incorrect data: bookmark=id.9ig36byp4nah in place of saved bookmark when dowloaded from Google Drive.

Question

I created a document with several bookmarks and need to share across many individuals. I uploaded to Google Drive to do so. When downloaded from Google Drive the bookmarks are unreadable. The pop up appears: bookmark=id.9ig36byp4nah.

I created on a mac and downloaded on the same mac, I will need this function to work across all platforms.

Answer 1

It seems that the issue you're experiencing with bookmarks when downloading a document from Google Drive may be related to how bookmarks are handled in the document format. When you create bookmarks in a document and then upload it to Google Drive, the way those bookmarks are interpreted can vary depending on the platform and application used to open the document.

Here are a few suggestions to address the issue:

1. Check Document Format: Ensure that the document is saved in a format that retains bookmarks properly, such as .docx or .pdf. Some formats may not support bookmarks effectively.
2. Use Compatible Applications: When downloading and opening the document, make sure you are using compatible applications that can properly read and interpret bookmarks, such as Microsoft Word for .docx files.
3. Test Across Platforms: Since you mentioned needing this function to work across all platforms, test the document on different devices and applications to see if the issue persists.
4. Recreate Bookmarks: If the problem continues, consider recreating the bookmarks after downloading the document to ensure they are correctly formatted.

If the issue remains unresolved, you may want to consult the support resources for Google Drive or the specific application you are using to open the document for further assistance.

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References:

• Google Drive Microsoft 365 Copilot connector
• Microsoft 365 Copilot Search admin experience

Answer 2

Hi @Crystal Gurreri 

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum. 

To help clarify the issue, could you confirm whether the document was originally created in Microsoft Word or Google Docs? 

From my research, the bookmark=id.9ig36byp4nah format is specific to Google Docs, where it’s used for internal anchors to headings or bookmarks. When a Word document (.docx) is uploaded and opened in Google Docs, it’s converted into Google Docs format, and unfortunately, Google Docs does not fully support Word bookmarks. 

While bookmarks may behave a bit differently between Word on Windows and Mac, the issue here isn’t with Word or your operating system. It’s caused by how Google Drive or Docs handles Word documents and their bookmarks. 

To preserve bookmarks reliably, you may want to consider these approaches: 

-Download and open the .docx directly in Microsoft Word rather than editing in Google Docs. This ensures bookmarks remain intact. 

-Use a service that preserves Word metadata such as OneDrive or SharePoint. Google Drive can still be used, but recipients should avoid opening the file in Google Docs, they should download it and open in Word instead. 

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