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Bookmarks

Create and manage bookmarks for easy document navigation.

What are Bookmarks?

Bookmarks (also called outlines) are clickable links that let readers jump to specific pages or sections. They appear in a sidebar panel and can be organized hierarchically.

Well-structured bookmarks make long documents much easier to navigate, especially for accessibility.

Viewing Bookmarks

Open Bookmarks Panel

  • Click View → Navigation Panels → Bookmarks
  • Or click the Bookmarks icon in the sidebar
  • Or press Ctrl/Cmd + B
  • Click a bookmark to jump to that location
  • Expand/collapse bookmark groups with the arrow icons
  • The current location is highlighted

Creating Bookmarks

Add a Bookmark Manually

Go to the page and position you want to bookmark

Open Bookmarks Panel

Click the Bookmarks icon or press Ctrl/Cmd + B

Add Bookmark

Click the Add Bookmark button (+ icon)

Name the Bookmark

Enter a descriptive name

Confirm

Press Enter to save

Bookmark from Selection

  1. Select text on the page
  2. Right-click and choose Add Bookmark
  3. The selected text becomes the bookmark name
  4. The bookmark links to that location

Keyboard Shortcut

  • Navigate to location
  • Press Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + B to add bookmark at current view

Auto-Generate Bookmarks

Penvio can automatically create bookmarks from document structure.

Open Auto-Generate

Click Tools → Bookmarks → Auto-Generate

Select Source

Choose what to generate bookmarks from:

  • Headings (H1-H6 tags)
  • Page numbers
  • Existing outline

Configure Options

  • Heading levels to include (e.g., H1-H3)
  • Page labeling format
  • Replace or append to existing bookmarks

Generate

Click Generate to create bookmarks

Review

Check the bookmark panel and adjust as needed

Auto-generation works best with properly tagged documents. Run the accessibility checker first to ensure good document structure.

Organizing Bookmarks

Rename a Bookmark

  1. Click the bookmark to select it
  2. Click again or press F2 to edit
  3. Type the new name
  4. Press Enter to save

Reorder Bookmarks

  1. Click and drag a bookmark
  2. Drop it in the new position
  3. Drop between bookmarks to reorder
  4. Drop onto a bookmark to nest inside it

Create Hierarchy

Organize bookmarks into groups:

  1. Drag a bookmark onto another bookmark
  2. It becomes a child of that bookmark
  3. Click the expand arrow to show/hide children

Example Structure:

Chapter 1
  ├── Section 1.1
  ├── Section 1.2
  └── Section 1.3
Chapter 2
  ├── Section 2.1
  └── Section 2.2

Delete a Bookmark

  1. Select the bookmark
  2. Press Delete or click the trash icon
  3. Child bookmarks are also deleted

Deleting a parent bookmark deletes all its children. To preserve children, move them out first.

Bookmark Properties

Editing Properties

  1. Right-click a bookmark
  2. Select Properties
  3. Configure settings

Destination Options

OptionDescription
PageTarget page number
PositionX, Y coordinates on page
ZoomMagnification when clicked
Named DestinationJump to a named location

Zoom Options

Zoom TypeBehavior
InheritUse current zoom
Fit PageFit entire page
Fit WidthFit page width
Fit HeightFit page height
CustomSpecific zoom percentage

Appearance Options

OptionEffect
BoldBold text
ItalicItalic text
ColorText color

Bookmark Actions

Bookmarks can trigger actions beyond navigation.

Action Types

ActionWhat Happens
Go to pageJump to a specific page
Go to URLOpen a web link
Execute JavaScriptRun a script
Play soundPlay an audio file
Show/hide layerToggle layer visibility

Setting Actions

  1. Right-click the bookmark
  2. Select Properties
  3. Click the Actions tab
  4. Add or edit actions

Exporting Bookmarks

Export to File

  1. Click Tools → Bookmarks → Export
  2. Choose format (XML, text)
  3. Save the file

Use Cases

  • Backup bookmark structure
  • Share structure with collaborators
  • Import into other documents

Importing Bookmarks

From File

  1. Click Tools → Bookmarks → Import
  2. Select the bookmark file
  3. Choose import options (replace/append)
  4. Click Import

From Another PDF

  1. Open both documents
  2. In source document, export bookmarks
  3. In target document, import the file

Bookmarks and Accessibility

Bookmarks improve accessibility by:

  • Providing navigation for screen reader users
  • Creating document structure information
  • Enabling keyboard navigation

Accessibility Requirements

For PDF/UA compliance:

  • Bookmarks should reflect document structure
  • All major sections should have bookmarks
  • Bookmark names should be descriptive

Best Practices

PracticeReason
Match document structureLogical navigation
Use descriptive namesClear navigation
Create hierarchyShows relationships
Include all sectionsComplete coverage
Test navigationVerify destinations

Tips

  • Use meaningful names, not “Chapter 1” but “Introduction to the Topic”
  • Keep hierarchy to 3-4 levels maximum
  • Auto-generate from headings for consistent structure
  • Update bookmarks when document structure changes
  • Test all bookmarks before publishing

Next Steps

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