Give any PDF a clickable bookmarks panel (outline). Click a page to bookmark it, nest bookmarks into chapters and sections, edit existing bookmarks, or let the tool generate them from the document's headings. Everything happens in your browser, so your PDF is never uploaded.
Last updated:
Pages
Click a page to bookmark it
Bookmarks
No bookmarks yet. Click a page on the left, use Generate from headings, or press Add bookmark.
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How to use the Add Bookmarks to PDF
Open your PDF by dropping it on the box or clicking to choose it. Existing bookmarks are loaded automatically.
Add bookmarks: click a page thumbnail (the title is taken from the biggest text on that page), press Generate from headings, or switch to Text and paste a table of contents.
Organize them: rename, change the page number, use → to make a bookmark a child of the one above and ← to move it back, and ↑ ↓ to reorder.
Choose the options, such as showing the bookmarks panel when the PDF opens.
Press Save PDF with bookmarks to download the new PDF.
Text mode format
Switch the bookmark editor to Text to type or paste a whole table of contents at once. Write one bookmark per line with the title, a vertical bar and the page number. Indent child bookmarks with two spaces (or a tab) per level:
Introduction | 1
Chapter 1: Getting started | 3
1.1 Installation | 4
1.2 First steps | 7
Chapter 2: Advanced use | 12
2.1 Settings | 12
Network options | 14
Index | 40
Lines copied from a printed table of contents with dot leaders (Installation ........ 4) or a page number at the end also work. Page numbers are the PDF's page positions (1 = first page of the file), which can differ from the numbers printed on the pages if the document has a cover or roman-numbered front matter.
Tips for good PDF bookmarks
Mirror the document structure: chapters as top-level bookmarks, sections as children. Two or three levels is easiest to navigate.
Keep titles short: the bookmarks panel is narrow, so long titles are cut off. Remove trailing page numbers and dot leaders.
Bookmark merged documents: after merging several PDFs, add one bookmark per original file so readers can jump between them.
Show the panel: tick "Open the PDF with the bookmarks panel visible" so readers notice the bookmarks immediately (supported by Acrobat and most desktop readers).
Accessibility: bookmarks are recommended for long PDFs by accessibility guidelines such as PDF/UA and WCAG, because they help everyone navigate, including screen-reader users.
Frequently asked questions
What are PDF bookmarks?
Bookmarks (called the outline in the PDF specification) are the clickable table of contents shown in the sidebar of PDF readers such as Adobe Acrobat, browsers, Preview and mobile PDF apps. Each bookmark jumps to a page or position, and bookmarks can be nested into chapters and sections.
How does Generate from headings work?
The tool reads the text of every page and finds lines set in a larger font than the body text. The largest sizes become level 1, 2 and 3 bookmarks; lines repeated on many pages (running headers and footers) and page numbers are ignored. If all text is the same size, bold lines are used. Always review the result: scanned PDFs without a text layer have no headings to detect.
Can I edit or delete bookmarks that are already in the PDF?
Yes. Existing bookmarks, including nested ones and named destinations, are loaded when you open the file. Edit them, add new ones or press Clear all and save to remove the bookmarks completely.
How do I make a sub-bookmark?
Place the bookmark directly below its parent and press the → button. It moves one level to the right and becomes a child. Press ← to move it back. In Text mode, indent a line with two spaces per level.
Will adding bookmarks change my PDF's content?
No. Only the outline and, if you choose, the setting to show the bookmarks panel are added. Pages, text, images, links and form fields are kept exactly as they are and nothing is re-compressed.
Does it work with password-protected PDFs?
PDFs that need a password to open, or that are encrypted, cannot be modified here. Remove the protection first with a PDF unlock tool if you have the right to, then add the bookmarks.
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. The file is opened, analysed and saved entirely in your browser with JavaScript. It never leaves your computer or phone.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.