Confirm the references are selectable text
Open the PDF and try selecting a repeated label with the cursor. PDF Reference Linker matches exact whole-word labels that appear as selectable text on one visual line. It does not run OCR, so a label embedded only in a scanned image will not match. Encrypted, digitally signed and XFA PDFs are unsupported. Files exceeding the documented size or resource limits are also unsupported. See the support page for details.
Map physical PDF positions, not printed page numbers
The destination is the physical position in the PDF, starting at 1. A printed page marked “12” might be physical page 18 after a cover, contents, and front matter. Navigate to the destination in the viewer and use that physical position. This is the same destination concept used by PDF links; Adobe also documents link destinations.
Create a two-column mapping
Enter labels manually, import existing internal bookmarks, or prepare a CSV with exactly these columns:
label,target_page
Appendix B,42
Exhibit 7,18
Each target_page value is the 1-based physical PDF position. Keep labels specific enough to avoid unrelated uses, and choose case-sensitive matching only when capitalization carries meaning.
Review false positives and existing links
Run the scan, jump between every source match and target page, and deselect any false positive. A label can appear in a contents list, header, quoted passage, or unrelated context. The extension skips text areas that already have a link instead of placing a second annotation over them. The free CSV report provides a durable list of selected and skipped matches before export.
Test the workflow on a synthetic sample
Download the three-page sample PDF and sample mapping CSV. They contain synthetic appendix and exhibit references, one bookmark, and one existing link that should be skipped. Preview, mapping, match review, deselection, and CSV export are free. Pro for version 1 costs EUR 49 once and unlocks linked-PDF export for up to three active browser installations.
Common questions
Does target_page use the printed page label?
No. target_page is the physical PDF position starting at 1, even when the printed page label differs.
Will the extension replace my source PDF?
No. Pro exports a separate linked copy and leaves the original PDF unchanged.
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