How to batch set the bookmark navigation panel to show by default when opening PDFs

Many PDF files already have bookmark navigation, but they default to the page view when opened, requiring readers to manually click the bookmark button on the left to expand navigation. This article explains how to use the Set PDF Initial View feature in HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to set multiple PDFs at once so that bookmarks are displayed by default when opened. It is suitable for batch delivery scenarios such as reports, standards, textbooks, and archived materials, and can significantly reduce repetitive setup and manual checking costs.

When processing a large number of PDF documents, a very common issue is that the file already contains a bookmark table of contents, but users do not automatically see the bookmarks panel after opening the PDF and can only view the body pages. For lengthy reports, bid documents, audit materials, thesis collections, product manuals, or policy documents, bookmark navigation is an important entry point for quickly locating chapters. If every PDF requires manually opening the properties, setting the initial view, and saving it again, dozens of files can become highly repetitive and error-prone work.

The specific problem this article aims to solve is: batch-setting many PDF files to display bookmarks by default when opened. Using the PDF tool in the office software HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can uniformly set the opening display mode of multiple PDFs to show bookmarks, so that recipients can see the left bookmark navigation panel as soon as they open the file, allowing them to browse the table of contents and jump between chapters more quickly.

Applicable scenarios: which PDFs need to display bookmarks by default when opened

Not all PDFs must display bookmarks, but for documents with a clear chapter structure, many pages, and a need for frequent jumping during reading, showing bookmarks upon opening will bring a noticeably better experience. For example, corporate annual reports, project acceptance reports, bidding documents, technical specifications, compilations of legal contracts, training materials, product manuals, research materials, and archived files usually contain multi-level structures such as covers, tables of contents, body text, and appendices. If readers cannot see the bookmarks after opening the file, they need to first find the bookmark button on the left and then expand the table of contents, which is not user-friendly.

In team collaboration, this need also arises during the document standardization phase before batch delivery. For example, administrative, HR, legal, consulting, auditing, and educational training roles may need to process a batch of PDF files into the same opening effect. Using office software such as HeSoft Doc Batch Tool can avoid repetitive operations on individual files, and is especially suitable for scenarios where dozens or even hundreds of PDFs need to be processed at once.

Effect preview: the difference before and after processing

Before processing: the PDF already has bookmarks, but the sidebar is not expanded when opened

From the before-processing effect, it can be seen that the left side of the PDF reader only shows a column of sidebar tool icons, and the red arrow points to the bookmark entry. In other words, the file may already contain a bookmark structure, but the bookmark navigation panel is not automatically expanded when opened. Readers need to actively click the bookmark icon to see the chapter list.

In this state, if the PDF has only a few pages, the impact is minor; however, for long documents with dozens or hundreds of pages, readers have to manually expand the bookmarks every time they open the file, making the experience less efficient. For materials sent in bulk to clients, leaders, colleagues, or learners, it is better to set the opening mode uniformly in advance.

After processing: bookmark navigation is automatically displayed after opening the PDF

After processing, when the PDF is opened again, the bookmark panel on the left is already displayed by default, and the multi-level table of contents is expanded, such as Cover, Results in Brief, Report, Introduction, Background, etc. The body text still displays normally on the right, and readers can directly click a bookmark to jump to the corresponding chapter.

This is the core effect after setting the PDF initial view: it does not regenerate bookmarks, nor does it modify the body content. Instead, it changes the default navigation panel display state when the PDF file is opened. This step is very practical for PDF files that need to deliver a good reading experience.

Operation steps: batch-setting PDFs to display bookmarks when opened

Step 1: Enter the PDF tool and select Set PDF Initial View

After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , select PDF Tools in the left navigation bar. The main interface of the software lists various PDF batch-processing capabilities in card form, such as Repair PDF, Remove metadata from PDF, Remove bookmarks from PDF, PDF to Word, PDF to Excel, etc. The function needed in this article is Set PDF Initial View.

As shown in the screenshot, the function card is named 35. Set PDF Initial View, and the description text indicates that this function can batch-set the navigation panel, page display mode, and default zoom ratio when PDF files are opened. Click this function card to enter the processing workflow.

The purpose of this step is to find the function entry that specifically controls the PDF opening display state. Unlike removing bookmarks, modifying metadata, or converting PDF to Word, its focus is on adjusting the initial view of PDF files so that the specified sidebar or page display effect is presented when the file is opened.

