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Repair PDF

Choose a PDF that opens with an error or gets rejected by a portal or program, and download a freshly saved copy. The tool rebuilds the file structure without re-rendering pages, so quality stays the same.

Files never leave your device

Drop a PDF here or click to choose one

Choose a PDF first.

How to repair a corrupted PDF

  1. 1

    Choose a PDF

    Click Choose PDF or drag the file onto the page. The file is loaded only in your browser.

  2. 2

    Click Repair PDF

    The tool reads the objects in the file even when the cross-reference table points to the wrong places, and saves them in a new structure.

  3. 3

    Check the result

    The repaired file is opened again, and its page count, page size and selectable text are compared with what could be read from the original.

  4. 4

    Download

    The download appears only after the check passes.

What can and cannot be repaired

Repair helps when the internal structure of a file is damaged but its data can still be read. A truncated file, for example after an interrupted download, cannot be recovered this way, because there is nowhere to get the missing content from. Readable bookmarks, forms, metadata and attachments stay, but an electronic signature stops being valid once the file is saved again.

When it is worth trying to repair a PDF

Usually it is a file that your browser or PDF reader opens with an error message, shows with blank pages or will not open at all, even though its size looks normal. Another common case is an upload portal for a job, a university or a government service that rejects the attachment as invalid, although it looks fine on your computer.

The tool saves the same document again and does not turn pages into images, so text stays selectable and image quality does not change. A blurry scan is not damage to the file, though, and repair will not make it sharper. Success depends on the type and extent of the damage, so always look through the result before you send it on.

Password protected files and files that are not PDFs

The tool cannot repair an encrypted file. Remove the password first with Unlock PDF, repair the unlocked copy and, if needed, protect it again with Password protect PDF.

A file that ends in .pdf but is really an image, a Word document or an empty file is refused. Open it in the program that created it and save it as a PDF again. If the repaired file is too large for the portal, use Compress PDF.

Privacy

All processing takes place in your browser. Your PDF is never uploaded to a server, and no data remains after you close the page.

FAQ

Is the PDF uploaded to a server?
No. Repair runs in your browser tab and the file never leaves your device. The damaged document is read and saved again in the browser's memory, and the result is offered to you as a download.

Can every damaged PDF be repaired?
No. The tool saves again the data it can read, but it cannot rebuild information that is missing or badly damaged. It helps mostly when the pages are still in the file and only its internal structure, such as the cross-reference table, has failed.

Why does the tool say the file cannot be opened?
The file may be so damaged that even its basic structure cannot be read, or part of the data is missing. Try downloading or exporting it again, or ask the sender for a fresh copy of the document.

How can I tell whether the file is truncated?
Compare its size with the size shown next to the link, in the email or wherever you downloaded it from. If it is smaller, the download was interrupted and the end of the file with the cross-reference table is missing. Download it again or ask the sender for a new copy.

Will the pages look the same?
Yes, the tool deliberately does not change or re-render page content. Before download it compares page count, page dimensions and selectable text with what could be read from the original. Parts that were already damaged in the original may still be incomplete.

Will repair help when a PDF prints badly?
It can, if the problem comes from a damaged file structure. If the fault lies in the page content, the fonts, the printer or its driver, saving the file again may not fix it.

Will the file get smaller?
Often slightly, because the cross-reference table is rebuilt and objects are stored in a more compact form. For a clear reduction, use Compress PDF, because repair does not touch images or fonts.

Are forms and signatures retained?
Readable form fields, bookmarks and attachments stay, because the tool saves the same document again. An electronic signature stops being valid, though, so repair the file before signing it or ask the sender for a new signed copy.

Can it repair an encrypted PDF?
Not directly. Unlock the password protected file first with Unlock PDF, repair the unlocked copy and, if needed, protect it again with Password protect PDF.

Is repair free and without a watermark?
Yes. The tool is free, needs no sign-up, adds no watermark and has no usage limit. The repaired file contains only the original content, and the tool does not add its own name or dates to it.

How do I repair a corrupted PDF file?
Choose the file and click Repair PDF. The tool reads the objects even when the cross-reference table points to the wrong places, and saves the document in a new, tidy structure. If part of the data is missing, for example after an interrupted download, the file cannot be repaired and you need to download it again.

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