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PDF Bookmarks Editor

To add bookmarks to a PDF, add it — any existing bookmarks are listed — then type a title for each entry, choose the page it jumps to, and save. Readers show the entries in their sidebar outline. The result is a single flat list, not nested entries, and saving replaces the old outline. Nothing is uploaded.

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How to use the PDF Bookmarks Editor

  1. 1Add the PDF — any existing bookmarks are read and listed.
  2. 2Type a title for each entry and choose the page it jumps to.
  3. 3Add as many entries as you need, or remove ones you do not want.
  4. 4Press Save bookmarks and open the result in any reader to see the sidebar.

How it works

Bookmarks are what a PDF calls an outline: a set of entries in the document catalogue, each with a title and a destination pointing at a page. Readers show them in a sidebar, and they are the main way anyone navigates a long report, thesis or manual.

Existing bookmarks are read first, including entries that use a named destination rather than a direct page reference, and each is resolved back to its page number so you can see and edit what is already there. Saving writes a fresh outline: the entries are linked to each other in order and attached to the document catalogue, with each destination set to fit the page in the reader's window.

Only a flat list is produced, not nested sub-entries. For most documents that is what is wanted, and it keeps the result predictable across readers, which vary in how they display deep hierarchies.

The file is read into your browser's memory, changed there, and handed straight back to you. Nothing is uploaded, so there is no queue and no copy sitting on a server afterwards.

Tips and common mistakes

  • Add bookmarks as the last step, after the pages are in their final order.
  • Keep titles short — a sidebar is narrow, and long titles are cut off.
  • One bookmark per chapter or section is usually enough; a bookmark on every page makes the list harder to use.
  • Open the saved file and click each entry to check it lands on the right page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make nested bookmarks?
Not here — the outline produced is a single flat level, which every reader displays consistently.
What happens to bookmarks that are already there?
They are read in and shown in the list. Saving replaces the outline with whatever the list contains, so edit rather than starting over if you want to keep them.
Why does my reader not show the sidebar?
Most readers keep the sidebar closed until you open it. The bookmarks are in the file either way.
Do bookmarks survive merging or splitting?
Not reliably. Add bookmarks as the last step, after the pages are in their final order.
Do browsers show PDF bookmarks?
Yes. The PDF viewers built into the major browsers show the outline in a sidebar, usually opened from a menu or a button at the top left.
Can a bookmark jump to a point partway down a page?
No. Each bookmark opens its page fitted to the reader's window.
Are bookmarks the same as a table of contents?
No. Bookmarks live in the reader's sidebar. A table of contents is a page inside the document; the two work well together.
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