How To Repair Corrupt MP4/MOV Video On Windows And MAC?

Huynh NguyenAugust 22, 2022

MP4 and MOV are digital multimedia container formats that commonly store video or audio. You can even store other data, like subtitles and still images using these file formats. MP4/MOV is a popular format to download and stream video and audio content. However, sometimes the MP4/MOV files can become corrupt and make you unable to run them. Such issues can occur due to a variety of reasons, including incomplete downloads, hardware problems, and software glitches.

When your MP4/MOV video files get corrupted, it can frustrate you if you are unable to play them. But before you select and use any video repair software to fix corrupt video files, we recommend you choose some free methods. Here, in this article, we will help you to know how to repair corrupt MP4/MOV videos on Windows or Mac devices different methods. So keep reading all the details to know more!

What Causes MP4/MOV Video Files to Get Corrupted?

You can usually store videos, audio, texts, 3D, virtual reality, and graphics in the MOV file container. On the other hand, MP4 allows you to store audio and video files in high quality and size. We can also say that MP4 is an upgraded version of the MOV file format and works with different media players.

Despite offering so many features, sometimes your MP4/MOV video files get corrupted and unplayable. Given below are some cases in which you encounter issues while running MP4/MOV files:

Sudden shut down of your device before you stop recording the video.
SD card issues are also responsible for MP4/MOV files getting corrupted or lost.
Interrupted internet connection during the transfer of files between storage devices.
Physical damage to the memory card or computer.
Issues while writing or reading data during video editing or playing.
There may be some malware or virus infection on the storage device.

Important Points to Keep in Mind to Avoid MP4/MOV Video Corruption

Here are a few important points that one must keep in mind to avoid any future MP4/MOV video file corruption.

Always keep a backup of your video file before making any changes.
Make sure your PC or laptop is working under optimal conditions and has a constant electricity supply.
The problem may occur due to an outdated version of the Operating system or antivirus program installed in your system. Always keep your system OS and the antivirus software updated.
Also, keep a backup of your files using USB, DVD, CD, cloud storage, etc. You can use this backup for restoring your video files if your hard drive gets corrupted.

Quick Methods to Fix Corrupted MP4/MOV Video Files

In this section, we have mentioned some simple methods that you can apply to repair corrupt MP4/MOV videos on Windows and Mac devices:

Method 01: Repair Corrupted MOV & MP4 Files with VLC

A lot of users have encountered severe corruption in their MOV or MP4 video files. If there are minor corruption issues, you can use the popular open-source platform, i.e., VLC Media Player, to fix them. VLC player offers in-built index repair features that can resolve issues with your video files and repair their indexes instantly.

VLC Player even plays video files that are partially downloaded on your system. You can even run slightly corrupt or damaged video files without fixing their corruption issues using this tool. Go through the following steps to know how to repair corrupt video files on Mac or Windows devices using the VLC player:

Step 1: Launch VLC media player and go to “Media > Convert/Save…”.

Step 2: Add a corrupted video that you want to repair and tap the “Convert/Save” button.

Step 3: Now, from the Convert window that appears on the screen, look through the destination file, and tap the “Start” button.

Step 4: Again launch VLC and select “Preferences” from the Tools option at the top.

Step 5: Select “Always fix” from the “damaged or incomplete AVI file” section and click the “Save” button.

Step 6: Once you are done with the above steps, play the corrupt MP4/MOV video file with VLC. If it does not play, move to the next method.

Method 02: Transcode MP4/MOV Video Files in VLC

Transcoding the corrupt or damaged video files using a VLC media player can also help you to repair them on unsupported media players. Given below are the simple steps that you can follow to transcode MP4 using VLC.

Step 1: Launch the VLC Media Player.

Step 2: From the Media menu appearing in the ribbon at the top, click on Convert/Save.

Step 3: Click Add button and select the MP4/MOV video file that you want to transcode.

Step 4: Next, click on Convert/Save button. From the Convert window, select a file name and the desired file location.

