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Read time 13 minutes

Summary: Are you suffering from corrupt MP4 video files? In this blog, we will discuss the importance of repairing corrupt MP4 video files. We also look at different manual methods like, using VLC Player, to resolve this issue. At last, we recommend a professional Kernel Video Repair tool for efficient and reliable MP4 file repair.

MP4 is a popular digital multimedia container format that stores video and audio, along with other data such as subtitles and images. It is a widely accepted format for downloading and streaming video and audio content. However, similar to other video formats, MP4 files can also become corrupt for various reasons, and it can be frustrating not being able to play them.

If you are also facing an MP4 video file corruption issue and looking for reliable methods to fix corrupt videos, then this blog is for you. It tells you the different methods that help you to fix the.mp4 file corruption issue and lets you avoid any errors of this nature.

Cannot play the video file error

What are the signs of corrupt MP4 files?

There have been instances where the users have not realized that their videos have gone corrupt. A delay in identifying corrupt video files can result in heavy data loss and other significant problems. Below are some quick indicators that help you to identify corruption-

  • Video unable to play or video is lagging.
  • Only audio is playing and no video.
  • Choppy/ blurry /flickering video.
  • Audio and video not synchronized.
  • No audio or black screen.
  • Computer freezes when video is played.
  • Video file is broken.
  • Problem with video codec/ proper codec is not installed.
  • Format is not supported by your computer.
Common causes of corrupt MP4 videos

Your MP4 video might not be playing or become corrupt due to various reasons, such as issues with the video file, problems with its storage medium, or compatibility problems with the device playing it. The main reasons are listed below.

  • Sudden shutdown of camera
  • Incorrect conversion of video formats
  • Incomplete media download or transfer due to bad internet connection.
  • Error reading or writing data.
  • Sudden system shutdown or error in downloading video.
  • Malware or virus attacks due to the use of unreliable video editors.
  • The use of unreliable video editors
  • Low battery during video recording.
  • Having a faulty, improper, or unauthorized media player.
  • Unexpected stopping of media player or it is forced to stop.
  • Bad sectors on Hard disk or corrupt video headers.
  • Already affected/infected files in the folder can also corrupt other files.
Points to keep in mind to avoid MP4 corruption

Here are the points that one must keep in mind to avoid any future MP4 video file corruption.

  • Always back up the video file before making any changes.
  • Always ensure that the PC or laptop is running under optimal conditions and has a continuous electricity supply.
  • Keep updating the OS, and always keep antivirus software.
  • Always try to keep a backup using USB, DVD, CD, cloud storage, etc. If, by accident, the hard drive gets corrupted, then there would be several options to restore data.
  • Now, let’s discuss the top five free MP4 repair methods to fix corrupted video files.

Method 1. Repair corrupt MP4 video with VLC media player

VLC Media Player is a multi-tasker application that not only plays multimedia files but can also fix minor corruption issues. It provides in-built index repair features that instantly resolve the issue and repair movie file indexes.

VLC offers a built-in option to fix AVI video files, which can be enabled or disabled manually. To fix a corrupt MP4 video file automatically using VLC, follow these steps by changing the file format.

Step 1: Right-click on the corrupt MP4 video file and select “Rename”.Rename the video file

Step 2: Change the file format to “.avi” as shown below and press Enter. file format to .avi

Step 3: Launch VLC >> Click on Tools and select “Preferences”.Open VLC media player

Step 4: Switch to the “Input/Codecs” section, and it will open Inputs/Codecs “Settings”.Input/Codecs section

Step 5: In the Files section, select “Always fix” in the “Damaged or incomplete AVI file” option and click Save.select always fix

Step 6: Now, try playing the corrupt .mp4 video file with VLC; it should run.try playing the corrupt .mp4 video file with VLC

Method 2. Repairing MP4 video files via transcoding in VLC

Transcoding MP4 files in the VLC player helps videos to play on unsupported media players. Here is how to transcode MP4 using VLC:

Step 1: Open the VLC Media Player.

