Repair a damaged PDF

Try to repair a PDF that is damaged, corrupt, or will not open properly. We rebuild the file structure and produce a clean, optimized copy where possible. Upload your file and download the repaired version. It is processed securely and deleted right after.

How to repair pdf

1. 1Upload the PDF that will not open properly.
2. 2We rebuild and clean up the file structure.
3. 3Download the repaired PDF.
4. 4Open it to check the result.

When to use this tool

• A PDF won't open, shows an error, or displays as blank pages in your usual reader.
• A file that used to work fine now fails after being emailed or downloaded.
• You received a PDF from someone else and it looks corrupted on your end.
• An old PDF from years ago has stopped opening reliably in modern readers.
• A file downloaded correctly but throws an error the moment you try to open it.
• You're trying to recover an old document from a backup that may have been only partially saved.

Tips for a better result

• Try opening the repaired file in a different PDF reader if it still looks odd afterward.
• Ask the sender to resend the original if repair doesn't fully recover the content; some damage isn't fixable.
• Repair before compressing or converting, since those steps assume a working file to start from.
• Keep the original damaged file until you've confirmed the repaired version opens and looks correct.
• If repair doesn't help, try opening the file on a different device before assuming the content is lost.

Privacy: what happens to your file

This tool uploads your file to our server, because rebuilding a damaged PDF's internal structure needs a full document engine that a browser can't run. We write it to a temporary folder to process it, then delete that folder immediately after your download is ready, whether the job succeeds or fails. We don't keep a copy or share it with anyone.

Repair PDF is one of 34 free organize-category tools on fillable.ca. It pairs well with compress pdf, unlock pdf and organize pdf for a complete document workflow — see the full tools listfor everything else that’s free to use.