Add PDF bookmarks made simpler, in your browser

Choose the final PDF, then enter the sections readers need to reach quickly. Each line contains a title, the physical source page position, and a level, separated by vertical bars. For example, Introduction | 1 | 1 creates a main entry pointing at the first source page. Details | 2 | 2 creates a child under the preceding main entry. Process the file and download a separate copy. Your original remains available on your device, so you can compare both versions before distributing the result.

This workflow is useful for manuals, course packs, meeting papers, and reports assembled from several files. It lets you supply the structure even when the source has no usable headings. The tool does not guess chapter names, scan printed contents, or decide which sections matter. A short, accurate outline is usually more helpful than an entry for every paragraph. Choose labels that a reader can understand without opening the target page first.

Sidebar bookmarks are navigation entries stored inside the document. A supporting reader can display them beside the pages, allowing readers to jump without scrolling back to the front. A contents page is visible page content that can also be printed. Enable the optional contents setting when recipients need an obvious starting point or may use a viewer with limited sidebar controls. Each generated contents entry links to its matching source page, and the document still receives the same nested bookmark outline.

The two forms serve related purposes, but their presentation differs. Bookmarks alone add no physical pages. Inserting contents adds one or more pages at the beginning, so the total page count changes. The generated page numbers describe positions in the resulting file. They do not rewrite numbers already printed in chapter footers. If your submission has a strict page limit, use sidebar entries alone or account for the added front matter before submitting.

Count pages from the beginning of the source file, including covers, blank separators, and existing contents. The first actual PDF page is position 1 even if no number is printed on it. If a two-page cover precedes a chapter whose printed footer says 1, that chapter starts at source position 3. Enter 3. Printed page numbers, Roman numerals, and reader page labels can all differ from this physical sequence, particularly in books and scanned bundles.

Check a few section openings before typing the entire list. Note the first page of each chapter in your usual reader, then confirm it against the actual file order. A bookmark target must fall within the source page count. Out-of-range targets stop export rather than silently pointing somewhere else. Finish merging, removing pages, and rearranging sections first. Working from the final source sequence reduces the chance that a later edit makes your planning notes obsolete.

Use level 1 for main sections, level 2 for their subsections, and level 3 for smaller groups. The first entry must be level 1, and a new entry cannot skip an intermediate level. A level 3 entry therefore needs a preceding level 2 parent. Returning from level 3 to level 1 starts a new main section. Entries stay in the order you type them; their target pages do not determine their position in the outline.

Limit nesting to relationships that help readers. A product manual might use Installation, Network setup, and Wireless settings as three successive levels. Another manual may need only its chapter titles. Several entries can point at the same page when that page introduces related subjects. Conversely, an entry can point backwards to an appendix or reference section. The tool supports up to 200 entries, three levels, and titles of up to 120 characters, with one entry per line.

The generated destinations refer to the original page objects, so they follow those pages when new contents pages are inserted ahead of them. You continue to enter source positions. The tool calculates how many contents pages are required and displays the adjusted output position beside each entry. For example, an entry targeting source page 4 will show output page 5 when a single contents page is inserted. Longer lists can need additional front pages, and their displayed numbers account for that change.

Verify the result in a reader that supports internal PDF links. Click the first main entry, a nested entry, and the final entry, then confirm the remaining destinations before sharing an important report. Existing numbers painted inside the source pages stay as they were. Later tools may rebuild page objects or remove sections, so navigation needs another check after any further transformation. Adding the outline near the end of your preparation process keeps that review manageable.

This version writes the list you supply as the document outline. When the source already contains bookmarks, processing stops unless you explicitly select replacement. That protects a useful existing outline from being discarded accidentally. Replacement does not import or combine the old entries. If you want some of them in the new outline, include their titles and source targets in your own list before confirming. Keep the original until you are satisfied with the replacement structure.

The tool does not provide automatic heading detection, drag-and-drop outline editing, external website bookmarks, or text-anchor destinations within a page. Generated entries open the target page using a fit-page view. If your existing outline relies on those advanced actions, a dedicated document editor may suit that file better. For a straightforward chapter list, explicitly entering the titles and targets gives you a clear record of what will appear in the exported document.

Bookmarks can point to image-only pages, so a scan does not need OCR before you add navigation. Chinese and mixed-language labels can be stored in the sidebar outline. When you also create a visible contents page with non-ASCII text, the tool loads a font from this site and embeds it in the output. Font embedding can noticeably increase file size. The supplied font covers common English and Chinese text; uncommon scripts or emoji should be checked carefully in the downloaded copy.

Adding navigation does not make scanned body text searchable. Use the OCR tool separately when readers need to find words inside the pages. Contents titles are useful navigation labels, not substitutes for a complete searchable text layer. For book spreads containing two pages in one scan, separate and arrange the pages before recording targets. That way each bookmark leads to the section as readers will actually encounter it in the finished file.

Readers expose document outlines in different ways. Some mobile viewers place navigation behind a menu, while others mainly display pages and internal links. The file can contain a valid outline even when the current application does not present a sidebar. Try its document navigation menu or reopen the file in a reader with bookmark support. A visible contents page gives recipients another way to navigate when their usual viewer supports links but has limited outline controls.

Review the titles, hierarchy, page count, and all destinations. Check the optional contents pages for wrapped titles, readable spacing, and accurate final positions. Source files may be up to 30 MB and 100 pages; output is limited to 120 MB. Password-protected inputs need an unlocked copy first. XFA, signature fields, and certified documents are unsupported because rewriting them can affect their special behavior. Navigation is added locally in your browser without uploading the selected file. Download the result before closing the tab, and reopen it in the reader your recipients are likely to use.

Choose a tool for the next step and review each output.

• Set the final page order
• Combine chapters first