Step 5: From the Profile drop-down menu, select the desired input codecs for your video file. Tap the Edit Selected Profile button to configure the profile settings as per your specific profile.

Step 6: Click on the “Start now” button to begin the transcoding process.

This method will definitely help you to fix corrupt MP4/MOV video files arising from incompatibility with the media player. Once the transcoding process is successfully finished, play your videos using VLC or other players. If you are still unable to play them, move to the next method.

Method 03: Use a Professional MP4/MOV Video Repair Tool

If the above workarounds failed, don’t worry, we are here to repair your corrupt MP4/MOV video on Windows or Mac devices. To deal with severe video file corruption issues, sometimes these manual ways or methods may fail. In a situation like this, you can use video recovery software to bring your videos back to a playable state. One of the best software available online to recover your videos is Stellar Repair for Video. This amazing software can repair your severely corrupt movie files, music videos, and other video files within no time.

Why Stellar Repair for Video Software?

You can use this professional MP4 repair software to recover and repair lost/damaged video files in your system. The Stellar Repair for Video Software repairs corrupt, damaged, and broken video files of MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, and other formats. It can recover videos created from DSLR, camcorders, CCTV, drones, dashcams, point and shoot, mirrorless, Android, and iPhone devices. This video repair tool is specially made to tackle video corruption issues on all leading camera and smartphone brands.

Take a look at the following steps to learn how to repair damaged or corrupted video files using Stellar Repair for Video software:

Step 1: Launch Stellar Repair for Video software and click Add File button. Then, select the video file that you want to repair.

Step 2: Now, once you get all the recoverable files on the screen, click the “Repair” button to start the repair process.

Step 3: At last, preview the repaired video and select the location where you want to save the file. Click the “Save Repaired Files” button to save your files at the desired location.

Method 04: Repair MP4 Videos on Mac via QuickTime

You can use the QuickTime media player to check and repair damaged and corrupt video files on Mac. If any issue is found, you can apply the following steps to repair corrupt MP4/MOV video on Mac using QuickTime player:

Step 1: Firstly, open the QuickTime player and play the MP4 video that you want to recover.

Step 2: Select the Window tab and click on Show Movie Inspector. This will provide you with a detailed description of your MP4 video file.

Step 3: If you received a black screen, then your video is corrupted.

Step 4: In case, if your video file is corrupted, click the Edit option located under the QuickTime menu.

Step 5: Select Preferences and then click on QuickTime Preferences. Then, click on the Update button to update your player.

Step 6: After completing these steps, restart your QuickTime media player.

Method 05: Use Software to Repair MP4/MOV File on Mac

If you are a Mac user, you can also repair MP4/MOV files or video files easily using Stellar Repair for Video software. You can use this software to repair and recover lost movies, TV shows, clips, camera videos, and other recordings. What’s more, you can repair videos from Mac computers, internal or external drives including HDD, SSD, USB, SD card, and more. The steps to repair the MP4/MOV video file on Mac are somehow similar to that mentioned in the above method.

Some Amazing features of this Mac video repair software include:

Allows you to repair unlimited corrupted video files from all cameras. The advanced software fixes QuickTime MOV, MP4, M4V, 3G2, 3GP, and other file types used on iPhones, iPad, and other Apple devices.
Repairs corrupt video file header, frames, movement of videos, video slider, and other components of video files.
You can fix corrupt videos recovered from MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini, iMac, & Mac Pro.
Supports all storage drives/ media, including Mac volumes, Fusion drive, Time Machine, USB flash drive, SD card, etc.

Conclusion:

The above-mentioned methods can definitely help you repair corrupt MP4/MOV files. We have also provided some tips that you can keep in mind to prevent such corruption in your video files. With an advanced approach to fixing video file corruption issues, Stellar repair for video software is a one-stop solution for all multimedia issues. This software not only allows you to repair MP4 files on Windows PCs but also on Mac devices. So, with a professional video repair tool, you can easily get your videos back.

Huynh NguyenAugust 22, 2022