---
title: "Link to Item vs. Link to Online Editor: Choosing the Target Link Type in Short URL Online"
description: "Learn what the two target link types of Short URL Online mean, Link to item and Link to online editor, when each one is useful, and why the option can be unavailable for some documents and folders."
url: https://vitextra.com/en/support/kb/10472
language: en
published: 2026-11-02
modified: 2026-11-07
products:
  - "Short URL Online"
author: "Līga Ozola"
tags: ["Short URL target link type", "link to item", "link to online editor", "SharePoint short link document", "open document in browser", "Office Online short link", "Short URL Online options", "ServerRedirectedEmbedUrl", "Vitextra Short URL"]
---

# Link to Item vs. Link to Online Editor: Choosing the Target Link Type in Short URL Online

Learn what the two target link types of Short URL Online mean, Link to item and Link to online editor, when each one is useful, and why the option can be unavailable for some documents and folders.

## Introduction

When you create a short link for a document or folder with the **Short URL** command, the dialog contains the **Target Link Type** option. It decides which address of the item the short link leads to. This article describes the two choices and how to pick the right one.

For the procedure of creating a short link, see [KB10471. How to Create a Short Link for a Document or Folder in SharePoint Online](https://vitextra.com/en/support/kb/10471).

![The Target Link Type option](https://static.vitextra.com/articles/10472/target-link-type-en.png)
*The Target Link Type option*

## The two link types

| Option | The short link leads to | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| **Link to item** | The regular address of the document or folder in ::SharePoint::. This is the default. | General sharing. The item opens the way SharePoint normally opens it. |
| **Link to online editor** | The address that SharePoint provides for opening the document in its online editor (the embed address of the item). | Sending a document that the recipient should ::view:: or edit in the browser. |

When you switch between the options, the **Link URL** shown below the group changes to the address of the selected type, so you can see exactly where the short link will lead before you save.

## How to change the link type

1. Select the item in the library and click **Short URL**.
2. In the **Target Link Type** group, select **Link to item** or **Link to online editor**.
3. Check the **Link URL**.
4. Click **Update**.

The next time you open the dialog for the same item, it shows the saved type.

## When the option is unavailable

The **Target Link Type** group is disabled, and only **Link to item** can be used, when SharePoint does not provide an online-editor address for the selected item. The group is also disabled while the dialog is saving your changes.

📝 **Note**  
The online-editor address is supplied by SharePoint for each item. Vitextra Short URL Online does not create it, so the availability of **Link to online editor** depends on the item and on your SharePoint environment.

## Access rights

A short link only redirects to the address of the item. It does not grant any permissions. A person who follows the link must have access to the document or folder in SharePoint, otherwise SharePoint will ask them to sign in or will show an access-denied message.

❗ **Important**  
Before you send a short link to people outside your team, make sure the document is shared with them in SharePoint.

💡 **Tip**  
If you only need to shorten the address of a web page or an external resource, use the Short URL ::web part:: instead. See [KB10475. How to Add the Short URL Web Part to a Page](https://vitextra.com/en/support/kb/10475).