How to use it
- Drop the damaged PDF here (any file type is accepted).
- Click Repair PDF.
- Wait while up to three recovery methods are tried.
- Check the preview of the repaired PDF and download it.
Why PDFs get damaged
A PDF ends with a cross-reference table: an index telling readers where every object in the file starts. Small problems there can make a perfectly good document unreadable. Common causes:
- Interrupted downloads or uploads, leaving the file cut off.
- Email or messaging apps that altered the file in transit.
- Faulty PDF generators, often from older software, scanners or online forms, writing an incorrect index.
- Copying from failing drives or USB sticks.
- Partially synced cloud files.
Typical symptoms are the file is damaged and could not be repaired, blank pages, missing pages, or a reader that freezes.
Three recovery methods
The tool tries the gentlest fix first and only falls back to stronger methods if needed:
| Step | Method | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rebuild the structure with qpdf, an open-source PDF tool | A normal PDF with text, links and fonts intact |
| 2 | Load the file leniently and copy all readable pages into a new PDF | A clean PDF with the pages that could be read |
| 3 | Render every page that can still be displayed and save it as an image | A PDF of page images; text is not selectable |
After repair, you see which method worked, how many pages were recovered, and thumbnails of the first pages. If method 3 was needed, you can make the text searchable again with OCR PDF.
Each step is checked by opening the result before it is accepted, so you only get a repaired file that a PDF reader can actually display.
What cannot be repaired
Repair can only recover what is still in the file. If a download stopped halfway, the missing half is gone; you may get the first pages only. Files that are not PDFs at all (for example, an HTML error page saved with a .pdf name) cannot be turned into a PDF. Password-protected PDFs must be unlocked first with Remove PDF password, which needs the password.
If repair fails, the best fix is usually to get the file again: download it once more, ask the sender to re-send it, or export it again from the original program.
Private repair
The repair runs in your browser, so the damaged file never leaves your device. That matters because damaged files are often important ones: a contract you need today, a statement or a scanned record. Any file type is accepted, because damaged files sometimes lose their PDF type information.
Your original file is not modified; the repaired copy is a new download with -repaired added to its name.
A worked example
A colleague emails you a scanned contract, but your PDF reader says the file is damaged. Drop it here and click Repair PDF. Step 1 rebuilds the cross-reference table, and the result screen reports that the structure was rebuilt, with all 14 pages and their thumbnails. The repaired copy downloads automatically and opens normally. Had step 1 failed, the tool would have moved on to copying the readable pages, and then to saving the viewable pages as images.
Frequently asked questions
How do I fix a PDF that won't open?
Drop it here and click Repair PDF. The tool tries three recovery methods and downloads the repaired copy.
Will I lose any content?
Usually not, if the structure is the only problem. If parts of the file are missing, only the readable pages can be recovered.
Why is the text not selectable after repair?
The last-resort method saves pages as images. Run OCR PDF to add searchable text.
Can it repair a password-protected PDF?
Not directly. Remove the password first if you know it.
Is my file uploaded?
No. Repair happens in your browser.
Last updated: November 12, 2026