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Effective Strategies to Repair Corrupted PDF Documents On Win/Mac

  author
Published By Mohit Jha
Tej Pratap Shukla
Approved By Tej Pratap Shukla
Published On October 17th, 2023
Reading Time 5 Minutes Reading

Users go into errors like “Your PDF file is corrupted or not readable” while working on these files. Do you experience this problem as well? Seeing such warnings may possibly result in the loss of your crucial data. When these situations come in front of the users the only questions arise how to repair corrupted PDF documents? What are the possible methods that can help to recover and regain access to the data?

This post will walk you through the causes of corrupted/damaged PDF files as well as different methods to fix a damaged adobe pdf file. But let’s go through some reasons that lead to PDF file corruption

Reason: Why Do PDF Files Get Corrupted And Do Not Open?

The inability to open a PDF file is a sign that the present file is damaged or corrupt. What then led to the file’s corruption? Look over the list here:

  • Faulty Adobe Acrobat software
  • PDF file transmission was interrupted
  • Damaged PDF file while altering
  • PDF file download error or partial download
  • Application or system shutdown error
  • Sudden loss of electricity
  • Malware or virus infection

So, is it possible to fix a damaged Adobe PDF file for free?  or What should I do if I am unable to open and access the PDF files?

Let’s see how to fix a damaged Adobe PDF file using manual solutions.

Using Manual Solutions to Repair Corrupted PDF Documents

  1. Update Adobe Reader/Adobe Acrobat
  • Open your Adobe Reader/Adobe Acrobat.
  • Navigate to the main menu and click Help > Check for Update.
  1. Restore an Older Version of the File

Users of Windows 10 can restore the previous version of the inaccessible PDF file using the built-in backup utility tool. Go ahead and do the following:

  1. Open Update and Security.

In order to access the Update and Security, click Windows and then choose Settings, then select the Security and Update option. Search for the Adobe application and update it.

  1. Restore the Backup to Access Your PDF File.

You can also attempt the File history tool to restore the earlier version of the file if you haven’t created a backup.

Step 1: In Windows Explorer, select your file and then click “Properties.”

Step 2: Then search and hit the “previous versions” option to restore.

Examine the PDF files’ earlier iterations. Check to see if it is the version that will restore your file to the system by clicking on the most recent or appropriate one.

If the earlier version is unable to recover your file, you can use the online tool to repair PDF online.

Read More: Quick Solution to Sign a Secured PDF in Adobe

From a Temporary File, Look For the Corrupted PDF Files.

  1. Locate the temporary folder containing your PC’s PDF files. The standard route is: C:\Users\%UserName%\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Acrobat\1X.0\AutoSave\
  2. Locate the temporary PDF file.
  3. Select the PDF file and choose to open with Adobe Acrobat on your PC.
  4. Save the PDF document as a new document once you have seen its contents.

Alternate Solution For Instantly Repair Corrupted PDF Documents 

At times we need to see the severity of the file corruption, because for mild corruption few instant tricks might help you out. However, in case of high corruption manual solutions might not work or in some cases, you may permanently lose your data. Hence, it is better to consider a reliable Tool to Repair Corrupt PDF File, which not only restore deleted PDF files but also repairs corrupted or damaged PDF files. Moreover, it can repair both mild and highly corrupted PDF files.

The utility which is available for both Windows and Mac OS can handle multiple PDF files at the same time and delivers the expected results. It maintains the file format and retains its original properties. With this, the tool is also available for a Free Trial to experience the working of it.

Quick Steps That Will Guide to Fix a Damaged Adobe PDF File:

1: To repair corrupted PDF documents, install the utility, and use the Load PDF for inserting PDF files.

repair corrupted pdf documents

2: The scanning process will begin to scan all the files and will all the deleted/corrupted PDF files.

auto scanning process complete

3: The user can view the recovered files that were corrupted. After that, click the Save PDF option and add the location where the restored PDF file data will be saved.

repair corrupted pdf documents

Also Read: Most Reliable Ways to Extract PDF Text on Mac OS X

Conclusion

It can be difficult when dealing with corrupted PDF files, however by having proper knowledge and using appropriate techniques, you can repair corrupted PDF documents and restore them to their original state. There are multiple ways out of which few work perfectly and we have explained them in this post. Now the user has manual and automated solutions to use based on the situation.

  author

By Mohit Jha

Mohit is a Microsoft-certified expert who has assisted thousands of clients with Outlook & Microsoft Office 365 issues. He enjoys writing on email clients as well as data migration. He is always excited about giving troubled readers the most up-to-date knowledge, explanation, and refinements.