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detailed_cause3777
Participant
August 22, 2026
Answered

Bookmarks panel opens automatically on every PDF, no global way to turn it off

  • August 22, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 23 views

This is how they want people to “READ” and it’s called “READER”. 

HOW DO I READ?

      Correct answer Meenakshi0101

      Hi detailed_cause3777,


      Thank you for reaching out, and sorry for the trouble caused.


      Thank you for reaching out. I understand how frustrating it can be when the Bookmarks panel automatically opens every time you open a PDF, especially if you don't use bookmarks and it takes up valuable screen space.

      Currently, Acrobat/Reader does not provide a global preference to permanently disable the Bookmarks panel for all PDFs. In many cases, the behaviour is controlled by the PDF itself. If the document author has configured the PDF's Initial View settings to open with the Bookmarks panel, those document settings will override Acrobat's view preferences.

      We also see that you are using the minimised window of the application. That is also one factor of how the PDF opens. Try setting the view settings to "Fit to width" and closing the tools pane. Or open the PDF in a maximised window.


      You may share your suggestion with the product team via the following page: https://adobe.ly/4zPbk7o. 


      Let us know if we can be of any help. 


      Thanks,

      Meenakshi

      2 replies

      Dave Creamer of IDEAS
      Community Expert
      Dave Creamer of IDEASCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      August 24, 2026

      The Bookmark panel shows up when it is set to, sometimes automatically by the software that creates the PDF. 

      Either click the close box to in the upper left of the panel, or if the PDF is not protected, change the initial view settings under Document Properties. 

      David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)
      Meenakshi0101
      Community Manager
      Meenakshi0101Community ManagerCorrect answer
      Community Manager
      August 24, 2026

      Hi detailed_cause3777,


      Thank you for reaching out, and sorry for the trouble caused.


      Thank you for reaching out. I understand how frustrating it can be when the Bookmarks panel automatically opens every time you open a PDF, especially if you don't use bookmarks and it takes up valuable screen space.

      Currently, Acrobat/Reader does not provide a global preference to permanently disable the Bookmarks panel for all PDFs. In many cases, the behaviour is controlled by the PDF itself. If the document author has configured the PDF's Initial View settings to open with the Bookmarks panel, those document settings will override Acrobat's view preferences.

      We also see that you are using the minimised window of the application. That is also one factor of how the PDF opens. Try setting the view settings to "Fit to width" and closing the tools pane. Or open the PDF in a maximised window.


      You may share your suggestion with the product team via the following page: https://adobe.ly/4zPbk7o. 


      Let us know if we can be of any help. 


      Thanks,

      Meenakshi

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