the connection status to Office.com by hitting the F1 key to bring up the Help screen, then look in the bottom right corner of the page to see the connection status. There will be one of two options showing.

  • Connected to Office.com
  • Offline

Help Connection Status Windows

Get a Help Topic URL

Make sure you’re connected to Office.com then use the keyboard shortcut F1 to bring up the Help window. In the search box type in something like Excel keyboard shortcuts and press the enter button.

Help Windows Screen

You’ll get search results (shown below) and to complete this example click the link for Keyboard shortcuts in Excel 2010.

Help Search Results

The topic will appear in the Help window (shown below). Right click on the topic title (highlighted in red) then select Properties from the pop-up box.

Help Topic Title Keyboard Shortcuts

In the Properties dialog box, triple click on the Address (URL) to select it, then use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C to copy the web address (URL) to the clipboard.

Help Topic Properties URL

Another method is to click the Address (URL) and using the keyboard shortcut Crtl+A to select the entire URL, then Ctrl+C to copy it to the clipboard.

You can use a URL copied to the clipboard in several ways.

  • Email it to someone
  • Use it as a hyperlink in Excel
  • Paste it into your browser to see the topic in a browser window
  • Use it in a web page as a link

Bonus Tip – Insert a Help Screenshot

Since Excel Help pops up in a separate window, it can be inserted into the worksheet as a picture. I find this to be useful at times to keep a bit of Help knowledge in the worksheet.

Here’s a couple of tips I use. First, size the Help window appropriately before inserting into the worksheet, you only get what’s showing in the window so make sure the text you want is visible. Secondly, after inserting the picture, you can use the Picture toolbar to Crop, Resize or modify the picture as you see fit.

To Insert a Help window screenshot:

  • Bring up a Help topic
  • Size the window
  • Make sure the text you want is showing in the window
  • Choose Insert > Illustrations > Screenshot
  • In the Available Windows drop-down click the Help window

Help Topic Screenshot Insert

I cropped the picture above with the Picture tools and could have done some fancy stuff, but that will have to wait for another day.