Do you have the habit of creating and saving memorable moments of your life as videos on different devices?
There are different file formats in which you can save your precious videos, with MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14) being the most popular one. MP4 video file format is mainly known for its versatility, compact size, and compatibility with a wide range of devices and media players.
Despite these features, you may sometimes encounter situations when MP4 videos get corrupted or become unplayable. Fixing corrupt MP4 files might seem challenging, but there are various methods, both manual and software-based, that can help restore these files efficiently. In this guide, we will explain various video repair methods to repair MP4 videos with ease.
Common Causes of MP4 File Corruption
Before you apply any method to repair a video file, it is important to identify the exact cause of its corruption. There are many reasons usually why MP4 video files get corrupted, some of them are:
- Improper File Transfer: If there is any problem while transferring MP4 files (from a camera, phone, or external drive to a computer) due to power failure, abrupt disconnection, or other issues, it may corrupt your videos.
- Incompatible Codecs: Sometimes, MP4 files won’t play properly if the media player lacks the necessary codecs to decode the video properly, which causes playback issues.
- Corrupted Storage Media: SD cards, external drives, or other storage media when get damaged or corrupted, it affects all the files stored within them, including MP4 videos.
- Software Errors: If the software you are using to create, edit, or save MP4 files crashes or behaves abnormally, it corrupts the stored video files.
Quick Methods to Fix Corrupt MP4 Files
There are various methods, depending on the severity of the corruption, available online that you can try to fix corrupt MP4 video files with ease. Below are the most effective techniques:
Method 01: Repair Corrupt MP4 Videos Using VLC Player
Windows built-in VLC player is a powerful, free source media player that along with playing your video files allows you to fix minor corruption issues on them in multiple ways. Here’s how to fix corrupt MP4 video file using the VLC Media player:
- Firstly, check if you have VLC player installed on your device. If not, download and install it from the official website.
- Now, launch VLC and click on the “Media” tab from the top menu bar.
- Select “Convert/Save” from the drop-down menu, then click on the “Add” button to upload the corrupt MP4 file that you need to repair.
- Click the Convert/Save option and select a file name along with the desired file location in the Convert window.
- Select the preferred input codecs from the Profile list for your video file.
- Also, select the Edit Selected Profile option to configure the profile settings for a specific profile.
- Lastly, click the “Start” button and wait till the conversion process is completed.
Once the file is repaired and converted, save it to your preferred location and try playing it in the VLC media player.
Method 02: Change the File Format of MP4 Files
Changing the file format of your MP4 video to any other format can sometimes fix its corruption issues, especially if the problem is related to codec incompatibility. To convert your video file format using third-party online software, you need to:
- Download and install a trusted video converter software like Handbrake, Format Factory, etc. on your device.
- Load the corrupt MP4 video in the converter tool.
- Convert your video to a different format, such as MOV, AVI, or even a different version of MP4.
- After selecting the desired format, start the conversion process. Once completed, check if your video plays correctly in the new file format.
Method 03: Increase Cache values in VLC Player
Increasing cache values can help repair corrupt videos by buffering more data, ensuring smoother playback and fewer interruptions. Follow the below steps to increase the cache value of your corrupt video in the VLC player:
- Launch the VLC player, and go to Tools > Preferences.
- Scroll down to the Show Settings section, and select the All option from the two options, i.e., Simple and All, that appear on the screen.
- Now, click on the Input/Codec option and select Advanced.
- Increase the numeric value next to the File caching(ms) option to 1000.
- Lastly, click Save and restart the VLC player.
Method 04: Use Third-Party Video Repair Software
If the above-mentioned video repair methods fail to fix corrupt or damaged MP4 video files manually, you can use a video repair software to fix them. There are several third-party software like Stellar Repair for Video, which is specially designed to repair corrupt videos easily. These tools vary in features and prices; you can check their features and select the one that best suits your requirements.
Among these tools, the Stellar Repair for Video tool is known for several amazing features which makes it the best among its competitors. These features include:
- The software supports repairing of corrupt videos of several formats, including MP4, MOV, MVI, WMV, M4V, and many more.
- Supports repairing of multiple corrupt videos saved on multiple storage devices, such as memory cards, USB drives, SSD, HDD, etc.
- Allows you to preview the repaired video files before saving them at the desired storage location on your device.
- 100% safe and secure software, free from viruses and malware.
Here are quick steps to repair corrupt MP4 files using the Stellar Repair for Video tool:
Step 1: Download and install the Stellar Repair for Video software on your Windows/Mac device. Launch the software and click the Add Videos button to upload the corrupt video that you need to repair.
Step 2: Click the Repair button to initiate the repairing process.
Step 3: Once the repair is done, preview the repaired videos and click the Save Repaired Files button to download them to a suitable location on your device.
Conclusion
When you experience corrupt MP4 files on your device, go with the aforementioned video repair methods and tools to fix them. Start with using Windows built-in VLC Media Player, change your video file format, or use a professional third-party video repair software like Stellar Repair for Video, to restore your damaged videos effectively.
Moreover, you can consider preventive measures like using reliable storage devices, avoiding abrupt power loss during recording or editing, and keeping your software up to date to prevent future MP4 file corruption.
