Summary: Are you facing a 'moov atom not found' error while trying to play a video file but don't know how to fix it? This post shares the five methods to fix video error – 'moov atom not found.' It guides you to the best video repair software that quickly fixes moov atom error in MP4 and other video files.
Moov atom not found error in Android video
‘I recorded a video using my Android phone and transferred the file to laptop. But the video won’t play in VLC and shows ‘moov atom not found’ error. How can I recover the video and play it?
Moov atom not found error in FFmpeg
I upload and process MP4 videos metadata in FFmpeg. But recently, an FFmpeg command lead to ‘moov atom not found’ and ‘Invalid data found when processing input’. Is the video corrupt? How can I fix moov atom error with FFmpeg?
The ‘Moov atom not found’ error makes your video file inaccessible. So naturally, it’s disappointing as now you can’t view or play your essential video files or movies.
If you’re facing a ‘Moov atom not found’ error but don’t know how to fix it, read this post to learn why this error occurs and how to fix it using different techniques.
What is the ‘Moov atom’ error?
Moov atom or movie atom is a part of file data that contains information about duration, timescale, display characteristics, and sub atoms of each track in a video. When you open a video file in a media player, it first reads this metadata information to play your video. For example, the Moov atom may be located at the beginning of the end of a video file.
Without a Moov atom, you won’t be able to open a video or movie and may receive an error such as ‘Moov atom not found.’
Why do you get the ‘Moov atom not found’ error?
Whether VLC Media Player or QuickTime, no player will read the file if metadata information is not entirely available; if you see a moov atom missing error, it indicates your file has not been downloaded/appropriately uploaded and has turned corrupt.
It usually happens when an ongoing video file transfer, download, ripping, or recording process suddenly stops or gets interrupted for some reason.
Thus, the ‘moov atom not found’ error commonly surfaces when you,
- Play improperly downloaded videos in VLC Player or other media player
- Copy video from a CD/ DVD to computer, i.e., video ripping
- Convert video files
- Play shared/ recorded videos on Android
- Process metadata in FFmpeg or other application
How to fix the video error ‘moov atom not found?
A video repair tool is the fastest and easiest way to fix the ‘moov atom not found’ error in MP4 or other video file formats.
Various command-line tools, such as FFmpeg and MP4box, can change the moov atom location, making the video playable again. However, these programs require manual intervention to fix corrupt videos showing the ‘moov data not found’ error.
Methods to fix video ‘Moov atom not found error:
Method 1: Download the video again from the source
If possible, download the video file again from the source, be it from the Internet, CD/DVD, Android, or other devices. Get your video again, and this time, ensure the file is wholly and appropriately downloaded or transferred without interruption.
Method 2: Use Stellar Repair for Video to fix moov atom error
A professional Stellar Repair for Video can fix broken or truncated video files showing a ‘moov atom not found’ error.
Unlike command line tools mentioned below, this software is extremely easy-to-use. As a result, you don’t need to fret between various command lines, which may or may not work.
Stellar Repair for Video can quickly repair broken MP4, MOV, AVI, and other files with corrupt header or data. In addition, the software can fix the moov error even if the video is large-sized.
It is free to try. You can preview the repaired video files in the free trial version.
The software is available for both Windows and Mac platforms.
In steps: How to fix the ‘moov atom not found’ error using Stellar Repair for Video:
Step 1: Click Add File and browse to add a corrupt video. You can add any number of corrupt video files.
Step 2: Click Repair to begin the repairing process.
Step 3: ‘Preview’ the repaired videos. The software may direct you to ‘Advance Repair’ if the video is severely corrupt. Click on ‘Advance Repair’ and add a sample working video file of identical format, shot with the same camera as your corrupt file. Once the repair process finishes, click Save Repaired File to save the videos at your desired location.
Method 3: Fix the ‘moov atom not found’ error with FFmpeg
You can fix the ‘moov atom not found’ issue in the FFmpeg platform using the ‘faststart’ command in the command prompt or cmd window of your computer. This command shifts the position of the moov atom to the beginning in a video file.
Download and run FFmpeg on your computer. Then, add the corrupt video file’s location in the cmd window, followed by the command line using faststart.
A command line in FFmpeg to fix the ‘moov atom not found’ error may look like this:
ffmpeg -i input_video_file.mp4 -vcodec copy -acodec copy -movflags faststart output_video_file.mp4.
Next, check if the moov error is fixed in the MP4 video file or not.
Read more: How to Repair Corrupt Video Files using FFmpeg
Method 4: Use MP4box to fix the ‘moov atom missing’ issue
MP4Box is another command-line tool that can fix moov errors in MP4 files. The tool can place the moov atom in a file at the correct position fixing the error.
As in FFmpeg, first download MP4box on your Windows, Mac, or Linux system. Then, open the command prompt of your computer. Next, add the video file location followed by the command syntax.
Method 5: Fix moov atom video error using Avidemux
Some people who faced the issue were able to fix the ‘moov not found’ error in Avidemux, open-source software used for non-linear video editing. Users opened the video file in Avidemux software and re-exported it without encoding.
You can also try to see if this fixes the video error.
Avidemux provides a command-line interface and is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.
Conclusion
This post shares five methods to fix video error – ‘moov atom not found.’
The open-source tools, such as FFmpeg or Avidemux, are free and can change the moov atom position in the file, making the video readable again.
But, a novice may not find them easy to use. You should be familiar with the command lines used in these programs. It’s advisable to begin by going through the guide or tutorials offered by the developers.
However, a more accessible alternative is Stellar Repair for Video. The user-friendly software doesn’t require any prior knowledge. Download it on your Windows or Mac, add your corrupt video, and let the software do its task.
To ascertain its effectiveness, go for the free trial. It previews the repaired video after fixing the moov atom error.
