How to Repair Corrupt MP4 Video File? [Solved]

Summary: Is your video freezing, stuttering, or missing audio synchronization while playing? If yes, then it may be corrupted. Minor video corruption can be fixed with the help of free tools like VLC media player or with the help of other troubleshooting methods given in this blog. However, for a major video corruption, you need a more powerful solution such as Stellar Repair for Video. Read this guide to learn how to fix corrupt MP4 files while preserving their original quality.

To fix corrupt MP4 video, first, you need to assess the extent of damage, if it is minor or major. Does the video have a black screen, is only a segment of the video glitchy, there is an audio-video sync issue, or is the entire video unplayable? Determining the extent of damage makes it more simple and faster to fix the issue.  

If a codec is missing, you can simply download the required codecs, and the video will play without glitches. But if your video file is fully damaged or corrupted, you’ll have to apply advanced repair methods to fix corrupted MP4 file. This guide shares detailed steps to repair MP4 files and get it running smoothly again.

Method 1: Fix Corrupt MP4 Video with Stellar Repair for Video

Stellar Repair for Video is an advanced video repair software that fixes all corruption issues in a video file. For example, you can use the software to repair damaged and severely corrupt MP4 files.

It can repair choppy videos, flickering, jerky, black/ green screens, truncated, no-sound, audio-lag, and many other video problems arising from corruption in the file header, frames, movement, or sound section, etc.

Steps to repair corrupt MP4 videos with Stellar Repair for Video:

• Download & launch Stellar Repair for Video on PC or Mac.

• Click Add file to upload corrupt MP4 videos.

• Then, click Repair to begin the repair process.

• Preview the repaired video. Click Save Repaired Files to save the repaired MP4 videos at your chosen location.

This tool can fix all types of video corruption be it major or minor, and supports all video file types. So if you need an instant solution to a corrupt MP4 video then go for it without any second thought.

Method 2: Repair MP4 with VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player is a multi-functional app that can repair corrupted video files before playing them. The built-in “Always Fix” feature in the VLC media player can fix corrupted video file index and file header. To use this feature, you need to convert a copy of your original MP4 video file to AVI and then try repairing it.

Here’s how to repair MP4 video files using AVI fix in VLC:

Steps to convert mp4 file to AVI with VLC:

• Go to Media>Convert/Save.

• Now add the corrupted video file and click on the Convert/Save button.

• Now hit the settings icon on the right side to view the Profile edition.

• Under the Encapsulation tab select AVI and hit Save.

Steps to fix corrupt MP4 file with VLC’s Always Fix Feature

• Open the converted video file in VLC Media Player and then click Tools > Preferences.

• Go to the Input/Codec tab.
• Choose the Always Fix option from the drop-down next to Damaged or incomplete AVI Files. Then click Save.

• Now, try to play the repaired video file.

Method 3: Download MP4 Codecs to Fix Corrupt Video

A codec is used to compress or decompress a video file. Every video file format has an audio and video codec. For example, MP4 file types use MPEG-4 and AAC codec to compress video and audio files, respectively. If your media player doesn’t have these codecs, it cannot play an MP4 file and may show errors, such as ‘A codec is required to play this file.’

The solution is to download the right codecs. You can also get a codec pack online, such as Media Player Codec pack, X codec pack, or K-Lite or Perian for your PC or Mac computer.

Caution: Always download the video codecs from a trusted source to avoid any virus or malware risk.

Method 4: Repair Corrupt MP4 File with Hex Editor

This method to repair corrupt video file is highly technical. You can use Hex Editor tools to repair corrupt or damaged video file headers. The program lets you view and edit the binary information in a video file.

As Hex editor programs use fundamental binary data to repair MP4 file header, you should have good knowledge about hexadecimal codes. HxD, HexEd, Hex Fiend, OxED, etc., are common Hex Editors that you can easily find online and download on your computer.

