How do I create a new bookmark in a PDF?

Open the Bookmarks panel. Go to the page you want the bookmark to link to. Click 'Options' and select 'New Bookmark'. Rename the new bookmark to describe the page content.

What are bookmarks in a PDF and why are they important?

Bookmarks are like a digital table of contents for your PDF. They are important because they let readers quickly jump to specific sections or pages. This makes long documents much easier to use and understand, saving time for anyone reading your PDF.

If I create a PDF from a desktop publishing app, will I have bookmarks automatically?

Yes, if your document has a table of contents in the publishing app, Acrobat can often create bookmarks automatically when you make the PDF. This saves you time from adding them manually.

How can I organize bookmarks to make a long report easy to read?

To make a long report easy to read, organize your bookmarks to match the heading structure of your document. You can nest bookmarks by dragging them under other bookmarks. For example, a 'Chapter 1' bookmark could have 'Introduction' and 'Methods' nested under it. This creates a clear, hierarchical navigation that helps readers quickly find specific sections without scrolling through the whole document.

Why should I rename a new bookmark right after I create it?

You should rename a new bookmark immediately because new bookmarks often have a default name like 'Untitled'. If you don't rename it, all your bookmarks might look the same, making your document hard to navigate. A clear name helps you and others understand what each bookmark links to.

Generate bookmarks during PDF creation from Word/PowerPoint in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

3 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Make a PDF from [Word/PowerPoint] with bookmarks for each [heading/slide]…+

Please make a PDF from my [Word/PowerPoint] file and add bookmarks for each [heading/slide] so I can jump to sections easily.

when the reply comes backWant to add custom names to your bookmarks?

BImprove — “do it better”Change my PDF bookmarks to match my [outline/slide order]…+

Can you improve the bookmarks in my PDF so they match the order and structure of my [document outline/PowerPoint slides]?

when the reply comes backNeed help organizing bookmarks into folders?

CDecide — “help me choose”Should I make bookmarks for [all headings/just main sections]?…+

Should I create bookmarks for every heading and subheading, or just the main sections in my [Word/PowerPoint] PDF?

when the reply comes backCurious how to update bookmarks after editing your document?

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open your Word or PowerPoint document and ensure you use built-in heading styles (Word) or slide titles (PowerPoint) for the sections you want as bookmarks.
Best practiceConsistent use of heading styles or slide titles ensures a clean, logical bookmark structure in the exported PDF.
2
Click the File menu and select Save As Adobe PDF or use the Acrobat tab and click Create PDF (if the Acrobat add-in is installed).
3
In the PDF creation dialog, ensure the option to create bookmarks from headings (Word) or slide titles (PowerPoint) is checked.
NoteIn Word, this option is typically labeled 'Create bookmarks using:' with checkboxes for 'Headings' and/or 'Word bookmarks.' In PowerPoint, it is usually 'Add bookmarks to Adobe PDF.'
4
Click OK or Save to generate the PDF with bookmarks automatically created from your document structure.
5
Open the resulting PDF in Adobe Acrobat and verify that bookmarks appear in the navigation pane, reflecting your document's headings or slide titles.

In the appWith the API

You can quickly check your exported PDF's bookmarks by opening the navigation pane on the left side of Acrobat.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

BookmarkA link in a PDF that helps you jump to a specific part of the document.ExampleClicking the 'Exhibit A' bookmark takes you directly to the relevant court document.

PDFA common file type used to share documents that look the same everywhere.ExampleShe saved the brochure as a PDF so everyone would see the exact same layout and fonts.

ExportTo change a file into a different type so you can use it elsewhere.ExampleYou can export the spreadsheet as a CSV file to open it in a different program.

The real tasks

the one, listed here

Apply consistent page numbering across a batch of legal delivery records so reviewers can reference line items easily.

FAQ

about this task

When you export a Word document to PDF, you can set it to create bookmarks automatically from your headings. This makes it easy to jump to different sections in the PDF.

Bookmarks in a PDF act like a table of contents, letting you quickly jump to any slide or section, which is helpful for studying or presenting.

Yes, you can usually pick which headings or slides turn into bookmarks by adjusting your export settings or by editing the bookmarks later in Adobe Acrobat.

Bookmarks help you move around inside the PDF using a side panel, while hyperlinks are clickable text or images in the document itself that can go to websites or other pages.

Most newer versions of Word and PowerPoint can make bookmarks when saving as PDF, but using Adobe Acrobat gives you more control over how bookmarks look and work.

Generate bookmarks during PDF creation from Word/PowerPoint

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help