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rochellew55953353
New Participant
May 26, 2015
Answered

How to create bookmarks in adobe acrobat reader dc

  • May 26, 2015
  • 14 replies
  • 237641 views

I feel like this should be simple but obviously I'm missing something. 

I updated my Acrobat reader to DC.  I have the free desktop version, not premium or anything.  I can't figure out how to make a bookmark for the life of me.  Is that function no longer available for free users?  There's no icon to create a bookmark and I've looked all up and down through the navigation pane and there's no bookmarks tab anywhere.  Are bookmarks gone or just gone for free users?

    Correct answer try67

    Not possible. You need to get Acrobat to create bookmarks. The free Reader can't do it, and it won't display the Bookmarks panel for a file without bookmarks (as it can't be used for anything).

    14 replies

    C
    Chandler5E7C
    New Participant
    September 8, 2021

    This is much easier than you think.  

    1. Anywhere you want, add a comment.
    2. Add some text, could be a shortcut name you want, could be Bookmark, whatever you like.
    3. Save
    4. When you next open the PDF, click the Yellow comment button on the far right tools pane to open the Comments pane.
    5. BOOM! All your comments now appear with the initial words you put into the comment.
      AlliOop
      AlliOop
      New Participant
      September 8, 2021

      This is a GREAT workaround, Chandler! Thanks for the suggestion. While I have Acrobat DC for my desktop, trying to move my online studies from desktop to the doctor's waiting room (for example) was difficult without something to mark where I left off for when I resumed either back on the desktop or my phone again. 

       

      I tried this on my iPhone and I simply had to tap where I wanted the comment - do not select any text (which was my 1st attempt's error), then I clicked on the pencil and options are Comment, Fill & Sign, Edit PDF. I clicked Comment>balloon>then clicked on exactly where I wanted that comment and a yellow background balloon appeared with an area for me to put in text. Then clicked Post.

       

      Once I made my comment, to find it again, I clicked on the three dots in menu bar on top of my screen which opened a list of several options. When choosing Comments, ALL of my Highlights (tons of them), edits (such as Insert, Replace), and "Sticky Note"s pop up. 

       

      This may not be a problem if you want to simply go to the last page of where you left off. But if it is a large document and you have lots of them, like I did, it is helpful to know at about which page you left off, since it is in order by page. So beware and make your comment something eyecatching if you have a lot of highlights and such and your 'bookmark' comment is in the middle of all that. It will also show the date it was created, such as "Today", which might also be helpful when scrolling through. There are also the symbols in the left margin for each type of 'comment' it is (a pen for HIGHLIGHT,  a text balloon for STICKY NOTE, etc.

       

      I hope this can be of even more help. Thanks again to Chandler5E7C for the wisdom shared!

      H
      hako9
      New Participant
      June 5, 2021

      Acrobat Standard DC costs 1100 rupees per month in India, meaning it is one tenth of the average monthly income of a person here.

       

      My college and various other Institutes here, give out 400-500 pages of pdf's for us to study. These pdf's often have no proper index or bookmarks to jump to and fro inside chapters. 

       

      Is Adobe expecting students like me to shell out this ridiculous amount of money, almost equivalent to my fees on this software? Is anyone listening? 

        try67
        Community Expert
        try67Community Expert
        Community Expert
        June 5, 2021

        You can use comments instead of bookmarks, in the free Reader. Add a sticky note to the page you want to "bookmark" and write the description in the comment's text area. It will then appear under the Comment panel on the right and could easily jump from one to the other.

        J
        Jared Ball
        New Participant
        June 6, 2021

        Why? so they can remove that feature later in an attempt to push me to the pro version?  What will the next iteration be?  The bottom line for me is that the bookmark feature is essential and shouldn't be behind a paywall.  The reason this thread exists should be embarrasing to Adobe.  I am sure they'll double down rather that own that this stinks. That's just my opinion. 

        M
        mousegig
        New Participant
        August 11, 2020

        For those of us with just a free reader, make a "comment" where you stopped reading titled Bookmark. When you next want to read the document, go to "search comments" type in Bookmark and you are back where you left off. When you start reading again, delete the old comment and make another comment the same way when you finish the reading session. 

        A
        Anonymous
        January 4, 2021

        I can't believe this needs a debate. It's a bookmark function to a PDF... NOT the fragging $19 bn. company. 

