When placing a hyperlink within a Word document I receive the error "Cannot locate the Internet server or proxy server" when using the Web Page hyperlink box.

The Link To is the https URL (valid) from what I can see: the Display is the same https URL: Word suggests that I place an anchor.

Any advice would be appreciate please.

I just tried it using Word 2011 (update version 14.5.7) and Mac OS X 10.7.5 and it worked without a hitch:
When I selected Insert > Hyperlink, a window popped up. I put the URL for this thread in the URL box (Link to:) which automatically populated the Anchor box (Post 36990) under Web Page in the same pop-up. And it worked perfectly.
If you're not seeing the same thing, there may be an incompatibility with Mac OS X 10.10.5. Have you brought your Word 2011 (Office for Mac 2011) up to date?

I have never used a hyperlink in a Word document but gave it a try. First, I just inserted a link to the home page for FineTunedMac. When tested, it worked great. Then I inserted a link to this page and, like Grelber's test, the anchor information was automatically inserted. That link also worked just fine.

Word for Mac 2011
Vers. 14.3.9 (131030)
OS 10.8.5

When software that has been working okay suddenly and inexplicably doesn't, I have assumed that something is simply no longer talking to something else….reason unknown. More often than not, a directory rebuild (I use Disk Warrior) does the trick.

It happened just the other day when a daily-used site suddenly thought that Safari was no longer allowing cookies. After a rebuild everything returned to normal and has been fine since….even though I don't know why.

Add to that the old standard ploy: Restart the Mac. That often cleans out many ills.

And if that doesn't do the trick: Shut down the Mac and reboot after ca 5 minutes.

Just curious: How come you haven't updated Word (Office) for Mac 2011 to the most recent version (14.5.7)?

Probably because I was in the middle of several other things when the notification arrived. Have now updated.


FYI Rob, I've repeated the tests using 14.5.7 and the results were the same.

You missed a lot more than one notification and one update.
Update 14.3.9 was released on 2013-11-21, followed by 17 more updates (starting with 14.4.1 on 2014-04-08).
I would have thought you might have experienced some of the (security) problems that the updates addressed, but apparently you escaped same unscathed. Excellent.

And earlier this week Update 14.5.8 was released for Office for Mac 2011.

Thanks guys I will try all of your suggestions:

my Word is Microsoft Word for Mac 2011
Version 14.4.8 (151023)
Latest installed update 14.5.8


Cheers ....