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Add bookmarks to a PDF

Type your outline entries below (one per line). Indent with a tab or spaces for child entries. Add page numbers with two spaces + p then the number (e.g. " p5"). Your file never leaves your device.

How Add PDF bookmarks works

Add PDF Bookmarks lets you build a clickable outline, the navigation panel on the left side of PDF viewers, by typing bookmark titles and assigning each one a target page number. You can create nested levels so top-level chapter headings contain sub-level section entries beneath them. pdf-lib writes the outline tree into the PDF in your browser, and the resulting file is handed to you as a download without any server contact.

PDF bookmarks are stored as a hierarchical outline dictionary inside the file structure. Each entry holds a display title and an action that jumps to a specific page when clicked. This tool constructs that dictionary from your list of titles and page numbers and embeds it in the document. If the PDF already has bookmarks, the new outline you build replaces the existing one. The tool does not scan the document content to detect headings automatically; the outline is built entirely from what you type. What it writes is the standard PDF outline, so the bookmarks show up in Adobe Acrobat Reader, in Preview on macOS, in the viewers built into Chrome, Firefox and Edge, and in most other compliant readers.

Written by Bastien Sulyan

How to use Add PDF bookmarks, step by step

  1. Upload the PDF you want to add bookmarks to.
  2. Type the title of your first bookmark and the page number it should jump to.
  3. Add more entries using the add row button, setting the indent level for nested sections.
  4. Rearrange or delete rows until the outline matches your intended table of contents.
  5. Click apply and download the bookmarked PDF.

Common use cases

  • A long report was exported without an outline; add chapter and section bookmarks so readers can navigate directly to any part.
  • A scanned PDF of a technical manual has no navigation; build a bookmark tree that mirrors the printed table of contents.
  • An academic thesis needs a bookmark outline matching its chapter structure before submission to a digital library.
  • A compiled reference document covering multiple topics needs top-level category bookmarks with nested sub-topic entries.

Frequently asked questions

Can the tool automatically detect headings and create bookmarks from them?

No. Bookmark titles and target page numbers must be entered manually. Automatic heading detection would require parsing the text content and inferring structure, which goes beyond what this client-side tool does. For complex documents, copy your table of contents text and assign page numbers row by row.

How many nesting levels can I create?

The PDF specification allows unlimited nesting depth. The tool exposes at least two or three indent levels for practical use; deeper nesting rarely benefits reader navigation.

What happens to existing bookmarks when I apply new ones?

The new outline you build replaces any existing bookmark outline in the document. If you want to keep the original bookmarks, note them down first, then rebuild the complete outline including both old and new entries before applying.

Does the PDF leave my device when I add bookmarks?

No. pdf-lib builds the bookmark outline dictionary in browser memory and writes it into the in-memory copy of the PDF. The output is sent straight to your downloads folder. Your document never touches a server or any external service.

Can I link a bookmark to a specific position on a page, not just the page number?

The current tool links to a page number, opening the target page at the top. Linking to an exact XY coordinate within a page requires specifying a PDF destination with a coordinate offset, which is not exposed in the current interface.

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