File Repair

How to Fix Broken Video Files?

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    If you've arrived at this page, it's obvious that a video that you’re trying to watch has failed to open or has become choppy/jerky. You should know, this could be the result of corrupted or broken video codec.

    It's critical to address the problem right away so that you can continue with uninterrupted video playback. To fix broken video files, have a look at the different solutions outlined in this article. In addition to that, you can also learn about the causes that may have led to such an issue in video files.

    Reasons for Broken Video Files

    A broken video file means that it is missing one or more critical components, thus resulting in disrupted playback. For example, the video could be missing frames or audio/video components or is severely damaged. There could also be some faulty metadata or a missing header. When such important information is missing from a video file, it becomes difficult for media players to play it and you may receive error messages as a result.

    Following could be the reasons behind the broken video files:

    • 有可能你关掉your system while watching or transferring the video file.
    • The video file could have been infected with malware.
    • The file is not downloaded completely or not transferred properly from another source.
    • Some video frames may have been lost while working on third-party software applications, such as an online video converter or editor.
    • Physical damage to the storage device can lead to broken video files.
    • A media player can sometimes damage the video file while compressing it.

    Key Solutions to Fix Broken Video Files

    Here are a few solutions to fix the broken video files, depending on the causes.

    Solution 1: Re-download from Source

    In case the file is not completely downloaded from its source, return to the same site and download the file again. If you're using a browser plug-in or add-on, perhaps the plug-in or add-on could be the culprit behind the incomplete download. In such a case, re-download the video using any other add-on or plug-in.

    Solution 2: Use VLC

    If you’re trying to play the broken or damaged video file with VLC media player, you may initially see an error message. But the good news is that you can repair the file using VLC's native video repair feature. Here are the steps:

    • In VLC media player, simply navigate toTools>Preferencesand then select the "Input/Codec" section.
    • Then select theFilesoption, followed by “Always fix” option that will assist you in repairing broken videos.
    Use VLC to repair broken video files automatically
    Image - Use VLC to repair broken video files automatically

    Solution 3: Fix Broken Header or Metadata

    Header is an important aspect of every video file. It contains information about the components in the video. If the hexadecimal code in the header is broken, the entire file may become unavailable.

    To correct this, open any freely available hexadecimal editor, such as HexDec or HxD and manually modify the codes. If you aren't familiar with hexadecimal codes, you should instead use a video restoration application that is easily available.

    Fix broken video file header with a hexadecimal editor

    Image - Fix broken video file header with a hexadecimal editor

    Solution 4: Fix Codec Errors

    A codec is an important part of video encoding. If there is a problem with the codec, yourvideo may becomeunplayable. To begin fixing a video’s codec, first make sure your system is up-to-date with all of the latest codec packages. Thereafter, analyze the troublesome video's codec with any free video inspector program, such as GSpot or VideoInspector. It will provide you with the information about the video encoding and allow you to change and repair it.

    Solution 5: Check your Sound Drivers

    When dealing with a damaged video, you may notice that the file’saudio component is missingor distorted at some points. While the video itself may be the source of the problem, you should also check your system's drivers to make sure the issue isn’t triggered due to outdated or faulty drivers.

    Start by opening theDevice Manageron your computer and expand theSound Drivers. You may update these drivers by right-clicking and selectingUpdate Drivers. You can disable and enable the sound drivers again to reset them.

    Image - Disable and Enables sound drivers to ensure the audio component is working fine

    Image - Disable and Enables sound drivers to ensure the audio component is working fine

    Solution 6: Use an Antivirus

    Virus infection is a major cause for broken, corrupted, or damaged video files. Users who want to keep their data and video files from becoming corrupted need antivirus protection on the system. As prevention is far more effective than cure, having a system in place to identify and prevent virus attacks is preferable than having to spend time and money repairing infected files. Therefore, you should use a reliable and efficient antivirus application.

    Solution 7: Fix Display Drivers

    Just like audio drivers, appropriate and updated display drivers are important for playing videos. If a video is experiencing choppy playback, you should check and confirm if your system’s display drivers are up-to-date. Here’s how you can do so:

    1. OpenDevice Managerand expand theDisplay Adaptersoption.
    2. 显示适配器上单击鼠标右键,然后选择“Update Driver Software’ from the dropdown menu.
    Update display drivers
    图像-更新显示驱动程序
    1. You can update each driver one-by-one to make sure all of them work properly.

    If you’ve reached at this point and have still not found a working solution, it’s an indication of severe damage in the video file itself. Without wasting any more time, try the ultimate solution discussed in the next section. This will undoubtedly help you fix your broken video files and play them without any glitches.

    Ultimate Solution – Use Stellar Repair for Video

    If you're seeking a one-stop solution for all the problems that come with acorrupt or broken video, Stellar Repair for Video is the way to go. This software can fix a wide range of minor and major flaws with any video, regardless of how it was damaged. It supports AVI, MOV, MP4, FLV, 3GP, and other common video formats. You can repair multiple videos at the same time with it.

    To check out all thatobao欧宝体育 can do for you, do visit the tool’s official webpage.

    Here's how you can use Stellar Repair for Video to repair broken video files:

    1. Download the installer from the official website and use it to install the application on your system. (Make sure you double-check the system requirements before this.)
    2. Once installed, launch the software. You will see an interactive UI.
    3. Click on theAddbutton to add files for repairing. You can add multiple files here.
    添加视频文件be repaired
    Image - Add video files to be repaired
    1. Next, click on theRepairbutton to start the repair process. The process can take some time to complete depending on the size of the video file and your computer’s RAM.
    2. Once the repair process is completed, you can preview the repaired files.
    Preview and save repaired video files to desired location
    Image - Preview and save repaired video files to desired location
    1. Thereafter, you can select and save the repaired files by clicking on theSave Repaired Filesbutton.
    Download for Windows Download for Mac

    Conclusion

    It’s quite common to experience issues with videos. More often than not, it happens because of missing video codec, damaged headers, or faulty frames. In this article, we tried to come up with a variety of solutions to fix damaged, corrupted, and broken video files in a lot of circumstances. We do hope you could resolve your video playback issues using the above-mentioned manual tips. However, if they didn’t work, we recommend using Stellar Repair for Video as the one-stop solution. It is an excellent and user-friendly video repair tool that allows you to quickly and easily solve all types of issues related to a broken video.

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