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PDF Bookmarks vs. Page Labels — What's the Difference?
Written and fact-checked by The EditPDF AI Team
These two features are easy to confuse, but they do different jobs. Bookmarks are for jumping to a section; page labels are for matching the numbers readers see to the numbers printed on the page.
Bookmarks
- ·A clickable outline for jumping directly to a section
- ·Shown in the viewer's side panel, not on the page itself
- ·Best for navigation in long or structured documents
Page labels
- ·Control what page "number" the viewer displays — useful when a document has roman-numeral front matter (i, ii, iii) before page 1 starts
- ·Make the number shown in the PDF viewer match the number actually printed on the page
- ·Do not create any navigation outline on their own
Use both together
A well-prepared long document often uses page labels to keep the visible page numbers accurate, and bookmarks on top for quick navigation between sections.
Related PDF tools and guides
Core PDF tool
PDF Bookmarks Manager
The core workflow is available without an account. Browser and tool-specific limits apply.
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