How to repair a PDF file.
Can’t open a document because the file is corrupt? Learn how to repair a PDF file to view your documents once again.
PDFs, like most file types, can become corrupted for a variety of reasons — maybe it was downloaded incorrectly, there was a problem with the file transfer, or perhaps the hard drive was at capacity. But no matter how the corruption happened, here are four methods to help you repair a damaged PDF.
Update your PDF reader.
Software needs regular updates, and your PDF reader is no different. If you haven’t updated your PDF software for a while, it could be the reason for your damaged files.
The first thing you should do during a PDF repair is update your PDF software. It could be a quick and easy way to make your documents viewable once again.
In Adobe Acrobat, simply go to Help > Check for updates to download the latest version of the software. If your software is up to date, proceed to the next step.
Repair installation.
The next trick to repair a PDF is to use the repair installation function. The repair installation reinstalls the software to your computer, resetting all the preferences. That way, it’s nice and fresh and will hopefully be able to repair damaged PDFs.
To use the repair installation in Acrobat, go to Help > Repair installation. A download bar will appear to reinstall Acrobat on your device. Once it’s finished, check if you can open your damaged PDFs. If not, move to the next step in the list.
Restore a previous version.
If you know the PDF reader software isn’t to blame, you can try reverting your PDF to a previous version.
Like any document, PDFs usually have a long lifetime of edits. And each edit is a separate save file. One of the previous saves might not be damaged, allowing you to view and resave for continued use.
To restore a previous version of a PDF, find the PDF location on your device. Then right-click on the file and select Restore previous version, and it will open a new window with a list of previous versions. Ideally, choose a version you know you could open before the corruption occurs. This might take some trial and error.
Once a previous version opens, resave it under a new name. You should be able to open this file normally.
If there’s only one version of the PDF on your device, you won’t be able to restore it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t repair the PDF. There’s still one method left to try.
Convert the PDF.
There are plenty of file converters on the Internet. One of the easiest methods to repair a damaged PDF is to convert it to a different file type to see if you can reopen it.
You can easily convert PDF to Word right from your web browser. Just drag the damaged PDF into the converter and download the new file. If you have a spreadsheet, this works for PDF to Excel too. You should be able to open it using the word processor of your choice and then save it again as a PDF.
Once you convert the file, try to open it in a word or spreadsheet processor. You can then save the file under a new name or convert Word back to PDF using the same method.
Since this is a brand-new file, there shouldn’t be any damage or corruption, meaning you can open and work with the PDF like normal.
Frequently asked questions.
Why is my PDF damaged?
There are many reasons why a PDF might become damaged. Some of the most common reasons for corruption include interrupted or improper downloads, out-of-date software, a full hard drive, or problems during file transfer, among others.
What are PDF fixers?
PDF fixers are third-party applications with the sole purpose of repairing damaged PDFs. There are fixers that work well, but it’s important to do your research to find a PDF fixer that’s legitimate. You shouldn’t download unfamiliar software.
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Content as a Service v2 - acrobat-hub - Tuesday, October 24, 2023 at 10:18