Make long PDFs easier to navigate
Bookmarks let readers jump directly to chapters and sections.
- Build a table of contents
- Organize chapters
- Label important sections
- Navigate large documents
KissPDF Free PDF bookmark editor and maker
Create PDF Bookmarks
Create a clickable PDF table of contents by adding, renaming, nesting, organizing or removing document bookmarks.
Key Points
- Read existing bookmarks
- Create nested outlines
- Click text to create
- Change destination pages
Capabilities
- Continuous PDF preview
- Full-text search
- Local browser processing
- Searchable bookmark titles
Private by default
The PDF stays in browser memory while you edit its outline.
- No signup
- No document upload
- No watermark
- Original file stays unchanged
How to add bookmarks to a PDF
Open, edit and apply.
1
Open
Choose a PDF and review its existing bookmark tree.
2
Edit
Create bookmarks from the current page or by clicking PDF text.
3
Apply
Save the updated outline in a separate PDF copy.
Practical guide
What to know before you start
Add bookmarks to PDF files online for free with the KissPDF bookmark editor. Review the existing document outline, create bookmarks from a page or PDF text, rename and nest entries, organize their order, remove unwanted branches and download a separate updated PDF.
Add, change, remove and organize PDF bookmarks
PDF bookmarks, also called the document outline, form a clickable table of contents in compatible PDF readers. This online PDF bookmark editor displays existing entries in a tree where they can be renamed, reordered, nested or removed.
- Read an existing PDF outline
- Create chapter and section bookmarks
- Rename or delete entries
- Keep multiple outline levels
Create a bookmark from PDF text
The continuous PDF preview includes a clickable text layer. Click a heading or another text fragment to use it as a new bookmark title and retain its page position as the destination.
- Click document text
- Use the selected text as a title
- Save the page and vertical position
- Search for headings across the PDF
Create a bookmark on the current page
Scroll to the required page and select Create bookmark on page. The new root bookmark points to the top of that page and can then be renamed, moved or nested under another entry.
- Continuous page scrolling
- Automatic current-page detection
- Direct page-number navigation
- Bookmark-to-page navigation
Update the outline without rasterizing pages
Applying changes updates the PDF Outline dictionaries and destinations without intentionally converting page content into images. The source file remains unchanged and all processing runs locally in browser memory.
- Preserve ordinary page content
- No PDF document upload
- No account or watermark
- Separate bookmarked output
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers based on how this tool actually works.
How do I add bookmarks to a PDF?
Choose a PDF, scroll to a page and select Create bookmark on page, or click text in the document preview. Name the bookmark and apply the changes.
Can you place a bookmark in a PDF?
Yes. A PDF bookmark can point to the top of a page or to the approximate vertical position of text you click in the preview.
Why can't I bookmark a PDF?
Some basic PDF readers can display bookmarks but cannot edit the document outline. Open the file in this PDF bookmark editor, create the entries and download the updated copy.
How do I save a PDF as a bookmark?
A PDF itself is not saved as a browser bookmark. Instead, bookmark entries are stored inside its document outline. Apply the changes to download a PDF containing those entries.
What is a PDF bookmark?
A PDF bookmark is a clickable entry in the document outline. It points to a page or position and helps readers navigate chapters and sections.
Can I edit existing PDF bookmarks?
Yes. Existing supported outline entries are loaded into the bookmark tree, where you can rename, reorder, nest or delete them.
Can PDF bookmarks have sub-bookmarks?
Yes. Move an entry under the previous bookmark to create a child section, or move it out one level to return it to the parent list.
Can I create a bookmark by clicking PDF text?
Yes. Click a text region in the preview and confirm the prefilled bookmark title. The destination retains the page and approximate vertical position.
Can I remove all bookmarks from a PDF?
Yes. Delete the root bookmarks and their child branches, then apply the changes to save a PDF without an outline.
Does this automatically create bookmarks from every heading?
No. Search for a heading and click its text to create a bookmark, or use the current-page button. This avoids adding incorrect entries from ordinary body text.
Are my PDF files uploaded?
No. Outline reading, preview rendering, text search and bookmark writing run locally in your browser.