Step 2: Tap on “Convert/Save.” from the Media menu Convert/Save option

Step 3: Click Add and browse the MP4 video that needs to be transcoded.Add MP4 video

Step 4: Tap on Convert/Save. Choose a file name and the desired file location within the Convert window. Choose the preferred input codecs from the Profile list for your video file. Select the Edit Selected Profile button to change the profile settings for a specific profile. Additionally, you can create new profiles or delete existing profiles. Tap on “Start” now. Tap on Start

Step 5: Restart your system and play MP4 videos.

Method 3. Increasing cache values in the VLC player

This method helps in fixing fully damaged MP4 files, video lags, and stutters associated with the files. Follow the below steps to increase the Cache values in VLC:

    Step 1: Open VLC Media Player and click the “Tools” option.

    Step 2: In the Tools menu, tap on Preferences.Tap on Preferences

    Step 3: In the option Show Settings, two options come up: Simple and All. Click on All.option Show Settings

    Step 4: Now, tap on the option Input/Codec and select the Advanced option.select the Advanced option

    Step 5: Against the File caching(ms) option, you will have to increase the cache value to 1000.File caching(ms) option

    Step 6: Tap on Save and restart the VLC player.

Method 4. Changing the video output settings in VLC

VLC is a technical media player with the inbuilt ability to repair corrupted videos. With a change in the video output settings in the VLC Media Player, you can quickly fix your MP4 video.

    Step 1: Open VLC Media Player and tap on Tools.tap on Tools

    Step 2: Go to Preferences and click on Video.Go to Preferences

    Step 3: Change the output settings from Automatic to DirectX (DirectDraw) video output under the Video Settings. change the Output settings

    Step 4: Tap on Save and restart the VLC player.

Method 5. How to repair MP4 videos on Mac via QuickTime

QuickTime media players are also helpful in checking damaged and corrupt video files on Mac especially an MOV video file. Your MP4 videos can be inspected in detail and then played with the same media player.

Follow these steps to check your video with the QuickTime player:

Step 1: Play the MP4 video in QuickTime.

Step 2: Choose the Window tab and click on Show Movie Inspector. A detailed description of the MP4 video will come up.

Step 3: The video will show a black screen if it is a corrupt video.

Step 4: If the MP4 file is corrupted, click the Edit option under the QuickTime menu.

Step 5: Choose Preferences and then click QuickTime Preferences. Tap on the Update button to update your player.

Step 6: Restart your QuickTime media player.

Limitations of free (manual) methods

The above-discussed methods will help you in resolving corrupt video files, but there are some limitations to these methods, such as:

  • Lack of reliability and time-consuming.
  • Require technical knowledge.
  • Risk of data loss or damage.
  • Limited features and no technical support.

Method 6. Use an automated MP4 repair tool

As we discussed, manual methods have several limitations and cannot deal with severe multimedia corruption issues. In this situation, a professional tool proves to be convenient. Kernel Video repair tool is an advanced video repairing software that helps you in fixing severely corrupt movie files, music videos, and other video format files. It also allows you to convert batch files simultaneously and export your videos to HD.

With an intuitive GUI and ease of accessibility, the whole process of repairing and recovering corrupt MP4 video files becomes simple. The software supports multiple file formats, including MP4, AVI, FLV, MPEG, WebM, and more. MP4 Repair is capable of repairing video files irrespective of their file size and format without hampering the integrity of data. It is also compatible with all Windows versions.

Add file to repair

Below are some other major features that are included in the software:

Repair multiple files at same time

Repair multiple files at same time

Save recovered multimedia files at multiple locations.

Select destination to save repaired video file

Conclusion

The blog discussed various methods to fix corrupt MP4 files. We recommend first trying all the given manual methods to repair corrupted MP4 videos. If these don’t work, go with the Kernel Video repair tool to instantly fix the severe corruption issues in MP4 and other video formats.

Sometimes, converting a video can also fix the corruption issue if it is occurring due to a wrong file format. So, with a professional video converter tool, you can easily convert MP4 to other formats.