        Who in the right name has the idea that paying £15/month for a bookmark option is a think? 

         

        I would give you a fiver max for this. Or not even that... iBooks is not a PDF editor and does the job. 

        Unnecessary and ransoms attitude for a non-sensical non-user feedback issue. Adobe's revenue is $11.17 bn. 

        I guarantee you it's not from the Adobe Reader purchases of people wanting to add a bookamr. 

          AlliOop
          AlliOop
          New Participant
          May 18, 2020

          This, too was driving me crazy. I have both 2020 Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. In my dock, the Pro is only labeled as "Adobe Acrobat." On the other hand, the Reader is labeled as, "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC." I have always looked for the "DC" to have access to the pdf editing abilities, so had mistakenly opened Adobe Acrobat Reader DC when I really wanted Pro. Seeing I had just done an update, I was furious when I could see my previously created bookmarks, but no longer had the function to add any more. Comments were difficult to do, as well. Thankfully, I came to this page and decided to double-check what I really had opened. (Why are their names and icons SO similar??!)

           

          Don't make my mistake - make sure you have the PRO open! And if it has Reader in its name, it is NOT Pro! I will check that from now on, haha!

          J
          Jared Ball
          New Participant
          April 23, 2020

          Shame on adobe.  The fact that this string of posts exist is a failure on their part. 

          T
          Test Screen Name
          Legend
          April 23, 2020

          Hardly a failure. Reader exists as a teaser for paid-for software which satisfies this obvious need. 

          J
          jbopulence
          New Participant
          February 18, 2020

          I have the full version and my bookmark function is gone.  itis there when i open old pdf's that have been saved but not in new documents.  I have searched high and low and it's not there.

          Bernd Alheit
          Community Expert
          Bernd AlheitCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          February 18, 2020

          What can you see at the navigation panel Bookmarks?

          H
          Henrique C
          New Participant
          January 14, 2020

          What a shame! A reader which you can't bookmark. Adobe must think about it

          ~graffiti
          ~graffiti
          Legend
          January 14, 2020

          That depends on what you mean by "bookmark". You can't add "Bookmarks" which are essentially shortcuts to different parts of the pdf file but you can "mark your place" where you left off (which is what some may consider a "bookmark") by going to Edit>Preferences>Documents>Open settings and selecting "Restore last view settings when reopening documents".

          henryseiden
          henryseiden
          Participating Frequently
          November 22, 2019

          Can you read bookmarks already stored on the document in this (Acrobat) Reader DC on a Mac? Preview wqorks just fine for bookmarking, but my colleagues wityh Adobe Reader DC want to look at my marked up doc. I want to check to be sure the bookmarks will be readable for them. Do you know the answer?

           

          T
          Test Screen Name
          Legend
          November 22, 2019

          It is strongly recommended NOT to do any kind of PDF Editing with Preview, as it is well known for damaging and corrupting PDFs.

            henryseiden
            henryseiden
            Participating Frequently
            November 22, 2019

            OK. Sadly since Acrobat Reader (free version) can't create bookmarfks and apparently can't read bookmarks created in Preview (I tried, although it did mess up the PDF I had created bookmarks in, Acrobat Reader DC DIDN'T READ THEM either), what would you recommend? I'm certainly not spending silly $$ (Acrobat Pro) for this feature. 

            N
            NaturaLight
            New Participant
            December 4, 2016

            Just installed foxit. Does bookmarks better than adobe acrobat.

              fUandallwholooklikeU
              fUandallwholooklikeU
              New Participant
              March 24, 2020

              You have to wonder if the Adobe people ever read these community fora entries. There are more recommendations for Adobe competitors than there is praise for Adobe products. You would think they would get the message.

              ~graffiti
              ~graffiti
              Legend
              March 24, 2020

              Adobe already has a paid-for product that creates bookmarks. The free one doesn't.You are weldome to use free, third party tools to edit your pdf files but when they don't work as well as you'd hoped, you only have yourself to blame. If you are simply working on pdf files for yourself and don't have to share them, you'll probably be fine.

              CallMeAndy
              CallMeAndy
              New Participant
              March 19, 2016

              Alternatly load it in the Android version where you can do it - I've been bookmarking items in free reader on the train intending to utilise the entries when i get home to find that on the desktop version they are not visible - what a pain - luckily there are plenty of other alternatives. PDF XChange looks quite cool.

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