Unwanted bookmarks when merging pdfs

[Oggy]

When merging multiple pdfs, Acrobat creates a bookmark with the filename wherever i inserted another document. How can I prevent that?

[JR Boulay]

There are several ways to merge PDFs, which one do you use?

[Oggy]

I'm using the merge tool in acrobat pro dc

[try67]

Do you mean "Combine Files into PDF"? If so, you can disable adding bookmarks via the Options button in that dialog, and then un-ticking "Always add bookmarks to Adobe PDF".

[Oggy]

Yes I mean that tool and I know about the option you're talking about. But if untick it, there's no Bookmarks in the merged PDF at all and I want the bookmarks to be shown. My problem is following:

I have 10-page PDF with cover sheets (lets call it cover.pdf). When I insert another PDF (lets call it chapter.pdf) after one of those cover sheets (e.g. the second one) my index looks like this:

cover.pdf

   title of first coversheet

   title of second coversheet

chapter.pdf

cover (somehow without the .pdf suffix)

   title of third coversheet

   title of fourth coversheet

   and so on...

What I want is an index without multiple entries showing the filename of the cover.pdf (with or without suffix)

I want it to look like this:

title of first coversheet

title of second coversheet

   chapter.pdf

title of third coversheet

title of fourth coversheet

and so on...

I hope you can help me, thx in advance!

[defaultxkexvarm40me]

Having a similar probelm. Trying to combine multiple pdfs and Adobe just throws the bookmarks into a blender. Missing multiple, changing bookmark names, re-organizing. It's all over the place. Cannot standardize it or change it in a way that will not only preserve the previous booksmarks, but also add new ones for each pdf being added.

[denjohan1]

I have the same problem. I want to combine PDF files that are already bookmarked but I don't want the new bookmarks created from the file names of the original files. This problem occurs both when combining from within Acrobat and when using the Windows context menu.

[Bernd Alheit]

Open one PDF file.

Use Tools > Organize Pages

Insert the other PDF files.

[denjohan1]

Doesn't work. I chose the first PDF file and but there is no "Organize Pages" in Tools, just "Insert Pages" and the "Insert from File" is greyed out. "Combine Files into PDF" is visible but that removes all the bookmarks that were in the individual files. "More Insert Options" has only "Insert from Clipboard", "Insert from Scanner", "Add to PDF from Web Page", and "Insert Blank Page", the 1st and 4th of which are greyed out.

[denjohan1]

Sorry, the file was in read-only mode. I was able to insert pages but new bookmarks named with the file name are still created. 

[Bernd Alheit]

What version of Adobe Acrobat does you use?

[denjohan1]

Acrobat Pro 11.0.23

[Bernd Alheit]

Sorry, I can't help you with this old version.

[denjohan1]

From what version was this problem fixed?

[JR Boulay]

The screenshot below is Acrobat DC, I can't remember where but this option also exists somewhere in Acrobat 11

[denjohan1]

I just purchased Acrobat Pro DC and tried to merge documents in the web app, but the same problem of unwanted bookmarks occurs. I have not yet installed a local copy - does anyone know whether this problem was solved with the local copy?

[JR Boulay · Accepted solution]