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Repair PDF

Rebuild a damaged PDF so it opens again in your usual reader.

PDF

or drop files here · PDF up to 100 MB

Processed on our server. A copy of your file is stored privately for 30 daysBy choosing a file you agree to our Terms of use and Privacy policy.

PDF repair online for files that will not open

Repair PDF files that show messages such as "The file is damaged and could not be repaired" or "There was an error opening this document". A download that stopped early, a broken email attachment or a file saved by a faulty app can all leave a PDF that your reader refuses.

FileKiwi reads the file with Ghostscript on our server, skips the parts it cannot read and writes a fresh PDF with a rebuilt structure.

  • Rebuilds broken cross reference tables and the file structure
  • Helps with files cut short by a failed download
  • Clear message when a file is too damaged to rebuild
  • Several PDFs at once, up to 100 MB each

Why use FileKiwi for this

A fresh file structure

The repaired PDF is written from scratch, which fixes the broken internal index that strict readers trip over.

Works across apps

Useful for a PDF that opens in one app but not in another, for example in a browser but not in Acrobat Reader.

Honest results

If a file is too damaged, you get a clear message instead of a blank or broken download.

Original left alone

Your damaged file is not changed, so you can still try other ways to get a good copy.

How to use Repair PDF

  1. 01

    Add the broken PDF

    Drag the PDF that will not open onto the page, or tap to choose it. Files up to 100 MB are accepted.

  2. 02

    Let FileKiwi rebuild it

    Ghostscript reads every part it can and writes a new, clean file. Parts it cannot read are skipped.

  3. 03

    Check the repaired copy

    Download the result, which has the word repaired added to its name. Open it and page through it to see what came back.

Errors a repair PDF tool can fix

A PDF ends with a table that tells the reader where every page and image starts. When that table is broken or missing, readers give up even though most of the content is still there. Rebuilding it is often enough.

  • "The file is damaged and could not be repaired" or "There was an error opening this document" in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • Broken cross reference tables after a file was edited or saved by a faulty program.
  • Files cut short by a download or upload that stopped before the end.
  • PDFs that open in one app but show an error or a blank page in another.

What PDF repair cannot do

Repair rebuilds the structure around the data that is still in the file. It cannot bring back pages or images whose data is missing. If a download stopped at 60 percent, the last pages were never saved, and you will get the pages that arrived.

Heavily damaged files may fail completely, and FileKiwi tells you so. In that case, download the file again from where it came from, or ask the sender for a new copy. Both are worth trying before a repair anyway.

Password protected PDFs must be opened with Unlock PDF first, using the password you know.

Tips to fix a corrupted PDF for good

Open the repaired copy in the app that refused the original, and check the last pages first, since that is where damage from a broken download shows. Then save the good copy under a new name and keep it as your working file from now on.

If only part of the document came back, keep the good pages with Extract PDF Pages. A repaired scan can also be large, so Compress PDF helps before you send it on.

Repair PDF: frequently asked questions

How do I repair PDF files online?

Add the damaged PDF on this page and FileKiwi rebuilds it on our server with Ghostscript. Download the repaired copy and open it in your usual reader. You can add several files at once, up to 100 MB each.

Can I fix a corrupted PDF that will not open at all?

Often, yes. Many files that no reader will open only have a broken internal index, which repair rebuilds. If the file is too damaged to read, FileKiwi shows a clear message instead of a broken result.

Will repairing bring back missing pages or images?

No. Repair can only use data that is still in the file. If a download was cut short or part of the file was overwritten, those pages and images are gone. Try downloading the original again.

Why does my PDF open in one app but not another?

Some readers quietly work around small errors in a file, while others stop at the first problem. A repaired PDF has a clean, rebuilt structure, so it usually opens in the strict app too.

Is my damaged PDF uploaded or stored?

A copy of each PDF you add is uploaded over HTTPS and kept in a private folder on our server for 30 days, then deleted automatically. The repair runs on the server with Ghostscript, and the repaired result is not stored.

Can I repair a password protected PDF?

Not directly. Unlock the PDF first with the password you know, then repair the unlocked copy. FileKiwi cannot repair a file whose password you do not have.

Related tools

Merge PDF

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Compress PDF

Make PDF files smaller while text stays sharp.

Delete PDF Pages

Remove pages you do not need from a PDF.

Split PDF

Extract pages or split a PDF into several files.

Unlock PDF

Remove a known password and print or copy limits.

Crop PDF

Trim white margins or cut pages to the part you need.

Reviewed by Anna Lewiński, FileKiwi editor. Last updated October 5, 2026.