How do I add a new bookmark in Adobe Acrobat?

Open the Bookmarks panel. Go to the page you want to link. Click 'Options' and choose 'New Bookmark'.

How can I change the look or position of an existing bookmark?

Open the Bookmarks panel. Right-click on the bookmark you want to change. Choose 'Properties' from the menu. In the Properties window, you can rename it, change its style, or drag it to a new position to nest it under another bookmark.

◆ Acrobat · organize

Improve Document Navigation

Add page numbers and a running header to the policy PDF: insert sequential page numbers, add the policy title as a run…

2ready prompts

1real task

3roles

See the prompt↓More organize workflows

When to use it

real situations

A student needs to make a long research paper easy to read.
A company wants to share a large user manual with clear sections.
A designer creates a portfolio PDF and wants quick links to each project.

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Add page numbers and a running header to the policy PDF: insert sequential page numbers, add…+

Add page numbers and a running header to the policy PDF: insert sequential page numbers, add the policy title as a running header, and save the updated file so readers can reference sections immediately.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

BImprove — “do it better”Before distribution, make the document easy to reference: add consecutive page numbers, include…+

Before distribution, make the document easy to reference: add consecutive page numbers, include a running header with policy title and version, and add a footer with the effective date so managers can cite sections accurately during audits.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open your PDF document in Adobe Acrobat.
2
Locate the navigation pane on the left side of the window.
3
If the bookmarks panel is not visible, click the Bookmarks icon to display the list of bookmarks.
4
Click a bookmark in the list to jump directly to that section of the PDF.
Best practiceIf you right-click a bookmark, you can open it in a new window or tab for side-by-side viewing (source: productivity blog).

In the appWith the API

You can expand or collapse bookmark folders to quickly scan and access nested sections of your PDF.

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.

NestTo place one item inside another, like putting a sub-topic under a main topic.ExampleYou can nest the 'Quarterly Sales' report under the 'Annual Reports' folder for better organization.

NavigationThe way a reader moves through a document to find information.ExampleUsing the table of contents helps you quickly navigate to different chapters of the e-book.

Who does this

3 roles

Research AnalystTechnical WriterLegal Assistant

FAQ

about this task

Open the Bookmarks panel.
Go to the page you want to link.
Click 'Options' and choose 'New Bookmark'.

Nesting bookmarks means putting related bookmarks under a main one. This helps organize a long document. It makes it easier for readers to see the structure and quickly find specific sections, just like a table of contents helps you find chapters in a book.

Yes, if your PDF was created from a desktop publishing application, it often generates bookmarks automatically. These bookmarks usually come from the document's original table of contents or heading styles. You can then adjust them in Acrobat if needed.

Bookmarks offer faster and more precise navigation than page thumbnails. Thumbnails show small pictures of pages, which is good for quick visual scanning. Bookmarks, however, let you jump directly to specific sections or topics by name. For long documents, bookmarks are much more efficient because they act like a custom table of contents, letting readers land exactly where they need to be without scrolling through many tiny images.

Open the Bookmarks panel.
Right-click on the bookmark you want to change.
Choose 'Properties' from the menu.
In the Properties window, you can rename it, change its style, or drag it to a new position to nest it under another bookmark.