How to Fix Garbled Text in PDFs: Causes & Simple Solutions

You open a PDF expecting clean text, and instead see strange symbols, broken characters, missing letters, or incorrect fonts.

That’s garbled text, and it’s more common than you might think, especially in files that were converted, scanned, or shared across systems.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to fix garbled text in PDF files. We’ll also explain why it happens, and walk through simple ways to correct symbols, fonts, and formatting using our online editor, so your documents stay sharp and readable everywhere.

Quick Steps: How To Correct Text in PDF (Edit and Fix Typos)

If you only need to correct a few words or fix a typo, start here. 1. Go to Smallpdf and open Edit PDF. 2. Upload your PDF from your device, Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. 3. Click the text you want to correct. Edit or retype the words. 4. Add new text boxes if some characters are completely unreadable. 5. Download the corrected PDF or save it back to cloud storage. 6. For many files, these steps are enough to fix garbled text, wrong words, or outdated information.

Common Causes of Garbled Text in PDF Files

Garbled text is usually linked to fonts, encoding, file damage, or how the file was created. Knowing the cause helps you pick the right fix.

1. Missing or Unembedded Fonts

When a PDF uses fonts that aren’t embedded and your device doesn’t have those fonts installed, the viewer has to guess. That guess often creates messy symbols instead of readable text.

2. Corrupted or Damaged PDF Files

If a PDF becomes corrupted during download, transfer, or saving, parts of the text layer can break. You may see random characters, half lines, or inconsistent formatting in specific pages.

3. Encoding Errors During Creation

Sometimes the text encoding is set incorrectly when exporting a file to PDF. Certain characters, accents, or symbols then appear distorted or disappear in some viewers.

4. Outdated or Incompatible PDF Readers

Old or unsupported PDF viewers can struggle with newer file formats. The file may be fine, but your reader cannot display it correctly, so you see gibberish.

5. OCR Issues in Scanned Documents

If a scan is processed with poor OCR settings, the recognition engine can misread characters. The result is a layer of text full of incorrect letters and spacing.

How To Correct Text in a PDF With Smallpdf Edit PDF

For most digital PDFs that are not pure scans, Smallpdf Edit PDF is the fastest way to correct text.

Step 1: Open Your File in Edit PDF

Head over to Edit PDF.

Upload your file from your device, Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. The feature opens in your browser, so you can work on Windows, macOS, Linux, or a tablet.

Step 2: Click and Correct the Problem Text

Click any text area that looks wrong. In many PDFs, the original text layer is still there, even if some characters show incorrectly. Once you select the text box, you can:

• Delete garbled characters and retype them.
• Fix spelling mistakes or outdated wording.
• Adjust font size so lines stop overlapping.

You see changes in real time, so you can scan the page and confirm everything looks clean.

Step 3: Add New Text Over Unreadable Sections

If a line is so broken that editing doesn’t help, add a fresh text box:

• Click to insert a new text field in Edit PDF.
• Type the correct sentence using a standard font.
• Place the box over the broken line to visually replace it.

This approach works well when a few lines are damaged, but the rest of the page is fine.

Step 4: Save, Download, and Test

When you finish editing:

• Click “Apply” to process the changes.
• Download the updated PDF to your device or save it back to cloud storage.
• Reopen the file in at least one other PDF reader to confirm the text displays correctly.

Many teams use this flow to fix garbled brand guidelines, sales decks, or contracts without recreating entire files from scratch. Our marketing team, for example, cleans up garbled product sheets in Edit PDF before sending them to print every quarter.

How To Fix Garbled Text in Scanned PDFs With OCR

If your PDF is a scan, what you see is an image, not real text. You can’t correct words directly until you run OCR.

Step 1: Convert the Scan With OCR

Use a PDF to Word or OCR flow that supports scanned documents. With Smallpdf Pro, you can: 1. Open PDF to Word. 2. Upload your scanned PDF. 3. Enable OCR when prompted so the scan becomes editable text.

Step 2: Correct Text in the Converted Document

Once the scan is converted, open the Word file and:

• Fix garbled words, spacing, and line breaks.
• Correct names, dates, and other sensitive details.
• Adjust fonts so the document is easy to read.

