Repair a broken or corrupt PDF
Fix corrupted PDF files. Recover and repair damaged documents.
Fast answer
Use Repair PDF when the document is damaged, fails to open, or behaves incorrectly before you try editing, compression, or conversion.
What this tool is best for
- Recovering a PDF that will not open reliably.
- Fixing malformed PDFs before converting, compressing, or sharing them.
- Creating a healthier output from a damaged source document.
Inputs and outputs
Inputs
- A broken, malformed, or problematic PDF file.
Outputs
- A repaired PDF output when recovery succeeds.
About This Tool
Repair PDF attempts to fix corrupted or damaged PDF files. The tool analyzes the document structure and rebuilds it to recover as much content as possible.
Useful for recovering files that won't open, display errors, or have missing content due to corruption.
All repair happens in your browser, ensuring your documents remain private.
Practical guide for this tool
Use Repair PDF when the document is damaged, fails to open, or behaves incorrectly before you try editing, compression, or conversion.
What this tool does
- Attempts to recover a usable PDF from a file that will not open or behaves incorrectly.
- Can help before compression, conversion, splitting, or other workflows that require a valid source file.
- Creates a healthier output when recovery is possible, but cannot guarantee every damaged file can be fixed.
When to use it
- Recovering a PDF that will not open reliably.
- Fixing malformed PDFs before converting, compressing, or sharing them.
- Creating a healthier output from a damaged source document.
Practical examples
- Recover a damaged download: start with invoice.pdf that fails to open and check that the output matches invoice-repaired.pdf.
- Fix a malformed scan export: start with scanner-output.pdf and check that the output matches scanner-output-repaired.pdf.
Privacy and file handling
- Use this tool only on documents you own or have permission to process.
- OpenToolsKit is designed around browser-side processing where applicable, but you should still inspect the downloaded result before sharing it.
- Keep the original file until the output has been opened and verified.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Running conversion or compression repeatedly on a corrupt source before trying repair.
- Deleting the original damaged file before confirming the repaired output contains the expected pages.
- Assuming repair will recover missing bytes from an incomplete download.
Troubleshooting
- If repair fails, download the source again or try opening it in another viewer to confirm the file is complete.
- If repair succeeds but content is missing, use the best available original rather than relying on partial recovery.
How to Use
Upload Damaged PDF
Drag and drop your corrupted PDF or click to select.
Repair Document
Click Repair to attempt recovery.
Download
Download the repaired PDF if successful.
Use Cases
Recover Files
Recover PDFs that won't open properly.
Fix Errors
Repair files showing error messages.
Restore Content
Recover content from partially corrupted files.
When to use this instead of a related tool
Compress PDF
Use this adjacent tool when the job moves beyond repair pdf into a related PDF workflow.
Compare with Compress PDFLimitations and edge cases
- Repair cannot guarantee recovery of every corrupt file.
- If the file opens fine but is only too large, use Compress PDF instead.
Examples
Recover a damaged download
Input
invoice.pdf that fails to open
Output
invoice-repaired.pdf
Fix a malformed scan export
Input
scanner-output.pdf
Output
scanner-output-repaired.pdf
Task pathways
Where this fits in pdf workflows
Optimize and repair PDFs hub
Choose the closest task in this PDF category before switching tools.
Go to Optimize and repair PDFs hubBuild a multi-step PDF workflow
Chain adjacent PDF actions when one tool is only part of the job.
Go to Build a multi-step PDF workflowBrowse all browser PDF tools
Scan every live PDF utility and route to the right next action.
Go to Browse all browser PDF toolsFrequently Asked Questions
Can all PDFs be repaired?
Success depends on the type and extent of corruption.
Will all content be recovered?
The tool recovers as much as possible; severely damaged files may have losses.
Should I keep the original?
Yes, always keep the original file as a backup.
Can every broken PDF be repaired?
No. Repair can fix many malformed files, but severely incomplete or corrupted PDFs may not contain enough data to recover.
What should I check before sharing output from Repair PDF?
Open the downloaded file and verify page order, readability, visible edits, and any privacy-sensitive details before sending or filing it.
Does Repair PDF upload my document to OpenToolsKit servers?
OpenToolsKit is designed around browser-side processing where applicable. Some browser features, third-party links, or unsupported file types can have different boundaries, so review the privacy page for details.
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