Repair PDF: Rewrite a Damaged File So It Opens Everywhere

1. 00

   What's great about our PDF repair tool

   • Your PDFs never leave your device. The repair happens right in your browser.
   • Two methods: rewrite the whole file, or rebuild it page by page.
   • Pages, text and pictures are kept as they were.
   • Safety check on every file.
   • Repair many PDFs at once, with a ZIP download.
   • Free, no limits, no watermark, and it works offline after your first visit.
2. 01

   Add your PDFs

   Choose PDFs or drag them into the preview. Use Add More to add others later.

3. 02

   Choose the method

   Rewrite File keeps everything. If the result still does not open elsewhere, try Rebuild Pages.

4. 03

   Repair PDF and download

   Click Repair PDF, then Download. Change anything and the button goes back to Repair PDF, ready for another run. Several PDFs download together as a ZIP.

5. 04

   Loved it?

   • If you're on computer, bookmark this page to your browser.
   • If you're on mobile, add it to your home screen for one-tap access and offline use.
     • Android: Visit this page in Google Chrome > tap three-dot icon (⋮) at top > Install and create shortcut.
     • iPhone and iPad: Visit this page in Safari > tap menu icon in address bar > Share > Add to Home Screen.

How it works

The file is read in full, which rebuilds its table of contents even when the old one is broken, and then written again with a clean structure. With Rebuild Pages, only the pages are copied into a new file.

After the file is made, it is opened again and compared with your original: the number of pages, the size and turn of every page and all the text must be what they should be. If anything differs, no file is produced for that PDF.

Frequently asked questions

• Is my PDF uploaded anywhere? No. Everything happens in your browser, on your device. Your PDF is never sent to a server.
• What can it repair? Files whose structure is slightly damaged, such as a broken cross-reference table, bad object numbers or an interrupted save, where the pages themselves can still be read. A PDF that opens in this page is one it can usually repair.
• What if the PDF does not open here at all? The card shows an error, and no repair is possible. A file with missing pages or a cut-off ending cannot be repaired by any tool, because the content is gone.
• What is the difference between the two methods? Rewrite File reads the whole file and writes it again, keeping bookmarks and forms. Rebuild Pages copies only the pages into a fresh file, which fixes a damaged page tree but drops bookmarks and form data.
• Will the text stay selectable? Yes. Pages are never turned into pictures.
• Does it change how pages look? No. The page content is copied as it is, and the safety check confirms the text, sizes and rotation match.
• Which PDFs are not supported? Password-protected PDFs cannot be processed. Remove the password first with PDF Password Unlock. Digitally signed PDFs can be processed, but rewriting the file invalidates the signature.

What happens to your file

Nothing is uploaded, stored on a server or tracked. Your PDFs stay in your browser's memory until you remove them or close the page. The finished PDF is a new file. Your original is never changed.

How to get the most out of it

• Try Rewrite File first. Use Rebuild Pages only if it still does not open.
• Keep the damaged original in case a better tool can use it.
• To make a large file smaller, use Compress PDF.