What a bookmark does in Word

A bookmark in Word is a named location you mark inside a document so you can jump to it later. When you create a bookmark, Word remembers that spot. You can then link to it from elsewhere in the same document, or reference it in a table of contents or cross-reference. Bookmarks are invisible in the final document — they do not print and readers do not see them unless you turn on formatting marks.

Bookmarks work best for long documents where you need to navigate quickly or create links between sections. They are less useful for short documents or for sharing with people who do not need to jump around inside the file.

Key Takeaways

  • Select the text or place your cursor where you want the bookmark, then use the Insert menu to name and create it.
  • Bookmarks are invisible in the document and do not affect how it prints or looks to a reader.
  • You can link to a bookmark from anywhere in the same document using the Insert Hyperlink dialog.
  • Bookmarks work best in long documents with multiple sections that readers need to navigate between.
  • Word stores bookmark names in alphabetical order, and you can view or delete them in the Manage Names dialog.

How to create a bookmark step by step

Start by selecting the text you want to bookmark, or click once to place your cursor at that location. You do not have to select text — a single cursor position works just as well. Open the Insert tab at the top of the ribbon, then click Bookmark (it sits in the Links group, next to Hyperlink).

A dialog box opens with a text field for the bookmark name. Type a name that describes what is at that location — for example, "Chapter3" or "TableOfContents" or "ContactInfo". Bookmark names cannot contain spaces, so use underscores or capital letters to separate words. Click Add and the bookmark is created. Word does not show you any visual confirmation in the document itself.

If you want to see where your bookmarks are, turn on formatting marks by pressing Ctrl+* (or Cmd+* on Mac). Bookmarks appear as gray brackets around the marked location. Turn off formatting marks the same way to hide them again.

Linking to a bookmark from inside the same document

Once you have created a bookmark, you can create a link to it. Place your cursor where you want the link to appear — typically in a table of contents, an index, or near the top of the document. Select the text you want to turn into a link, then open the Insert tab and click Hyperlink.

In the Hyperlink dialog, click Place in This Document on the left side. A list of all bookmarks in your document appears. Click the bookmark you want to link to, then click OK. The selected text becomes a blue, underlined link. Readers can now click that link and jump directly to the bookmark.

This is how most table of contents links work in Word — they point to bookmarks or heading styles. If you build your own manual table of contents, bookmarks let you make each entry clickable.

When bookmarks are worth the effort

Bookmarks save time in documents longer than 20 or 30 pages, especially if readers need to jump between sections repeatedly. A research paper with a table of contents, a manual with chapters and an index, or a contract with cross-references all benefit from bookmarks.

For short documents — a one-page letter, a straightforward memo, a brief report — bookmarks add complexity without payoff. Readers can scroll or search faster than they can click a link. If you are sharing the document with people who do not know Word well, bookmarks may confuse them.

Bookmarks also work well when you need to reference the same location multiple times. Instead of saying "see page 47," you can say "see the Warranty section" and link directly to it. If you later move that section, the link still works because it points to the bookmark, not a page number.

Viewing, renaming, and deleting bookmarks

To see all bookmarks in your document at once, open the File menu, click Options, then Advanced. Scroll down to the Show document content section and check the box next to "Show bookmarks." Bookmarks now appear as gray brackets whenever you open the document.

To rename or delete a bookmark, open the Insert tab and click the small arrow below Bookmark (not the button itself). A dialog lists every bookmark in the document. Click the one you want to change, then click Delete to remove it or Rename to give it a new name. Renaming a bookmark does not break any links that point to it — Word updates the links automatically.

If you delete a bookmark that has links pointing to it, those links will break and show an error when clicked. Before deleting, search the document for any hyperlinks that reference it, or use Find and Replace to search for the bookmark name.

Bookmarks versus headings and styles

Word also lets you link to heading styles instead of bookmarks. If your document uses Heading 1, Heading 2, and other built-in styles, you can create a table of contents automatically, and readers can click those entries to jump to each heading. This approach requires less manual work than bookmarks.

Use headings and automatic tables of contents when your document structure is clear and stable. Use bookmarks when you need to link to a specific phrase, a paragraph in the middle of a section, or a location that does not have a heading. You can also use both — bookmarks for detailed navigation and headings for the main structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see bookmarks when I print or share the document?

No. Bookmarks are invisible in print and in the final PDF if you export the document. They do not affect how the document looks to anyone else. Only the person editing the Word file can see bookmarks if they turn on formatting marks.

What happens if I delete a bookmark that has links pointing to it?

The links break and display an error message when clicked. Before deleting a bookmark, use Find and Replace to search for any hyperlinks that reference it. If you rename the bookmark instead of deleting it, all links update automatically.

Can I bookmark a single word or just a location?

Both work. You can select a word or phrase and bookmark it, or place your cursor at a blank spot and bookmark that location. Bookmarking a location (with no text selected) is useful for marking the start of a section or a point where you want readers to jump to.

Do bookmarks work the same way in Word Online?

Word Online supports bookmarks, but the interface is slightly different. Open the Insert tab, click Bookmark, and follow the same steps. Linking to bookmarks works the same way. However, some advanced bookmark features are only available in the desktop version of Word.