Repair PDF
Recover pages from a damaged or corrupt PDF online Recover pages from a damaged PDF in your browser — free, no signup.
Repair PDF — salvage pages from a broken file
Repair PDF is for files that misbehave: Acrobat errors, truncated downloads, “failed to load document,” or PDFs that open only partly. pdfLaunch tries to read every page that can still be drawn, then builds a new PDF you can download — free, in the browser, without Adobe’s Repair mode.
This is not the same job as Compress (size), Unlock (password), or OCR (searchable text). Repair is about getting a usable document back when the structure is damaged.
How this repair actually works
Under the hood the tool is pragmatic: if a page can be rendered, it can be rescued.
Honest trade-off: rescued pages are rebuilt from their visual render. That maximizes recovery when the internal PDF objects are corrupt, but selectable text / vector sharpness may not match a pristine original. If you only needed OCR on a healthy scan, use OCR instead.
Fix a damaged PDF in three steps
Upload the broken PDF
Drop the file (up to 25 MB) from your device or cloud storage. Keep the original copy until you confirm the repair looks right.
Let recovery run
Progress shows pages being processed. When finished you see counts such as original vs repaired pages and a status summary.
Download the repaired PDF
Save the new file and open it in your usual reader. From there you can compress, OCR, or organize if needed.
Damage patterns this tool targets
Interrupted downloads
A PDF that stopped mid-transfer often has a broken cross-reference table. If pages still paint, repair can reassemble them.
“Failed to load document”
Readers give up early; a tolerant load plus page rendering can still recover content that looked lost.
Partially opening files
When only the first pages open, recovery tries every page index and keeps whatever still renders.
Export / mailer glitches
Odd exports from scanners or email gateways sometimes produce PDFs that open on one device and fail on another — worth a repair pass.
Repair vs unlock vs compress vs OCR
After a successful repair, run OCR if you need text search, or Compress if the rebuilt file is heavy (image pages often are).
Repair stays on your device
Useful when the broken file still contains confidential pages
- Local recovery pipeline: pdf.js renders what it can; pdf-lib writes the new file on your machine. pdfLaunch servers never receive the broken PDF for this step.
- No login wall: attempt a repair without creating an account.
- Cloud pickers are opt-in: Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive appear only when you choose “upload from…” yourself.
Repair PDF FAQ
Can you fix a corrupt PDF online for free?
Yes. Upload the damaged file here and download a rebuilt PDF when pages can still be rendered. No account or watermark is required.
Will every page always be recovered?
No. Pages that cannot be drawn are skipped. The results panel helps you compare how many pages were recovered versus what the reader reported.
Why is text no longer selectable after repair?
Recovery prioritizes visual rescue by re-rendering pages. That often produces image-based pages. Run OCR PDF afterward if you need searchable text.
My PDF asks for a password — is that “corrupt”?
Usually not. Use Unlock PDF with the correct password first, then repair if the unlocked file is still damaged.
What size limit applies?
Files up to 25 MB. Heavy page counts lean on your laptop/phone CPU because rendering is local.
Is repair the same as compress?
No. Compress shrinks a healthy PDF. Repair tries to rebuild a PDF that will not open or render correctly.
Do you upload my damaged PDF to your servers?
No for repair — the file is processed in the tab. Online storage is touched only if you pick a cloud import.
The repaired file is large — why?
Re-rendered pages are images. That improves recovery odds but can increase size. Use Compress PDF after you confirm content looks right.
Can I repair on mobile?
Yes, in a mobile browser, though big files are easier on desktop because rendering is CPU-heavy.
What if repair still fails?
The file may be truncated beyond recovery or not a real PDF. Try re-downloading the source, or ask the sender for another export. Keep the original for any vendor that offers deeper forensic recovery.