Figured I would explain this a slightly different way for others:

• Window > Attributes
• On this window, click the hamburger menu > Show All
• Draw a rectangle (it can be transparent)
• Under Attributes > Image Map, select Rectangle
• Enter the URL
• Save As PDF
• Under General > Options check boxes > Make sure 'Preserve Hyperlinks' is checked

This is what worked for me.

@ Stefane Guilbaud

Sorry, just retraced my steps and realised what I was doing wrong. You're absolutely right.
So it's still in the attributes panel but you have to select Rectangle from the "Image Map dropdown" and the Illustrator gives you a URL box to type the hyperlink inside.

A bit hidden, but it's there I suppose.

@Raphael

@ Stefane Guilbaud

Thanks but your solution seems to be just a workaround. Why do I have to create an object to define the "hyperlink" area when the software should automatically do that?

I just want to select an object, right-click or go in a panel and type the hyperlink. Like you would do in any other software for the last 20 years!!

Just tried this, exported as .PDF, doesn't work. How are we supposed to add these hyperlinks? Can you please explain?

@Raphael :
- make a square
- open the "Object option" window
- choose "rectangle" reactive image
- fill in the url
- export as a PDF by checking the "Keep hyperlinks" box in the PDF saving options

Finally !!!! Thanks to the devs! It's a shame that the latest version isn't compatible with Catalina, but that's another problem! Adobe thinks that in a company you can change Os version as you like without disturbing other company software !!!

Great to see that this functionality has been added to the new release 27.6.1, however...

It would be useful if you actually showed us how to do it. The attributes panel doesn't have any sort of options when a text/image is selected. How do you actually add a hyperlink to an image/text?

Written a whole documentation about how to use the search function for layers but didn't bother explaining this one in your documentation ffs.

Urdu Language Please............

Need to add Fillable Form interactive in illustrator and Table ability like how we use in indesign: also Urdu Language is missing since decades

Totally agree this should be added. I'm shocked at this point it isn't. I add them in the PDF after I save - but then if there are any changes made to the AI file after the fact - I have to do it all over again.

This is a VERY needed feature! It can be done after making the design a pdf and then opening it in Acrobat but that is a weird workaround for professional-level software.

Yes pleeeeease! It's 2023! I have been needing this feature for 20 years!

Very important and makes user experience much better when designing brochures, etc. Having to redo things in PDF with every adjustment in Illustrator is such waste of time.

Some proper conversion options should be made as well, like here:
https://www.id-extras.com/products/hyperlinkpro/

I have the impression that Adobe does not listen as they should. And this since CS. Before, you had to buy a CD and the update had to be interesting. Today, the promise of renting is false! We are often disappointed by the updates which do not bring anything !
Just look at the ingenuity of Affinity Designer and you'll see! Move an object in the layers to create a mask on the fly, Possibility of internal shadows and effects, extraordinary dynamic drawing forms (stars, pie charts, drops...)
Illustrator is old!

Yes, this is important. It is hard to believe that this feature doesn't exist already. Hyperlinks have only been around for oh... nearly 30 years? Come on, Adobe!

There should be an option when selecting text to add a hyperlink to that portion of a text.
This would show up in the document so you can link work from your document.

This would save time in documents such as resumes or others where you can link anything from your first document.

Highly demanded feature!

Can we add a hyperlink tool to Illustrator that's as easy to use as InDesign? InDesign's hyperlink feature is so user friendly and it makes it so easy to make updates to hyperlinks within the InDesign document. Can we get that same hyperlink took in Illustrator?