Repair PDF
Fix a corrupted or damaged PDF that won't open — free, no sign-up, no watermark. We try several recovery techniques automatically.
Select a file or drop it here
.pdf · up to 25 MB
document.pdf
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0 images · one per page
Repairing…
This usually takes a few seconds.
Select or drop your damaged PDF
We automatically try several repair techniques
Download your repaired PDF
Is it just password-protected? Unlock PDF · PDF to Word
To repair a corrupted PDF for free, upload the damaged file above. We automatically try several recovery techniques, from a lossless structural fix to a more aggressive content-recovery pass, and download whichever produces a working file — the least aggressive one that succeeds. If the file is only password-protected (not actually damaged), use Unlock PDF instead. No sign-up, no email, and no watermark.
Repair PDF — free online PDF repair tool
Got a PDF that won't open, or a viewer that says "This file is damaged and could not be repaired"? Our free PDF repair tool rebuilds the file's internal structure — the same kind of fix a corrupted download, an interrupted transfer, or a non-conformant PDF generator can cause. Upload the file and we automatically try several recovery techniques, from the least to most aggressive, and hand back the most faithful working copy we can produce.
This can't recreate bytes that were never written or were overwritten at the storage level — if the underlying page data itself is gone, no tool can bring it back. But for the far more common cases (a truncated download, a broken cross-reference table, a non-standard PDF a strict reader rejects), this usually gets you a normal, openable file again.
How PDF repair actually works
A PDF that won't open is usually missing or has a broken piece of its internal structure — the index (called a cross-reference table) that tells a reader where each page and object lives in the file — rather than missing its actual content. Repairing it means rebuilding that structure from what can still be read out of the file. We try this automatically, starting with the fix that changes the least and preserves everything (text, forms, metadata), and only reach for a more aggressive rebuild if the file is too damaged for that to work. You get back whichever attempt succeeds first.
Password-protected is not the same as damaged
If your PDF asks for a password before it opens, or a viewer refuses to print or copy from it and shows "Secured" in the title bar, that is a permissions or encryption setting, not corruption — no repair tool can or should bypass a password you were not given. If you know the password, Unlock PDF removes it in seconds. This repair tool is for files that are unprotected but structurally broken.
What repair can and can't fix
Repair reliably fixes files damaged by an interrupted download, a broken transfer, or export software that produced a slightly non-standard file a strict reader rejects. It cannot recreate page content that was never written to the file or was overwritten at the storage level — if the underlying bytes are genuinely gone, no software can restore them, and re-downloading or re-exporting the original from its source is the only real fix. If a repair attempt needs its most aggressive recovery pass to succeed, the result may lose interactive elements like form fields or embedded links — you will see a note on your download if this happened.
Free, private, and on every device
This PDF repair tool has no limits, no watermark, and no catch. Your file is processed on the server and never written to disk or stored, then discarded the moment your download is ready. It works on any device, from Windows and Mac to iPhone and Android. Once your PDF opens normally again, our other tools — Compress PDF, PDF to Word, Merge PDF — all work on it as normal.
Frequently asked questions
How do I repair a corrupted PDF for free?
Upload the damaged PDF above. We automatically try several recovery techniques and download the result — the least aggressive fix that works. There is no sign-up, no watermark, and no cost.
Can this fix any corrupted PDF?
It fixes the most common causes of a damaged PDF — a broken cross-reference table, an interrupted download, a non-standard export. It cannot recreate page content that was never written or was overwritten at the storage level; if the bytes are genuinely gone, re-downloading or re-exporting the original is the only fix.
What if my PDF is just password-protected, not actually corrupted?
That is a different problem repair cannot help with, since none of its recovery techniques can bypass a password. If you know the password, use Unlock PDF instead — if you don't, the file isn't corrupted and there is nothing to repair.
Will repairing change or remove anything from my PDF?
The first, most common fix changes nothing but the file's internal structure — every page, form field, and piece of metadata survives. Only if your file needs the most aggressive recovery pass might interactive elements like form fields or embedded links be lost; if that happens, your download comes with a note saying so.
Are my files kept private when I repair a PDF?
Yes. Your PDF is processed on the server and never written to disk or stored. Everything is discarded the moment your download is ready.
How do I repair a PDF on Windows, Mac, iPhone, or Android?
The same way on every device. This is a free online tool that runs in your browser, so there is nothing to install. Open this page on any device, upload the damaged PDF, and download the repaired file.
Your privacy comes first
Every uploaded file is processed securely over an encrypted connection and is never written to disk or stored — it is automatically discarded the moment your download is ready. We never ask for an email address, and you never need to create an account before you can download your document. Read more in our Privacy Policy.
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Last updated: July 2026