Here is what worked for me:
Could not agree more.
There is another workaround.
Type the full-formed URL and space to create a hyperlink.
Select the URL text between the first and last character.
Type the text that you wish to be displayed as a link.
Then delete the first and last characters of the original link.
So easy, so simple - although selecting text in an iPad is so hit and miss I think a simple button to create a hyperlink is still sorely missed. Until Apple realises the awkwardness of iOS text, however, it will at least enable me to create more elegant looking emails. Thank you, crickfrommpalo alto.
Apple, arrow buttons, hyperlink button: two essentials that would be so time saving to get on iOS.. Please? After all iOS is meant to be simple and elegant, not frustrating and unpredictable, isn't it? You shouldn't have to find workarounds like this for the essentials: workarounds should. be for when you are being extraordinarily creative and pushing the software to do something unusual and unintended, shouldn't they?
Just on a point of order, the iPad e-mail client does in fact produce HTML - and plenty of it. When you mark text as bold, italic etc., this is represented within the e-mail as HTML. When you type a full URL in an e-mail, the iPad converts that into a hyperlink before it sends the message on its way.
Although it would have been technically simple for Apple to incorporate hyperlinks that contain both the link URL and the text to be shown in its place, that would have complicated the iPad's editor somewhat. As it is, the editing options are simple, and it's understandable that Apple want to keep it that way on the iPad.
I disagree, as an app developer. It would have been easy to include an 'embed hyperlink' option on the formatting popup.
I discovered that you can indeed include hidden hyperlinks in Apple Mail generated on the iPad. You just cannot create them there.
After some experimentation, I discovered that you can paste in text with embedded hyperlink, and it will send and function properly.
The trick is how to create it on the iPad. Even the Pages app won't do it on the iPad. I wish Apple had not chosen to omit this useful feature, as it goes against the idea that you can freely work on the desktop and then on your iPad and vice-versa. Perhaps iOS8 and Yosemite will fix this.
Here is one work-around.
Get an iPad HTML editor such as the free Good Docs. Go into HTML mode (via <> button).
Paste in this code:
<a href="http://indigo.malinowski.com/SHAboutAuthors.htm" target="_blank">Mel Malinowski</a>
Change the link to the one you want, as well as the display text.
Go back to normal view via 'done'
Select the text and copy.
Now you can paste this embedded hyperlink into your email. Great for long, ugly, awkward YouTube links and such.
Awkward, I admit, but sometimes very useful. Hopefully, someday Apple will make this easy and Mac-like. Perhaps someone can post an easier workaround.
I guess the issue is... you have to be prepared and appeal to the lowest common denominator. Plain text is still the default reading method for a lot of email clients. If you send a message too "marked" up, it could be gibberish at the other end. If the reader of your messages reads his/her mail in plain text, that's their choice. That's why you'll see those "CAN"T READ THIS GIBBERISH" links at the top of most marketing emails, urging you to visit a website to bask in the glory of HTML.
If HTML became the standard for all email, I'll bet Apple would be the first to let us fancily our messages.
Up until 12 hours before I posted the above reply, the iPad email client didn't have text formatting options. They were only added in iOS 5 released Oct 12th.
THANKS RICK❗️
creating hyperlinks in mail on iPad
