# Paperpile links in exported references

**URL:** <https://forum.paperpile.com/t/paperpile-links-in-exported-references/12401>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [September 18, 2026, 3:12pm UTC](https://forum.paperpile.com/t/paperpile-links-in-exported-references/12401 "2026-09-18T15:12:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Patrick\_Walters](https://forum.paperpile.com/user_avatar/forum.paperpile.com/patrick_walters/32/7502_2.png) [@Patrick\_Walters](https://forum.paperpile.com/u/Patrick_Walters)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 3:12pm UTC](https://forum.paperpile.com/t/paperpile-links-in-exported-references/12401/1 "2026-09-18T15:12:54Z")

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I’m editing a paper in Google Docs using Paperpile. When I save the document as a PDF. When I click a reference link (e.g., “[1]”) in the PDF, it tries to open Paperpile. Most people reading the PDF won’t have Paperpile, so this link won’t work. Is there a way to change this behavior so that clicking jumps to the corresponding bibliography entry? I know I can convert all links to text, but it requires creating a new copy every time I export.

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**Author:** ![suzanne](https://forum.paperpile.com/user_avatar/forum.paperpile.com/suzanne/32/4094_2.png) [@suzanne](https://forum.paperpile.com/u/suzanne)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 7:34pm UTC](https://forum.paperpile.com/t/paperpile-links-in-exported-references/12401/2 "2026-09-18T19:34:38Z")

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Welcome to our forum, @Patrick_Walters, and thanks for your question. Paperpile uses hyperlinks to store the citation data in Google Docs. At present, Paperpile can’t currently change citation links such as “[1]” into internal links that jump to the corresponding bibliography entry.

I’ve added your +1 to that topic in our internal feature request tracker for the product team’s consideration.

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**Author:** ![Patrick\_Walters](https://forum.paperpile.com/user_avatar/forum.paperpile.com/patrick_walters/32/7502_2.png) [@Patrick\_Walters](https://forum.paperpile.com/u/Patrick_Walters)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 10:00pm UTC](https://forum.paperpile.com/t/paperpile-links-in-exported-references/12401/3 "2026-09-18T22:00:16Z")

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Thanks, I’m not sure I understand the rationale for keeping a hyperlink to a Paperpile library when exporting to a PDF. It would be helpful to have an option to prevent citation links from being exported as hyperlinks.