Repair PDF: recover files that won't open
To repair a damaged PDF with NoCatchPDF, open the tool, pick the file and click repair. The PDF is rewritten from scratch — which fixes common structural damage such as a broken cross-reference table. If that fails, the pages that still open are recovered as images. Everything in your browser, no upload.
Repair my PDF now →How it works
- Open the tool. Click the button below to open the repair PDF tool.
- Pick the damaged PDF. Choose the file that won't open or opens with errors.
- Repair and download. Click repair and save the recovered copy; check that it opens normally.
Why is it free and unlimited?
Because processing happens in your browser, not on our servers. We don't pay for expensive infrastructure to process your files — so we don't need to charge you, make you sign up, or cap your usage. No catch: that's literally what the name means.
FAQ
What kind of damage can it repair?
Common structural damage: a broken or displaced cross-reference table (xref), extra data at the end of the file, invalid encryption flags. The file is rewritten from scratch, rebuilding those structures.
Can it recover any file?
No — and be suspicious of anyone who promises that. If neither the rewrite nor the alternative reader works, the tool tells you the file is damaged beyond what a browser can repair.
What is the destructive recovery mode?
When the direct rewrite fails, the pages that can still be opened are rendered as images into a new PDF. The visual content is preserved, but the text is no longer selectable.