How to add a clickable table of contents to your PDF
Give readers a jump-to-any-section menu by adding bookmarks to your PDF before you publish it.
A clickable table of contents turns a long document into something readers can actually navigate. Instead of scrolling through dozens of pages, they open a menu and jump straight to the section they want. In a flipbook, that menu is generated automatically — but only if your PDF contains bookmarks (also called an outline). This guide shows how to add them in the tools you already use.
What PDF bookmarks are
Bookmarks are the navigation entries stored inside a PDF — the list you see in the side panel of a PDF reader. They are different from a table-of-contents page you type out by hand: bookmarks are structured data that viewers can read and turn into a clickable menu. Toombler extracts them and shows a Contents button in the flipbook; clicking an entry flips straight to that page.
Microsoft Word
Word creates bookmarks automatically from heading styles. Apply Heading 1, Heading 2 and so on to your section titles, then export with File → Save As → PDF. In the Save dialog, open Options and tick Create bookmarks using: Headings. Your headings become the PDF outline.
Google Docs
Use the built-in heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, …) for your section titles. When you export with File → Download → PDF Document, Google Docs turns those headings into PDF bookmarks automatically — no extra settings needed.
Adobe InDesign
Build your document with paragraph styles, then during File → Export → Adobe PDF (Interactive) — or Print — enable Bookmarks. If you generate a Table of Contents (Layout → Table of Contents) with “Create PDF Bookmarks” ticked, InDesign adds a full outline.
Adobe Acrobat (existing PDF)
Already have a finished PDF without bookmarks? Open it in Acrobat, show the Bookmarks panel, navigate to a page, and choose New bookmark (or press the shortcut). Name each bookmark after its section. It's manual, but it works on any PDF.
LibreOffice Writer
Apply heading paragraph styles, then export with File → Export as PDF. In the export dialog, make sure Export bookmarks (under the General or Links tab) is enabled.
Tips for a clean outline
- Keep your heading levels consistent — Heading 1 for chapters, Heading 2 for sub-sections. Toombler indents nested entries to match.
- Use short, descriptive titles. “Spring Collection” reads better in a menu than a full sentence.
- Check the outline in any PDF reader before publishing — what you see there is what your flipbook menu will show.
The result in your flipbook
Once your PDF has bookmarks, Toombler shows a Contents button in the corner of the flipbook. Readers tap it, pick a section, and the book flips right to it — no scrolling. Combined with correct Drive sharing, you get a polished, navigable publication in minutes. Create your flipbook →
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to add bookmarks for a flipbook to work?
No. The flipbook works without them — bookmarks simply add the optional clickable Contents menu for easier navigation.
My PDF has a contents page but no menu appears. Why?
A typed contents page is not the same as bookmarks. You need to export with bookmarks/outline enabled, or add them in Acrobat.
Can I edit bookmarks after exporting?
Yes, in Adobe Acrobat or other PDF editors you can rename, reorder, add or remove bookmarks in a finished PDF.