Why does a PDF file show as 0KB?

When you encounter a 0KB PDF error and don't know how to open a 0KB PDF file, you should know that there are two situations that can cause your PDF document to display as 0KB. One is a normal case, where you haven't written any data to the PDF file yet, so it displays as 0KB. The other situation is that your PDF file is corrupted, and your computer cannot read the data within. If you're experiencing the second scenario, you might need assistance, and we can list some possible reasons that might suddenly cause a PDF file to turn into 0 bytes:

    • ? A 0kb virus might attack the computer, turning other files into 0kb as well.
    • ❌ The hard drive where the PDF is saved has bad sectors.
    • ?? The PDF file was incompletely downloaded, resulting in a corrupted file.
    • ?? The Windows operating system suddenly crashes, causing file corruption.
    • ?? File system errors can lead to incorrect 0kb PDF files.

Fixing a PDF 0KB issue is not difficult, and sometimes you may even encounter a situation where your hard drive partition shows 0 bytes. We have four safe and reliable methods to help you open a 0KB PDF file on Windows.

Solution 1: How to Open a 0KB PDF File with Software

We recommend trying the quickest method first. If your PDF won't open after becoming 0KB, you should attempt to repair it with the Fixo Document Repair Tool. This is a safe and powerful recovery program that can fix PDF files on Windows 11/10/7. By the way, repairing a PDF doesn't take too long, and using this software is straightforward.

Examine the standout features of this document recovery tool to appreciate its capabilities:

After getting to know the repair and recovery features of the Fixo Document Repair tool, you can proceed to use it to fix your 0kb PDF files:

Step 1: Download and launch Fixo on your computer or laptop. Select "File Repair" to fix corrupted Office documents, including Word, Excel, PDF, and more. Click "Add File" to choose the damaged document.

Add the file to Fixo for document repair

Step 2: Click “Repair All” to fix multiple files. If you want to repair a single file, hover over the target file and select “Repair.” You can also preview documents by clicking on the eye icon.

Select the file to repair

Step 3: Click “Save” to save the selected files. Choose “Save All” to save all repaired files. Select “View Repaired” to locate the folder with the repaired files.

Save the repaired document in Fixo

Fix 2: Open 0KB PDF File Infected by a 0KB Virus by Removing It

We've already told you about a 0kb virus that can attack your PC and make it impossible to open PDF files. After you remove the 0kb virus, your PDF files should go back to normal. Try the methods below to remove it:

  • Method 1: Run antivirus software on your computer, which will automatically remove the virus.
  • Method 2: In Task Manager, end any running processes associated with the virus.
  • Method 3: Block suspicious processes from starting when Windows boots up.
  • Method 4: Enable the Windows Firewall to defend against computer viruses.
  • Method 5: Remove the 0KB virus in Windows 11 Safe Mode.

If you want to know more about all the methods, read this article:

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Solution 3: Change the Extension of the 0 KB PDF File to Open It

Have you checked the file extension of your 0kb PDF? A correct PDF file should have the .pdf extension. If your PDF has turned into 0kb, the file extension might have changed. You can try changing the file extension of your 0kb PDF to open it.

Step 1: Locate the disk that contains the 0 KB PDF file, and right-click on it.

Step 2: Click “Properties.”

Click “Properties” Click Properties

Step 3: Click “Tools” and then select “Inspect.”

Select Check.

4. Once the utility has repaired system errors, you can rename your PDF inside the folder.

Step 5: Locate your 0kb PDF file and select it. Then, click the Rename button to change the file extension so that your PDF file should end with .pdf.

Rename button on Windows

Fix 4: How to Open a 0KB PDF File Using Command Prompt

The last method you can try to open a 0KB PDF file is by repairing the corrupted PDF using Command Prompt. You should use the CHKDSK command line to fix the damaged PDF file. Try this method if you're familiar with command lines. If you're not comfortable with CMD, go back to the first method.

Step 1: Type cmd or the full name of CMD in the Windows search box.

Run cmd as administrator

Step 2. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.

Step 3. Type chkdsk /f drive-letter:, replacing “drive-letter” with the correct letter for the drive that contains the 0 KB PDF file.

Run CHKDSK Command Prompt

Step 4. Wait for the repair process to complete after running the command. You should then be able to open your 0 kb PDF file.

If you found our 4 methods helpful, share this article with other PDF users!

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Bottom line

The key to opening a 0KB PDF is repairing it to get it back to its original state. Can you open a 0KB PDF now? We bet you've got it sorted out. If you ever encounter corrupted files again, immediately download the Fixo Document Repair tool to fix your damaged documents.

How to Open a 0 KB PDF File? FAQ

After reading the detailed methods on how to open a 0kb PDF file, you can learn more related information through the following questions:

How do I recover a 0-byte Word document?

You can try 4 methods to recover 0 byte Word document.

    1. Run an antivirus program to remove the 0-byte virus.
    2. Execute the CHCKDSK command line to fix the 0kb issue.
    3. Show hidden files to recover the 0-byte Word document.
    4. Utilize a data recovery wizard tool for restoration.

**Why does my PDF file show as 0kb?**

A PDF file showing as 0kb might be due to a computer virus, hard disk damage, bad sectors, incomplete downloading, or accidental deletion of its contents.

How do I fix a 0-byte PDF file using software?

You can use the Fixo Document Repair tool to fix a 0-byte PDF file, which automatically helps repair corrupted PDF documents.

  1. 1. Launch the recovery software and scan the disk containing the 0kb PDF file.
  2. 2. Select the target PDF file and preview it.
  3. 3. The software will automatically repair the corrupted PDF file. Just click on the 'Repair' button to proceed.

**How do I open a 0kb PDF file?** A 0kb PDF file typically indicates that the file is either corrupted or empty. However, you can try the following methods to attempt opening it: 1. **Use a different PDF reader**: First, ensure that you're using the latest version of a PDF reader, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, Foxit Reader, or the built-in PDF viewer in Google Chrome. Try opening the file with another reader, as the issue might be specific to one particular reader. 2. **Redownload the file**: If the file was downloaded from the internet, there might have been an error during the download process. Try downloading it again and make sure the download completes fully. 3. **Utilize online PDF repair tools**: Some online tools claim to fix damaged PDF files. Although results aren't guaranteed, it's worth a try. Examples include SmallPDF and PDF Repair. 4. **Contact the source of the file**: If the file was received from someone else, inform them about the issue and request the original or an undamaged version. Keep in mind that a 0kb file may not be recoverable, especially if the data is completely lost. It's best to have a backup or the original version of the file before attempting these methods.

There are four ways to open a 0KB PDF file:

    1. Use the Fixo Document Repair tool to fix it.
    2. Run an antivirus program to remove the 0kb virus.
    3. Execute the CHKDSK command to address the issue.
    4. Change the PDF file extension to resolve this problem.