Repair a damaged PDF
Choose a PDF that will not open, opens with errors, or shows blank pages. The page rebuilds the file's internal index and saves a clean copy. Nothing is uploaded.
- Rebuilt in this tab
- Free, no sign-up
Runs in your browser. Nothing you type or open is uploaded. Free to use, no account. More pdf tools
How to use it
- Choose the damaged PDF.
- Press Repair PDF. If the file has a password, the page asks for it.
- Keep the download and check every page.
What it can and cannot fix
Most PDFs that refuse to open have a broken cross-reference table: the index that says where each page and picture sits in the file. That happens when a download stops early, or an app crashes while saving. qpdf scans the whole file, rebuilds the index and writes a fresh copy, and the note lists the problems it worked around.
It cannot bring back content that is not in the file. If a download stopped halfway, the missing pages are gone, so get the file again if you can. A file that is not a PDF at all, such as a renamed Word document or an empty file, cannot be repaired.
Use Repair PDF when a file will not open at all, or opens with an error that it is damaged. If the file opens but asks for a password, you need Unlock PDF with that password. If the pages open but the text cannot be searched or copied, the file is a scan and needs OCR PDF. If it is simply too large to email, use Compress PDF.
Private by design
Privacy
The PDF stays in this tab. It is not uploaded.
This page also shows Google ads, which can use cookies. Privacy and cookies explains how.
Questions
Why will my PDF not open?
Usually the download was cut short, or the app that saved it crashed. Both leave the file's internal index broken, which this page rebuilds.
Will it change my pages?
No. It copies the pages as they are into a clean file. It does not redraw or compress them.
What if it says the file is not a PDF?
Too little of a PDF is left, or the file is a different type with a .pdf name. Download it again from the source.
Does it work on password-protected files?
Yes, if you type the password. The repaired copy keeps the same password.
Is the file uploaded?
No. qpdf runs as WebAssembly in this tab.