Step 2: Add the PDF files to be processed

After entering Set PDF Initial View, you can see at the top of the page that the process is divided into four steps: select the records to be processed, set processing options, set save location, and start processing. In the first step, you need to import the PDF files to be processed.

In the upper-right area of the interface, there are buttons such as Add Files, Import Files from Folder, Clear, and More. For a small number of files, you can click Add Files to select them one by one. If many PDFs are placed in the same folder, you can use Import Files from Folder to reduce repeated selection. In the screenshot, the list has already imported four files: 1.pdf, 2.pdf, 3.pdf, and 4.pdf, and displays information such as path, extension, creation time, and modification time.

The expected result of this step is that all PDFs that need to be uniformly set to display bookmarks when opened appear in the list. If you find that files that do not need to be processed have been imported, you can remove them using the delete button on the right side of each row. If the list is incorrect, you can also clear it and import again.

Step 3: Set processing options and choose to display bookmarks when opened

After confirming that the file list is correct, click Next at the bottom to enter the processing options settings. This is the most critical step in the operation. In the interface, you can see the group of settings under Display When Opened, with options such as Do not show sidebar, Show bookmarks, and Show page thumbnails.

If the goal is to make PDFs display the bookmark panel by default when opened, you need to select Show bookmarks. In the screenshot, the red arrow points exactly to the Show bookmarks option. After selecting it, the software will apply this initial view setting to all PDF files in the imported list.

It should be noted that the same page also contains setting areas for page display mode and default zoom ratio. From the screenshot, these areas use a switch style on the left. If you only want to modify the sidebar display when opened this time, you do not need to adjust the page layout or zoom ratio. You can set only the Display When Opened option to Show bookmarks, so as to avoid unnecessary changes to other reading effects.

Step 4: Set the save location and start processing

After completing the bookmark display option, continue by clicking Next to enter the save location settings. The save location determines where the processed PDFs will be output. In actual operation, it is recommended not to directly overwrite the only original file. Especially when processing important contracts, archived files, or final reports, it is better to save them to a new folder for comparison and checking with the originals.

After confirming the save location, proceed to the Start Processing step. The software will batch-write the initial view settings to these PDFs according to the previously imported file list and processing options. After processing is complete, open the output files for inspection: if the left bookmark navigation panel is already displayed automatically, the setting was successful.

Common questions and precautions

1. Does displaying bookmarks equal automatically creating bookmarks?

No. Setting a PDF to display bookmarks when opened mainly controls the navigation panel display state after the file is opened. If the PDF itself does not have a bookmark structure, setting it to show bookmarks will not generate a chapter directory out of thin air. In the screenshots in this article, the after-processing effect can show a multi-level directory because the original PDF file already contained bookmarks.

2. Why is manual spot-checking still recommended after processing?

Different PDF readers may have slight differences in their support for initial view settings. Generally, mainstream PDF readers will recognize the bookmark display setting, but before formal delivery, it is recommended to randomly spot-check several processed files to confirm that the left bookmark panel displays as expected after opening and that the body pages are normal.

3. Do I need to back up the original files before batch processing?

Backup is recommended. Although this operation mainly adjusts the initial view of PDFs and does not involve editing the body content, retaining the original version when batch-processing files is a good office habit. You can save the output results to a new folder, and after confirming that everything is correct, replace or distribute them.

4. Can page display mode and default zoom ratio be set at the same time?

From the function description and interface, it can be seen that Set PDF Initial View also supports settings related to page display mode and default zoom ratio. If you also need to unify the reading layout or zoom ratio, you can enable and configure them according to actual needs. However, if the current goal is only to make PDFs display bookmarks when opened, keeping other options unchanged will be more prudent.

Summary: use batch processing to reduce repetitive work before PDF delivery

Batch-setting PDFs to display bookmarks by default when opened may seem like only a small setting, but it directly affects the reading experience of long documents. For reports, manuals, specifications, textbooks, project materials, and other files, showing bookmarks upon opening allows readers to understand the document structure more quickly and makes the delivered files appear more standardized.

Using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can centralize the work that originally required opening, setting, and saving files one by one into a single batch process: enter PDF Tools, select Set PDF Initial View, import files, select Show bookmarks, set the save location, and start processing. For office scenarios that frequently handle large numbers of PDFs, this batch-processing method can significantly reduce repetitive work and lower the probability of missed or incorrect settings. Before the next batch organization of PDF materials, it is recommended to first use this function to uniformly check and set the opening display effect, and then proceed with archiving, sending, or publishing.