PDF is one of the most trusted file formats used to share documents among different devices and operating systems. They maintain the layout and formatting that make them dependable for personal and professional documents. In some cases, PDF files become corrupted due to software malfunctions or broken downloads. The question that most users pose is whether a corrupted PDF file can be fixed.
This guide provides the primary causes of PDF corruption and explains how a PDF repair tool can recover damaged files. We’ll also highlight some simple manual methods that help recover lost data without technical complications.
PDF Repair Tool: How to Fix Corrupted PDFs Online with Ease
Part 1. Why Do PDFs Get Corrupted? 5 Reasons
Part 2. What is a PDF Repair Tool? Benefits of Using an Online PDF Repair Tool
Part 3. Best Online PDF Repair Tool Recommendation: Repairit Online
Part 4. Manual Ways to Fix Corrupted PDF Files
Part 1. Why Do PDFs Get Corrupted? 5 Reasons
It is important to know the root causes of PDF corruption before proceeding to the easy ways to fix corrupted PDF files.
- Power Failure: PDF files are corrupted when the system goes offline during editing of the PDF without any notice. This renders the information in the file inaccessible, and the file loses the data in it.
- File Transfer Interruption: PDF files are vulnerable to corruption when they are transferred, with the occurrence of any disruption that might occur due to a disconnection of a device.
- Malware Infection: Viruses or malware can alter or corrupt the binary contents of a PDF file and make it unusable or unreadable.
- Bad Sectors or Disk Errors: A PDF file stored on a hard drive that has bad sectors or errors can become damaged or corrupted.
- Incomplete Download or Upload: The file may lose a great part of its structure as a result of not being downloaded or uploaded fully.
Part 2. What is a PDF Repair Tool? Benefits of Using an Online PDF Repair Tool
PDF Repair Tool is a software or web-based tool that is used to identify and remedy corruption problems in PDF files. It recovers their accessibility and contents without changing the original formatting and data integrity. These tools can be used to remove the information, such as text, images, hyperlinks, attachments, etc., from the unreadable PDF files.
The online PDF repair software employs complex algorithms in establishing the corruption in the structure of the document, and other problems, such as damaged pages and lost images. Then, they systematically fix these errors and recover information to make the PDF accessible again.
Benefits of Using an Online PDF Repair Tool
Many users and businesses benefit from an online PDF repair tool to maintain access to information after file damage. Let’s explore the benefits of using these tools for corrupted files.
- Immediate Repair: These tools utilize advanced repair algorithms that make them fix corrupted PDF files in minutes.
- Preserves Data Privacy: Many PDF repair tools do not save the repaired files on the servers to respect the privacy and security of users’ information.
- Malware Free Download: They provide repaired files without any hidden viruses or unwanted software installations.
- All File Sizes Support: PDF repair tools allow users to add and fix damaged PDF files of any size or format.
- Batch PDF Processing: For multiple corrupt files, these tools help add and repair all files at once to save time and effort.
Part 3. Best Online PDF Repair Tool Recommendation: Repairit Online
One of the most reliable tools to fix corrupted PDF files is Repairit Online. It offers a fast and secure recovery process that protects your file’s integrity. Users can restore damaged documents directly in their browsers without software installation. It keeps all formatting, text, and embedded elements intact during the repair process.
In addition to that, this tool is also compatible with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and image files. It offers instant uploads, intelligent file scanning, and file previews prior to downloading. Users can also recover files from sudden system crashes or interrupted transfers efficiently. This online tool ensures accurate file restoration while maintaining quality and structure perfectly.
Key Features
- Error Type Detection: Automatically identifies the specific corruption type in each file to apply the most effective repair method.
- Batch PDF Import: Allows users to add multiple PDF files at once and repair all simultaneously to save time.
- PDF Versions Support: Supports PDF file versions from 1.2 to 1.7 to repair both older and newer PDF documents.
Ultimate Guide to Fix Corrupted PDF Files Through Repairit Online
Now, follow the guide below to fix your corrupted PDF files with the best online PDF repair tool.
Step 1. Access The File Repair Tool and Upload The PDF File
On the Repairit Online’s main interface, press the “Add” button to access the “File Repair” option to proceed further.
