How to create bookmarks in adobe acrobat reader dc

[rochellew55953353]

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?

[~graffiti]

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".

[Bernd Alheit]

You can use Acrobat Reader on Android.

[jbopulence]

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]

What can you see at the navigation panel Bookmarks?

[try67]

The new version of Reader doesn't show the Bookmarks panel when there are no bookmarks in the file, since there's no use for it. If you open a file that has bookmarks in it, the panel will appear once more.

[Jared Ball]

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

[Test Screen Name]

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

[AlliOop]

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!

[mousegig]

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. 

[Guest]

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. 

[hako9]

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]

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.

[Jared Ball]

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. 

[try67]

Actually, Adobe has been adding more and more features to Reader over the years, ones that were previously only available in Acrobat ("behind the paywall", as you call it), or that required special rights applied to the file in advance, so it's more likely that bookmarking will be added to Reader than that commenting will be removed from it (in fact, I dare say the chances of that happening are nil). But I guess you just want to vent your frustrations, so be my guest...

[Jared Ball]

Yep,  I am venting.  I am frustrated that they removed a basic feature. It is shameful and it does undermine my trust in adobe.  There is no good anwer or rationalization.  That is trash.  Adobe could own their mistake, enable the feature and sell the pro version based on pro features rather than locking users out of basic features.  Rationalize all you want.  This is a weak move and I don't buy it. 

[try67]

Nothing was removed. Reader never had this feature.

[Test Screen Name]

Yes, Reader never had this feature. And I've used every version since 1.0. I think some people have, in the past, perhaps at work, used the paid-for product and assumed it was Reader.

[Chandler5E7C]

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]

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!