You can also use this step to standardize formatting across a whole set of scanned documents.

Step 3: Export Back to PDF With Fonts Embedded

When the text looks correct again:

• In Word, click “File” > “Save As” or “Export” > “PDF.”
• Look for options to embed fonts in the PDF and enable them.
• Save the file and open it in your preferred PDF reader to confirm everything looks right.

Now you have a clean PDF with real, searchable text that you can edit again later with Smallpdf if needed.

How To Fix Garbled Text When Viewing or Printing

Sometimes the PDF itself is fine, but your viewer or printer causes garbled output.

Update or Change Your PDF Viewer

Start with the basics: 1. Open your current PDF viewer. 2. Go to the help or settings menu and check for updates. 3. Install the latest version and reopen your PDF.

If the problem stays, try a different reader like Smallpdf PDF Reader, which is designed for smooth online viewing across devices.

Adjust Print Settings for Cleaner Output

If text looks fine on screen but prints as gibberish, try these steps:

• In your viewer’s print dialog, enable “Print as image.”
• Update your printer drivers from the manufacturer’s site.
• Keep the viewer open until printing finishes.

These changes help your printer use the fonts in the PDF instead of substituting its own.

Repair or Recreate a Damaged PDF

If you suspect file corruption, you can try repair software like EaseUS Fixo, dedicated to restoring broken PDFs. Upload the file, follow the steps in that app, then bring the repaired version into Smallpdf for further editing.

When repair is not reliable, recreating the PDF from the original source is safer: 1. Open the source file in Word, PowerPoint, or Google Docs. 2. Click “File” > “Save As” or “Export” > “PDF.” 3. Turn on any options to embed fonts.

Open the new PDF and confirm the text now displays correctly.

How To Prevent Garbled Text in Future PDFs

Once you fix the current file, a few habits can reduce problems next time.

• Always embed fonts when exporting to PDF.
• Use common fonts that exist on most systems.
• Keep your PDF readers and creation software updated.
• Test important PDFs on at least two viewers before sending.
• Use Smallpdf features for consistent editing and conversion instead of mixing many random apps.

These steps help your text stay readable for everyone who opens your file.

Fix Garbled Text in PDF for Free With Smallpdf

You now know how to correct text in PDF files in several scenarios, from simple typos to full garbled lines in scans.

With Smallpdf Edit PDF, plus OCR for scanned documents and a few viewer tweaks, you can rescue most files without rebuilding them from scratch.

Open your next problem PDF in Smallpdf, correct the text, and save a clean version you can trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I correct text in a PDF without the original file?

Use Smallpdf Edit PDF to work directly on the PDF. Upload the file, click the text you want to change, and type your corrections. Then apply the changes and download the updated document.

How can I fix garbled text in a scanned PDF?

If the PDF is a scan, run OCR first. Convert the scan to an editable format, fix the text in Word, then export back to PDF with fonts embedded. After that, you can still make small edits with Smallpdf Edit PDF.

Why does my PDF show boxes or symbols instead of letters?

This usually happens when fonts are missing or not embedded. Updating your PDF viewer, installing the missing fonts, or recreating the PDF with fonts embedded often fixes the issue.

Can I correct just one typo in a PDF?

Yes. Open the file in Smallpdf Edit PDF, zoom in on the typo, and edit only that word or line. The rest of the layout stays untouched, so you do not need to rebuild the whole document.

Why is text fine on screen but garbled when printing?

Print drivers or print settings can distort text. Turn on “Print as image,” disable “Rely on system fonts only,” update your printer drivers, and try printing again.

Can Smallpdf fix every garbled PDF automatically?

Smallpdf cannot repair every type of corruption or encoding issue. In many cases, though, you can correct visible text with Edit PDF, or use OCR and conversion features to rebuild a clean version of the file.

Is it free to correct text in PDF with Smallpdf?

You can edit and correct text in PDF for free with Smallpdf, within the limits of our free plan. For frequent work with scans and OCR, a Pro subscription gives you more flexibility and higher usage limits.