How to add, remove, and access a bookmark in Microsoft Word

Updated: 05/01/2023 by Computer Hope
Bookmark a page

In Microsoft Word, you can bookmark a word, paragraph, table, chart, or image. Adding a bookmark in a document provides a shortcut to information you want to reference again later. A bookmark saves you time and frustration by not needing to look at every page to find that one important detail or very helpful chart. If you no longer need a bookmark, you can remove it at any time.

Select a link below for help and steps to add, remove, and access bookmarks in Microsoft Word Online (the web version) and the Microsoft Word desktop application.

Add a bookmark in Microsoft Word

To add or insert a bookmark in a Word document, select your version of Microsoft Word below and follow the steps.

Microsoft Word Online

  1. Open a document in Microsoft Word Online (the web version).
  2. Find and highlight the words or object where you want to add a bookmark.
  1. In the Ribbon, click the Insert tab.
  2. On the Insert tab, click the Link option in the Links section.
  3. In the Link drop-down menu, select Bookmarks, and select New Bookmark in the slide-out menu.

Microsoft Word Online - Add Bookmark option

After adding a bookmark, to set a custom name for it, do the following:

  1. Move your mouse cursor over the text or object where you added the bookmark.
  2. Right-click the bookmarked text or object, and select Edit Bookmark near the bottom of the pop-up menu.
  3. In the Edit bookmark window, enter a name for the bookmark in the text field and click the OK button.

Enter name for a bookmark in Microsoft Word Online.

Note

A bookmark name can only contain letters and numbers. Special characters are not allowed.

Microsoft Word desktop application

  1. Open a Microsoft Word document.
  2. Find and highlight the words or object where you want to add a bookmark.
  1. In the Ribbon, click the Insert tab.
  2. On the Insert tab, click the Bookmark option in the Links section.

Microsoft Word - Bookmark option

  1. In the Bookmark window, enter a name for the bookmark in the Bookmark name text field.
  2. Click the Add button to add the bookmark.
  3. Click the Close button to close the Bookmark window.

Microsoft Word - add bookmark

Access a bookmark in Microsoft Word

To access or go to a bookmark in a Word document, select your version of Microsoft Word below and follow the steps.

Microsoft Word Online

  1. Open the document in Microsoft Word Online (the web version) containing the bookmark you want to access.
  2. In the Ribbon, click the Insert tab.
  3. On the Insert tab, click the Link option in the Links section.
  4. In the Link drop-down menu, select Bookmarks, and then All Bookmarks in the slide-out menu.

Microsoft Word Online - All Bookmarks option

  1. At the bottom of the Navigation pane that appears on the left, click the Automatically detected headings toggle to the On Edge toggle in On position. position.
  2. Still in the Navigation pane, you can see each bookmark in the document, identified by the bookmark icon Edge toggle in On position. next to each bookmark name. Click a bookmark to go to that location in the document.

Navigation pane showing all bookmarks in Microsoft Word Online.

Microsoft Word desktop application

  1. Open the Microsoft Word document containing the bookmark you want to access.
  2. In the Ribbon, click the Insert tab.
  3. On the Insert tab, click the Bookmark option in the Links section.

Microsoft Word - Bookmark option

  1. In the Bookmark window, below the Bookmark name text field, select the bookmark you want to access.
  2. Click the Go To button to access that bookmark.
  3. Click the Close button to close the Bookmark window.

Microsoft Word - go to bookmark

Note

As shown in the image above, the Close button is a Cancel button until the Go To option is selected.

Remove a bookmark in Microsoft Word

To remove or delete a bookmark in a Word document, select your version of Microsoft Word below and follow the steps.

Microsoft Word Online

  1. Move your mouse cursor over the text or object where you added the bookmark.
  2. Right-click the bookmarked text or object, and select Remove Bookmark near the bottom of the pop-up menu.

Microsoft Word - Remove Bookmark option

Microsoft Word desktop application

  1. Open the Microsoft Word document containing the bookmark you want to remove.
  2. In the Ribbon, click the Insert tab.
  3. On the Insert tab, click the Bookmark option in the Links section.

Microsoft Word - Bookmark option

  1. In the Bookmark window, below the Bookmark name text field, select the bookmark you want to remove.
  2. Click the Delete button to remove that bookmark.
  3. Click the Close button to close the Bookmark window.

Microsoft Word - delete bookmark

Note

As shown in the image above, the Close button appears as a Cancel button until the Delete option is clicked.