Try to recover a PDF with damaged internal structure
A PDF may contain all its page data but still fail because its cross-reference table, object offsets or stream lengths are inconsistent. FigureOwl uses qpdf in WebAssembly to read recoverable objects and write a new, internally consistent PDF copy on your device.
Problems the repair engine may recover
The tool can help with some broken cross-reference tables or streams, incorrect object offsets, recoverable object-numbering issues and certain stream-length errors. These problems can appear after an interrupted download, incomplete file transfer, faulty PDF generator or damaged save operation.
Repair is not the same as restoring missing data
No repair tool can recreate page content that was never saved, overwritten or removed from the file. A severely truncated PDF may have no usable page tree or root object. In those cases the tool stops instead of presenting an empty or unverifiable document as repaired.
Private browser-local processing
The selected PDF is processed in browser memory and is not uploaded to FigureOwl. The qpdf repair engine is loaded as part of the website, then reads and rewrites the document locally. FigureOwl does not store or inspect the file.
Keep the original damaged file
The repaired download is a separate copy. Do not delete the original until you have reviewed the result, because another repair program may recover different objects. Keeping both files also preserves evidence of the original condition if the document is important.
Review every recovered page and feature
Open the download in a trusted PDF reader and inspect the first, middle and last pages plus any forms, bookmarks, links, comments, attachments, layers and embedded media. Automatic structural recovery can succeed while a damaged content stream or optional feature remains incomplete.
Encrypted and digitally signed PDFs
Unlock a password-protected PDF with its valid password before attempting repair. Rewriting a PDF can invalidate certificate-backed digital signatures even when the visible pages look unchanged. Preserve the signed original and verify signature status separately.
What a successful result means
FigureOwl verifies that the output has a readable page tree and at least one page. It does not certify PDF/A compliance, legal authenticity, accessibility, malware safety or perfect content recovery. Use the repaired file only after your own review.