MP4 is a digital multimedia container format that stores video, audio, along with metadata, such as subtitles and still images. It is a popularly used format to download and stream videos.
Sometimes, these video files get corrupted due to various reasons like interruption while transferring, bad sectors in the storage media, virus instruction, etc. Due to this, you may encounter errors while playing the videos or are unable to play the files at all.
In this blog, you’ll learn the common reasons that may lead to corruption in MP4 video files and some best ways to repair corrupt MP4 videos.
Common Causes of MP4 Video Files Corruption
There are multiple reasons that may lead to corruption in MP4 videos. Some common reasons are:
- Downloading videos from an unreliable internet source.
- Interruption while downloading, transferring, or editing the video file.
- Improper or abrupt shutdown of the PC can damage the structure of the video file.
- SD cards, hard drives, or USBs storing MP4 files have bad sectors.
- Video recorded with the camera or smartphone running on low battery or less storage space.
- Problem with video file compression.
- Virus or malware infection.
Workarounds to Repair MP4 Video Files
Here are some best and easy ways you can follow to repair corrupt MP4 video files.
Caution: Do not work on the original MP4 video files. Make a copy of the original file and then repair it.
Play the MP4 file on another media player.
Try playing the MP4 video file on a different media player. Some popular MP4-supporting media players are QuickTime Player, VLC Media Player, Windows Media Player, KMPlayer, etc.
Convert MP4 Files to Another Video Format
Converting MP4 video to another format like MOV or AVI can fix the problem. Use an online video converter tool like Any Video Converter, VEED.io, etc., or VLC Media Player to change the file format of your MP4 video files. Here’s how to convert MP4 video files to another file format using VLC Player:
- Launch the VLC Player on your system.
- Go to Media, select Convert or Save.
- Click Add input files/streams to insert the MP4 video file that needs to be repaired.
- Click on the Convert or Save
- In the Convert window, choose a file name and browse a location in the destination file option.
- Choose the desired input Codec from the profile list.
- Then click Start to initiate the conversion process. Once done, check whether your corrupt MP4 video is playing after conversion.
Repair MP4 File using VLC Player’s Video Fix Feature.
VLC Player has a built-in feature to repair AVI video files. If you have a corrupt video file of any other format like MP4, you can change its file extension to AVI and then use this feature to fix the video problem. Steps to repair MP4 video files using VLC:
- Right-click on the MP4 video file, select Rename and change the extension to .AVI. Hit the Enter key.
- Launch the VLC Player and click Tools>Preferences.
- Go to Input or Codecs, select Always Fix next to the Damaged or Incomplete AVI Files option and click Save.
- Now, try playing the converted AVI file.
Download Necessary MP4 codecs
Correct audio/ video codecs are essential to play an MP4 video file in any media player. Without codecs, the video may throw errors like ‘codec is required to play this file’ or ‘video file cannot be played.’ So, download the necessary Codec for your MP4 video file from a trusted source.
Repair MP4 Files via Video Repair Software
If the MP4 file is severely corrupt, use an efficient and robust video repair tool, such as Stellar Repair for Video, to repair your file. This tool fixes corrupt, non-playable, or damaged MP4 videos stored in HDDs, SSDs, SD cards, memory cards, flash drives, and other storage media. The software supports MP4 videos shot from DSLRs, Drone cameras, CCTV or smartphones, etc.
This video repair tool uses advanced algorithms to fix stuttering, black screen, choppy, out-of-sync, truncated, jerky, frozen, and other issues in video files. It can repair almost all popular video file formats, like MP4, MOV, FLV, WEBM, 3GP, etc. Let’s see how to use this video repair tool to repair corrupt MP4 files:
- Download, install, and launch Stellar Repair for Video on your Windows or Mac system.
- Click Add Files to add corrupted videos.
- Click the Repair button to start the repair process.
- Once the repair process completes, you can see the preview of the repaired video files.
- Then, click Save Repaired Files to browse the location to save the repaired videos.
Conclusion
If your MP4 video files are damaged or corrupt, there is no need to worry. Just follow the troubleshooting steps mentioned above to repair the video files. Try repairing the corrupt MP4 videos by converting their file format, downloading the required codec, or using the video fix feature of VLC Player. However, the best way is to use Stellar Repair for Video to fix damaged, distorted, broken, and corrupt MP4 video files. This MP4 video repair tool is easy-to-use and can quickly repair multiple MP4 files in one go.