In recent years, almost all video media has moved from analog storage on tapes to digital storage on figurer hard drives. This is a practiced thing, as digital media tin be easily backed up, and doesn't degrade over time.

Unfortunately, all of the benefits of digital video storage are lost when a file becomes corrupted and won't open. At that place are ways to repair and play damaged or corrupt video files, even so, and this article should assist you recover your information.

1 of the odd quirks of fixing corrupted video is that not all techniques to repair a video file piece of work all of the fourth dimension. Don't be disheartened if ane of the methods in this commodity doesn't work the first time!

Check Your Drive

Earlier trying to repair a video file, it'due south worth confirming that the file is the problem and not your hardware. If you are using an external hard drive that requires a carve up power supply, try irresolute the ability supply and seeing if that fixes information technology. Information technology'south worth checking your bulldoze for errors too.

If you are using a USB bulldoze, endeavor connecting information technology through a powered USB hub. Undervoltage tin cause a variety of hard to debug errors, and then it is worth ruling out. USB drives are prone to harm and could be the root cause of your problems.

Finally, attempt opening your video files in a unlike program like VLC media actor. Sometimes organization updates tin can cause default video software to have problems opening certain file types. Gratis video players like VLC are usually meliorate at playing a wider variety of files.

Online Video Recovery With Fix.Video

The simplest manner to recover broken or corrupt video files is to become someone else to do it. Online services similar Set.Video have uploaded decadent video files and fix them for a small fee.

Free video recovery services exist, but your options for resolution and max file size will be limited. They usually add together a watermark to your video files too.

If you are looking for a gratuitous solution to a broken video file, trying i of the software methods below is a better thought.

Recover Corrupted Video With VLC Media Actor

VLC media player is among the best complimentary video players out there. It's likewise a powerful tool for converting and repairing video files. VLC's file conversion process has the useful side-consequence of fixing corrupted video. Follow these steps to try and recover your files:

  1. Open up the Media bill of fare.
  2. Select Catechumen/Save.
  3. Employ the Add dialog box to choose your file.
  4. Click Convert/Save.
  5. Choose Video -H.264 + MP3 (MP4) from the drop-down card.
  6. Click Scan to enter a filename for your converted file.
  7. Click Offset.

Conversion can accept some time, but if successful, your corrupted video should now be viewable. If it didn't work, at that place is some other pace y'all can take using VLC:

  1. Make a fill-in copy of your video file.
  2. Change the file'south extension to .avi.
  3. Open up VLC and head to Tools > Preferences.
  4. Nether Input / Codecs, expect for the Files department.
  5. Nether the Damaged or incomplete AVI file dropdown, choose Always Fix.
  6. Open your video file with the .avi extension.

This setting instructs the VLC media player to endeavor to recover whatsoever corrupted AVI files information technology encounters. Patience is required, every bit this tin can take some fourth dimension.

Recover Damaged Video With Video Repair Tool

For a more robust video recovery tool, you lot'll demand to wait for professional software like Video Repair Tool from Grau GmbH. Few other pieces of software employ such thorough ways for data recovery. The catch, still, is the cost. At €29 for a five conversion license, and €99 for an unlimited utilise license, information technology's likely going to be too expensive for most users.

There is a gratis version, which volition recover up to half of a file, and every bit YouTuber R3DLIN3S shows, it's quite easy to exploit:

That said, if this software works where others did not, you should buy a license to support the developers to say thanks!

Fixing Broken Video On Linux With DivFix++

If you are working on a Linux system, your options for software can seem limited. While you can get around this by running Windows applications using Wine, in that location are some native options also.

For fixing corrupt AVI video files, DivFix++ is a costless option with a long history. Once downloaded and installed, you tin utilize DivFix++ to repair your information using the post-obit steps:

  1. Click Add Files and select your video file.
  2. Select Cheque Errors to perform a scan of the file.
  3. Select the Proceed Original File checkbox to backup your source video.
  4. Click on the Fix button.

Note that even if the error scan shows no issues with the data, information technology's worth trying the fix every bit sometimes the repair process can solve unknown issues with the file.

New Life For Old Files

Whether y'all shop your video on a local hard drive or in the deject, file corruption is always a threat. Aslope the methods for recovery suggested above, information technology'southward good to set a backup system (likewise known equally Time Machine on macOS), to prevent losing data.