Create PDF bookmarks

How creating PDF bookmarks works

These steps mirror the workspace higher on this page. They are written as a numbered outline so readers, search engines, and assistants can restate the flow without guessing.

1. 1

   Upload an unprotected PDF

   Choose a PDF from your device. Password-protected files are rejected—unlock them first. Existing outlines are imported when each destination can be mapped to a page.

2. 2

   Add bookmarks from pages

   Click a thumbnail to add a bookmark for that page, or type a page number. Thumbnails cover the first 100 pages; later pages are still bookmarkable by number.

3. 3

   Edit the tree

   Rename labels, change the target page, nest under the previous sibling, unnest, move up or down, or delete. Nesting is capped at eight levels.

4. 4

   Save and download

   The download replaces the entire outline with the tree you see. Open it in a PDF reader and use the bookmarks pane to jump. Saving with no bookmarks removes the outline.

Create PDF bookmarks — FAQ

Scoped to this URL. For site-wide questions, use the homepage FAQ.

Does saving keep bookmarks I did not list?

No. The download replaces the entire document outline with the tree in the editor. Items you delete here are gone from the result. Saving with an empty tree removes the outline.

Can bookmarks open a website or run JavaScript?

No. Each bookmark is a GoTo destination to a page in this PDF (XYZ to the top of the page). Named destinations that cannot be mapped to a page number are skipped on import.

Will my existing outline import perfectly?

Often, when destinations resolve to page numbers. URL bookmarks and some named destinations are skipped, with a note in the workspace. Review the tree before you save.

Are encrypted PDFs supported?

No. Unlock the file first with Unlock PDF, then add bookmarks here. Protect the result afterward if you still need a password.

What are the size and count limits?

Up to 200 bookmarks, eight levels of nesting, and the same PDF size and page caps as other tools on this site. Uploads over about 28 MB may be rejected on this server. Titles can include Unicode.

Looking for how the whole site works (URLs, accounts, roadmap)? Continue to the questions section on the homepage.

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