Step 2. Start The File Repair Process
Once the corrupted file is uploaded, hit the “Repair All” button to begin the file repair process.
Step 3. Download The Repaired PDF File
Now that your PDF file is repaired without any data loss, press the “Download All” button to save the repaired file.
Why Choose Repairit Online?
While the internet now offers a huge amount of online PDF repair platforms, choosing Repairit Online among them helps preserve the original structure and content of your information.
- Idea for large projects, as it repairs up to 300 PDF files per month, with each file up to 300MB.
- Recovers PDFs stored in SD cards, USB drives, and portable devices, other than regular computer drives.
- Deletes the repaired PDF files after 3 hours of processing to protect the user’s information.
- AI reconstructs unreadable layouts and damaged PDFs when other standard repair methods fail.
Part 4. Manual Ways to Fix Corrupted PDF Files
Before relying on advanced tools, users can also try several manual solutions that may restore access to corrupted PDF files without using any software. Now, we’ll explore some methods to see how to fix any file without a PDF repair tool.
Method 1. Restore Previous Versions
When the PDF has been altered recently, find an alternate version of it in the file history or file backup of your system to retrieve a previous, uncorrupted version. The process allows users to revert to older and intact versions of their text. It helps recover lost data without the need for advanced repair tools. Follow the steps below to repair your corrupt PDF with this method:
Step 1. Firstly, right-click the corrupted PDF file folder and press the “Restore Previous Versions” option in the context menu.
Step 2. Next, you’ll be led to the “Properties” window, select the “File Folder” and press the “Restore” to restore the previous version of the PDF File.
Method 2. Open PDF in a Different Reader
The issue may even be the PDF reading software, which incorrectly identifies the PDF file as corrupted. Install a second PDF reader that can be used to overcome the corruption problems and fix corrupted PDF files. Adobe Acrobat Reader or Foxit Reader are other potential and trustworthy PDF readers. To make use of another PDF viewer to extract the corrupted PDF file, open it as follows:
Instructions. Right-click the corrupted PDF file and hover the mouse cursor on the “Open With” option. Next, click on any alternative “PDF Reader” to open the PDF file. Verify whether the file opens without any errors or issues.
Method 3. Update or Repair PDF Reader
Outdated or damaged PDF readers may cause reading errors and prevent the document from displaying its content. One of the most effective solutions is to update your current reader or repair the installation to resolve compatibility issues. Follow the instructions below to know how you can update or repair Adobe Acrobat Reader:
Instructions. Launch the Adobe Acrobat Reader and press the “Menu” on the upper left corner and hover the pointer to the “Help” section. Next, press “Repair Installation” to repair the PDF reader or hit the “Check for Updates” option to update the reader.
Method 4. Use Temporary Files
A PDF reader stores the temporary files that make the file unreadable or appear corrupted. These temporary files provide access to earlier versions of a document that might be lost after an unexpected error. The damaged files can be restored by using the temporary files approach in case you do not favor the online PDF repair strategies. Follow the steps below to repair a damaged PDF using this method:
Step 1. Open the “Run” window and enter “%temp%” in the text box to access the temporary file. Next, search for the temporary file of your PDF and copy it to a secure location.
Step 2. Now, rename the .tmp file to .pdf and check if the corrupted PDF file is readable.
Method 5. Convert to Another Format
This technique can be helpful in repairing damaged PDF files, whereby the problematic PDF is transformed into a different file format. After conversion, the file can sometimes be exported back to PDF in a usable state. Adhere to the guide below to convert your damaged PDF file to Word format through Acrobat:
Instructions. Open the PDF file in Adobe Acrobat and press the “Convert” tab. Next, choose the “Microsoft Word” option and hit the “Convert” button to convert the format of the unreadable PDF. Open the converted file in MS Word to see if it is unreadable.
Conclusion
Power cuts or malware can easily corrupt PDF files such that they cannot be read. We have talked about a few manual ways of repairing the corrupted PDF file in this article, but they almost never restore the whole document. Nonetheless, in case you want to recover your corrupted files by using a PDF repair tool, we suggest using Repairit Online to get over the problem.
