How to Add and Organize Bookmarks in Foxit PDF Editor

To add a bookmark in Foxit PDF Editor, open the Bookmarks panel, move to the page and view you want the bookmark to open, and select New Bookmark. Give the entry a clear name and save the PDF.

Foxit PDF Reader can display and follow existing bookmarks, but creating or editing a document's bookmark structure may require Foxit PDF Editor or an eligible feature set. Menu names also vary slightly by version.

What a PDF bookmark does

A PDF bookmark is a navigation link stored inside the document. Selecting it can jump to a page, heading, or saved view. A well-organized bookmark tree acts like an interactive table of contents, which is especially useful for manuals, reports, textbooks, and long reference files.

Bookmarks are different from browser bookmarks and from comments placed on a page. They travel with the PDF when the edited file is saved and shared.

Add a bookmark in Foxit PDF Editor

1. Open the PDF in Foxit PDF Editor.
2. Open the Bookmarks navigation panel from the left sidebar. If the icon is hidden, use the View menu's navigation-panel controls to display Bookmarks.
3. Scroll to the destination page. Set the zoom level and visible position you want readers to see.
4. Click New Bookmark at the top of the Bookmarks panel, or right-click inside the panel and choose Add Bookmark.
5. Type a short, descriptive name such as “Chapter 1,” “Installation,” or “References,” then press Enter.
6. Save the PDF and test the bookmark by clicking it.

Position the document before creating the bookmark. The saved destination can include not only the page number but also the current view, so an unsuitable zoom or scroll position may make the result less useful.

Use the New Bookmark control in the panel after the correct destination is visible.

Enter a label that describes the destination rather than a vague name such as “Page.” Readers should be able to scan the bookmark list and predict where each item goes.

Create nested bookmarks

Nested bookmarks organize sections under a parent entry. For example, “Chapter 2” can contain “Overview,” “Examples,” and “Exercises.”

1. Create the parent and child bookmarks.
2. Drag the child bookmark slightly to the right beneath its intended parent.
3. Release it when the insertion marker shows the nested position.
4. Expand and collapse the parent to confirm the structure.

You can also select the intended parent before adding a new entry, depending on the Foxit version. Always verify the result because the selected bookmark can affect where a new one is inserted.

Rename, reorder, or delete a bookmark

• Rename: right-click the bookmark and choose Rename, or use the supported text-editing gesture in the panel.
• Reorder: drag it to a new position and watch the insertion marker.
• Delete: select the bookmark and use Delete. This removes the navigation entry, not the page content.

After reorganizing several entries, test both the hierarchy and destinations before saving over the only copy of an important file.

Fix a bookmark that opens the wrong page or view

Navigate to the correct destination and set the desired view. Right-click the existing bookmark and look for the command that updates or sets its destination. The wording can vary by Foxit release. Confirm any warning only after checking that the correct bookmark is selected, then click the entry to test it.

If New Bookmark is unavailable

• Confirm that the file is open in Foxit PDF Editor, not only the viewing mode of Foxit PDF Reader.
• Check whether the PDF's security permissions prevent document changes.
• Make sure the file is not read-only and can be saved to its current location.
• If the PDF is digitally signed, editing may invalidate a signature or be blocked.
• For a scanned document, bookmarks can still point to pages; OCR is not required merely to create a bookmark.

Bookmark naming tips

Use a consistent hierarchy and concise labels. Follow the document's real heading order, avoid duplicate names when they would be confusing, and keep top-level entries for major sections. A dozen meaningful bookmarks are more useful than hundreds of page-number labels with no context.

Finally, save the PDF under a new name if you need to preserve the original, reopen the saved copy, and test several entries from the beginning, middle, and end of the bookmark tree.