How to Open a Damaged PDF File

By Andrew Meer

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Most electronic documents such as software manuals, hardware manuals and e-books come in the PDF (Portable Document Format) file format. If your PDF reader is displaying an error instead of opening a PDF file, chances are that the file is corrupted. A damaged PDF file must be fixed using a third-party recovery application before you can open it in your PDF reader.

Advanced PDF Repair

Step 1

Download Advanced PDF Repair. After downloading, click “Open” and follow the onscreen instructions to install Advanced PDF Repair.

Step 2

Click “Start,” click “All Programs,” click “Advanced PDF Repair” and then click “APDFR” to open “Advanced PDF Repair.”

Step 3

Click the browse button next to the “Select PDF” file field to select the damaged PDF file.

Step 4

Select a location to save the repaired PDF file by clicking the browse button next to the “Output fixed file” field.

Step 5

Click “Start Repair” to fix the damaged PDF file. After repairing, go to the location where you saved the repaired PDF file and double-click on it to open the PDF file in your PDF reader.

Kernel for PDF Repair

Step 1

Download “Kernel for PDF Repair." After downloading, click “Open” and follow the onscreen instructions to install Kernel for PDF Repair.

Step 2

Open Kernel for PDF Repair. To do so, click “Start,” click “All Programs” and then click “Kernel for PDF Repair.”

Step 3

Click “Select File(s)” to select the damaged PDF file.

Step 4

Click “Repair” and then specify a location to save the repaired PDF file. Click “OK” to repair the damaged PDF file. After repairing, go to the location where you saved the repaired PDF file to and double-click on it to open the PDF file in your PDF reader.

Recovery for PDF

Step 1

Download “Recovery for PDF” (see Resource section). After downloading, click “Open” and follow the onscreen instructions to install “Recovery for PDF.”

Step 2

Open “Recovery for PDF.” To do so, click “Start,” click “Office Recovery” and then click “Recovery for PDF.”

Step 3

Click the button labeled “Recovery,” select the damaged PDF file and click “Next.”

Step 4

Specify a location to save the repaired PDF file on the following screen and click “Start” to repair the damaged PDF file. After repairing, go to the location where you saved the repaired PDF file to and double-click on it to open the PDF file in your PDF reader.

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