---
title: Create generic links to Steps or Blocks that work in any Cohort
description: A pro-tip for scenarios where it's helpful to link to a particular Step (or Block within a Step) for members of many different Cohorts.
source: intercom
original: https://help.pathwright.com/en/articles/9101692-create-generic-links-to-steps-or-blocks-that-work-in-any-cohort
retrieved: 2026-11-09
visibility: public
date: 2026-01-16
author: /people/paul-johnson.person.md
intercom-id: "9101692"
collection: Create a Path
section: Content Case Studies
---

# Create generic links to Steps or Blocks that work in any Cohort

This Pro Tip is useful when you...

1. Are designing a Path that has (or will have) multiple active Cohorts.
2. Want to include a hyperlink somewhere in the Path content that navigates a learner to a different Step or Block in the Path than the one they're on (for example, a link to review a previous assessment or project, a link to an upcoming lesson, or a past event recording).

A standard link (e.g., the one you get from copying the URL in your browser) won't work in this case because each Cohort has a unique URL for every Step within it that is different than the URL for other Cohort Paths. Enter "generic links":

## How to use a generic link

You can add links within your Path content that go to "the same" Step or Block no matter which Cohort someone is in. A generic link looks different than a full URL:

```
/library/intro-to-pathwright-17714/_/path/step/274764410/
```

Notice that:

- The URL is *relative*, meaning it does not start with "https://" or your domain (e.g., the entire first part of a URL like *"[https://school.pathwright.com/](https://school.pathwright.com/)*" is **excluded**)
- The cohort ID is replaced with the "\_" placeholder.

> [!note]- How to create a generic link to a particular step
> To get a generic link to a step, follow these steps:
>
> 1. Copy the full URL of the Step or Block you'd like to link to generically. (Here's how to [copy the URL of a Block](../how-to-add-content-with-blocks/link-directly-to-a-block-new.help.md).) For example, a full Step URL looks like this:
>
>    ```
>    https://paths.pathwright.com/library/intro-to-pathwright-17714/41428/path/step/274764410/
>    ```
>
> 2. Remove the first part of the URL (everything before "/library/..." Now, our example URL looks like this:
>
>    ```
>    /library/intro-to-pathwright-17714/41428/path/step/274764410/
>    ```
>
> 3. Finally, replace the numeric ID after the Path title part of the URL and before "/path/" with an underscore ("\_"). Now we have a generic link and our example URL looks like this:
>
>    ```
>    /library/intro-to-pathwright-17714/_/path/step/274764410/
>    ```
>
> Now that we have a properly formatted generic link, you can paste it into the link field for any text you select within a Block or use it in the "[Button Block](../how-to-add-content-with-blocks/button-block.help.md)" to create a button link back to the Step.
>
> ![](../../assets/9101692-1.webp)

> [!note]- How to create a generic link to a particular block
> To link to a particular block in a different step than the one you are on, follow the same process as above:
>
> 1. Copy the full URL of the Block you'd like to link to generically. (Here's how to [copy the URL of a Block](../how-to-add-content-with-blocks/link-directly-to-a-block-new.help.md).) For example, a full Block URL looks like this:
>
>    ```
>    https://paths.pathwright.com/library/intro-to-pathwright-17714/100762/path/step/274764410/#block--NfW3Ia-mGY7LskbSxqq
>    ```
>
> 2. Remove the first part of the URL (everything before "/library/..."):
>
>    ```
>    /library/intro-to-pathwright-17714/100762/path/step/274764410/#block--NfW3Ia-mGY7LskbSxqq
>    ```
>
> 3. Finally, replace the numeric ID after the Path title part of the URL and before "/path/" with an underscore ("\_"):
>
>    ```
>    /library/intro-to-pathwright-17714/_/path/step/274764410/#block--NfW3Ia-mGY7LskbSxqq
>    ```
>
> To create a generic link to a Block *within the same step,* you only need the hashtag of the block. For example, here is a full URL of a Block link:
>
> ```
> https://paths.pathwright.com/library/intro-to-pathwright-17714/100762/path/step/274764410/#block--NfW3Ia-mGY7LskbSxqq
> ```
>
> Remove everything but the hashtag of the Block:
>
> ```
> #block--NfW3Ia-mGY7LskbSxqq
> ```

> [!warning]
> **Important Note:** Generic links *only* work when used inside a step. They currently do not work outside of a Path (for example, sending by email or in Slack). They also do not work in discussion prompts or posts.