Sioyek
A Windows PDF reader optimized for textbooks and research papers, with table-of-contents search, smart citation jumps, overview windows, marks, bookmarks, highlights and dual-screen portals.
What Sioyek does
Sioyek focuses on textbooks and research papers, with fast table-of-contents search, Smart Jump for figures and references, overview windows, temporary marks, named bookmarks, searchable highlights and Portals that connect a reading position with distant material on another screen.
Smart recognition and document links
Smart Jump can attempt to identify figures, equations and references even when a PDF lacks internal links, but scans, unusual text encoding and complex layouts reduce accuracy. Every jump should be checked against the target page. Highlights, bookmarks, marks and reading history are user data that need their own backup apart from the PDF files.
Maintenance note
This page reviews Sioyek 2.0.0 for Windows, text-layer requirements, Smart Jump, overviews, marks, bookmarks, highlights, Portals and user configuration. Content review date: 2026-08-23.
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Sioyek Windows academic PDF reading guide
Test search and citation jumps on a public paper with a text layer, then create highlights and bookmarks while keeping a backup of the reading database before changing configuration.
Before you start
- Prepare a permitted PDF with selectable text, a table of contents and references; check OCR status for scanned documents.
- Keep the current system PDF association during the first trial and record the location of user keys, preferences and reading data.
- If using highlights, bookmarks or Portals, define a backup and restore method before editing the user configuration.
Installation steps
- 01
Extract the Windows package
Extract the archive to a fixed directory, keep its dependency files and open a test PDF through the executable.
- 02
Verify text and navigation
Select text, search a keyword and open the table of contents, confirming that the document has a usable text layer and fonts render correctly.
- 03
Back up user configuration
Copy keys_user.config and prefs_user.config before editing them, and record the reading-data directory for upgrades or resets.
Quick start
- 01
Search and jump through the paper
Search terms and table-of-contents entries, checking each destination and separating native PDF links from Sioyek recognition.
- 02
Create marks and highlights
Use a temporary mark for a return point, then named bookmarks and distinct highlight types; reopen the document to verify persistence.
- 03
Test overviews and Portals
Use an overview or Smart Jump for a figure or reference, confirm the destination and create a Portal only after the first-screen workflow is stable.
Usage tips
- Some citation shortcuts can send a query to an external search service; inspect the action before using it with unpublished material.
- Back up highlights, bookmarks, marks and history independently of PDFs, and rehearse one restore before upgrading.
- Custom key bindings can replace quit, delete or external-command behavior; change a few lines at a time and keep comments.
Troubleshooting and uninstall
Why is text search or Smart Jump inaccurate?
Check for scan-only pages, broken text encoding, missing table structure and unusual layouts, and generate a text layer with a trusted OCR workflow when appropriate.
Why did highlights or shortcuts disappear after an upgrade?
Stop writes, back up current user data and compare the old and new configuration and database locations before restoring a copy.
- Back up reading dataCopy configuration, bookmarks, highlights and reading state, remove the file association if needed and verify the backup before deleting the program directory.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sioyek suitable for ordinary PDFs?
Yes, but its strongest features target textbooks and research papers with contents, references and figures. Scan-only PDFs may need OCR before search and smart jumps work well.
Can Smart Jump work without internal PDF links?
It can attempt to recognize figures, formulas and references, but the result is not guaranteed. Check the destination page before relying on a citation.
What should be backed up before reinstalling?
Keep the PDF files plus user keys, preferences and the data that stores highlights, bookmarks, marks and reading state.