PDF Bookmark Extractor
Read a PDF's bookmark outline and turn it into a contents page. Exports as plain text, a Markdown list, JSON or a nested HTML list with page numbers.
What is the PDF Bookmark Extractor?
A PDF's bookmarks are stored as a nested outline tree, separate from the page text. This tool walks that tree, resolves every bookmark's destination back to a real page number, and shows the whole thing as an indented table of contents you can actually read.
- Walks the full nested outline, however deep it goes
- Resolves each bookmark to a real page number
- Four export formats: text, Markdown, JSON and nested HTML
- Handles bookmarks that point at a web address instead of a page
- Reports how many bookmarks there are and how many levels deep
- Read locally in your browser — nothing is uploaded
How to use the PDF Bookmark Extractor
- 1
Drop a bookmarked PDF onto the upload area.
- 2
Check the indented contents list and the page number beside each entry.
- 3
Pick plain text, Markdown, JSON or HTML from the Output format dropdown.
- 4
Untick Include page numbers if you only want the headings.
- 5
Copy the result or download it as a file.
About the PDF Bookmark Extractor
A PDF's bookmarks are stored as a nested outline tree, separate from the page text. This tool walks that tree, resolves every bookmark's destination back to a real page number, and shows the whole thing as an indented table of contents you can actually read.
From there you can export it four ways: a dotted-leader contents page in plain text, a Markdown bullet list for documentation, JSON for a script, or a properly nested HTML list for a web page. A toggle drops the page numbers when you only want the structure.
The outline is read in your browser with pdfjs, so reports, ebooks and internal manuals are never uploaded. Nothing is stored and nothing leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my PDF have no bookmarks?
Bookmarks have to be added deliberately by whoever created the file. Headings in a Word document only become PDF bookmarks if the export option was ticked, so plenty of otherwise well-structured PDFs have an empty outline.
Can I turn PDF bookmarks into a table of contents?
Yes — that is exactly what the plain text option produces, with dotted leaders lining the page numbers up on the right. Paste it straight into a document, or use the Markdown option if you are writing documentation.
What is the difference between a bookmark and a link in a PDF?
A bookmark lives in the outline panel down the side of the reader and describes the document's structure. A link is a clickable area on a page. This tool reads bookmarks; use the PDF link extractor for clickable links.
Do the page numbers match the printed page numbers?
They are physical page positions in the file, counting from one. If the document has front matter numbered with Roman numerals, the physical number will be ahead of the printed one — a common gap in books and long reports.
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