# Repair a damaged or corrupted PDF

Source: https://www.mergevanta.com/repair-pdf
Updated: 2026-10-22

> Repair PDF online free: fix corrupted or damaged PDF files that won't open. Rebuilds broken files with no watermark, no sign-up and files never stored.

Fix a PDF that won't open, shows errors or broke during a download. Its structure is rebuilt from the parts that can still be read and saved as a clean copy — free, with no watermark and no sign-up.

## How do I fix a corrupted PDF that won't open?

Add the file to Mergevanta's Repair PDF tool and press Repair PDF. It rebuilds the damaged cross-reference table and page list from the objects that can still be read, then saves a clean copy. If the structure is beyond saving, the pages are redrawn as images so their content is still recovered.

## Key facts

- **Price:** Free
- **Watermark:** None
- **Sign-up:** Not required
- **Accepts:** .pdf
- **You get:** A repaired .pdf
- **Processing:** Encrypted server for files up to 4 MB, your browser for larger ones
- **Files stored:** Never
- **Works on:** Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android

## Why use Mergevanta

- **Rebuilds broken structure:** Fixes the most common damage: a broken cross-reference table, a missing end-of-file marker, a cut-off download or stray bytes from a bad transfer.
- **Several repair methods:** When one method can't read the file, the next one tries — and the result tells you which one worked.
- **Keeps what can be saved:** Readable pages are kept even when others are lost, and the result lists any page that couldn't be recovered.
- **Private and free:** No watermark and no sign-up. Uploads are encrypted end to end, repaired in memory and never stored.

## How to use it

1. Click Choose PDF and pick the damaged file.
2. Check the status: it tells you whether the file still opens or is damaged.
3. Press Repair PDF.
4. See which repair method worked, then press Download.

## Frequently asked questions

### What kind of damage can be fixed?

Broken or missing cross-reference tables, wrong object offsets, a missing %%EOF marker, files cut off during a download and bytes inserted by a faulty transfer. Content that was never saved in the file can't be brought back.

### Where is my PDF repaired?

Files up to 4 MB are repaired on Mergevanta's server — encrypted end to end, processed in memory and never stored. Larger files, and files the server can't fix, are repaired in your browser.

### Why are some repaired pages images?

When nothing else can read a file's structure, each page is redrawn as an image so its content isn't lost. Text on those pages can't be selected; run [OCR PDF](https://www.mergevanta.com/ocr-pdf) to make it searchable again.

### Can I repair a password-protected PDF?

Yes, if you know the password. Enter it when asked. The repaired copy is saved without a password, so add one again with [Protect PDF](https://www.mergevanta.com/protect-pdf) if you need it.

### Will repairing change my PDF?

A file that isn't damaged keeps its pages and content; it's only rewritten in a cleaner form. Damaged parts that can't be read are left out, and the result lists any missing pages.

### Can I repair a PDF on my phone?

Yes. Repair PDF works in mobile browsers on iPhone and Android, with no app to install.

## Related tools

- [Compress PDF](https://www.mergevanta.com/compress-pdf)
- [OCR PDF](https://www.mergevanta.com/ocr-pdf)
- [Merge PDF](https://www.mergevanta.com/merge-pdf)