Repair PDF

Fix corrupted PDF files that won't open. The tool analyzes the raw bytes, rebuilds the document structure, and recovers your pages. Free, private, all processed in your browser.

About Repair PDF

A corrupted PDF often still contains all of its page objects — it's the container that's broken. This tool first tries to parse the file leniently, then falls back to scanning the raw bytes, rebuilding the cross-reference table and trailer, and re-saving a clean document. All recovery happens in your browser with pdf-lib — your file never leaves your device.

Corruption Fix

Repairs missing headers, broken xref tables, invalid objects, and trailing garbage that stops PDF viewers from opening the file.

Structure Repair

Rebuilds the document's cross-reference table and trailer from the raw objects found in the file when the original structure is unusable.

Quick Recovery

Multi-step recovery pipeline runs in seconds and reports exactly what was fixed at each stage of the process.

100% Private

No upload, no account, no tracking. The damaged document is analyzed and repaired locally in your browser only.

📋 Common Use Cases

Recover Interrupted Downloads

A PDF that failed to download fully often just needs its trailing structure repaired before it opens again.

Repair Corrupted Email Attachments

Fix PDFs that arrive damaged through email or file-transfer apps and won't open in your PDF viewer.

Save Half-Downloaded Forms

Recover forms, invoices, and statements that were cut short — the page content is usually still intact and recoverable.

Fix Export Failures

Repair PDFs produced by broken export pipelines, printer spoolers, or old software that writes invalid file structure.

🪜 How to Use This Tool

  1. Select your PDF
    Drag and drop or browse to choose the corrupted or damaged PDF file you want to repair.
  2. Run the repair
    Click the Repair button. The tool parses the raw bytes and rebuilds the document structure in a few seconds.
  3. Review what was fixed
    The status panel lists every repair applied, from header fixes to rebuilt cross-reference tables.
  4. Download your file
    Save the repaired PDF instantly — no account, no email required. Verify it opens in your usual PDF viewer.

📚 Related Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this PDF repair tool really free?▼
Yes. Every PDF tool on iluv.tools is completely free. No signup, no account, no payment. Everything runs in your browser.
Are my PDF files uploaded to a server?▼
No. The corrupted file is analyzed and repaired locally in your browser using the pdf-lib library. Your document never leaves your device.
What kinds of corruption can it fix?▼
The tool repairs missing or corrupt PDF headers, broken cross-reference tables, trailing garbage after the %%EOF marker, truncated file structure, and invalid objects. It re-parses the raw bytes and rebuilds a clean file structure.
Why can't my PDF be repaired?▼
If the internal content streams are destroyed or the page objects are missing entirely, no automated tool can reconstruct the data. Repair works best on files with intact objects and a broken container structure.
Is there a file size limit?▼
Browser-based tools handle files up to ~100MB smoothly. Larger files may be slower depending on your device. For very large PDFs, try splitting them first, processing the parts, then merging.
Do these PDF tools work offline?▼
Basic PDF tools (merge, split, compress, rotate, sign, watermark, protect, unlock, add page numbers, edit metadata, flatten, grayscale, crop, delete pages) work completely offline after the page loads. AI-powered tools like smart compression and PDF to Word require an internet connection.

🔗 Related Tools

Merge PDF Split PDF Compress PDF Protect PDF