Method 5: Fix Corrupt MP4 Video by Converting the File to Another Format (For Mac Users)

If MP4 videos are not playing, convert them to another file format, such as MP4 to MOV, MP4 to AVI, and so on. You can choose any online MP4 converter program or desktop conversion software to convert a video file.

Additionally, VLC Media Player can also convert MP4 videos to a different file format.

Here’s how to use VLC Media Player to convert MP4 files to other formats:

• Open VLC Media Player on your Mac/Windows. (Here we used Mac.)
• Click the File option at the top and select the Convert/Stream option.

• Click the Open Media button and select one or more MP4 videos you want to transcode.
• Select the Customize option next to the Choose Profile.

• Navigate to the Encapsulation tab, and select any file format, like, for example, AVI. Click Apply.

• Click the Save as File button at the bottom of the Convert & Stream window.

• Click Browse to select the location to save your converted video, and remember to give a proper name to your file. Then click Save.

• After transcoding, play the converted video in VLC or any other media player.

Have you tried playing your corrupt MP4 video on other media players?

Sometimes, media players are not compatible with every video format. Although they mostly support the MP4 format, technical issues can still occur. So try playing your MP4 files in VLC Media Player, Winamp, KMPlayer, or others to see if it works.

How do MP4 videos turn Corrupt?

MP4 files can get corrupted for many reasons, mostly due to the digital media used to store these videos, such as SD cards, pen drives, USB flash drives, or hard drives. These storage mediums have a limited lifespan and can develop bad sectors, which can cause damage to files.

It could also result from failing to follow the best practices for handling digital files, which could have prevented video corruption. And then, there are technical hiccups that despite our best efforts, we can’t escape.

Some of the common causes of MP4 file corruption are:

1. Sudden system shutdown while watching or editing video.
2. Incomplete MP4 file transfer or download due to sudden power cut, disconnection, etc.
3. OS crash.
4. Presence of virus or malware.
5. Presence of bad sectors on the drive.
6. Missing or corrupt MP4 file header.

How to Avoid Corrupted Video Files Issue?

A corrupted video file is a result of various factors that we already discussed in the above section. However, certain safety measures can help you avoid video file corruption issues from happening again. After exploring a lot we have come across these measures that protect your videos from damage and corruption.

1. Install a reliable antivirus program so that your device remains protected from viruses and malware that can infect and corrupt MP4 files.
2. Carefully eject your external drives after transferring files to a device. Always use the eject option to remove an external drive or storage media from a computer.
3. Try to keep your laptop fully charged or have a power backup such as UPS when you are working on a video file as a sudden power cut can damage a video file. 
4. Create a backup of your video files in multiple storage devices to avoid loss due to storage device damage or corruption.
5. Do not use any unlicensed or cracked video editing software, it can often corrupt your video files.
6. Carefully organize your files and keep your storage devices in a safe and secure place away from heat, moisture, or dust.

Conclusion

Although video repair software is the best solution for fix corrupt MP4 files, we first recommend trying out some workarounds like file format conversion or playing the file in a different media player.

If these don’t work, use Stellar Repair for Video, a professional MP4 video repair tool. It can fix unlimited corrupt videos in one go and is highly reliable and effective in repairing severe corruption issues in MP4 and other video file types.

FAQs

1. How to fix ‘MP4 not playing on Mac’?

If your MP4 video is not playing on Mac, you can try the following steps to fix this:

• Restart your Mac.
• Update QuickTime Player.
• Download MP4 codecs on Mac.
• Play MP4 video file in another media player on Mac.
• Convert MP4 file to another format.

2. How to convert AVI to MP4 video files without losing quality?

You can use professional tool like Stellar Converter for Audio Video File or VLC Media Player to convert AVI to MP4 video files without losing quality.

3. How to open or play MP4 files?

You can use VLC Media Player, Windows Media Player, QuickTime Player, KMPlayer, and others.

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