Fixing “MOV Files Not Playing” Issue?

Causes behind the ‘MOV file not playing’ issue

Viruses and malicious attacks.

Major compatibility issues with the codecs (incorrect audio codecs).

Bad sectors on the storage device.

File corruption or damage to the system files.

MOV files got imported incorrectly.

An incorrect system update.

Errors in synchronization.

Updating media player incorrectly.

Different media players used for MOV files.

Your program has a big media cache.

Ways to fix the ‘Mov files not playing’ issue

We’ve given some of the most efficient ways to fix this issue. Follow each method carefully to fix MOV playback error.

Quick checklist to fix the MOV file not playing error:

Try another media player.

Try another PC or device.

Check for corruption in MOV file thumbnail.

Check file size of the MOV video file.

Method 1: Change the file extension

Many users have shared on forums and posts that their issue was resolved by just changing the.mov or.mp4 extension to .3gp, .avi, or .m4v. Sometimes changing the file format makes things work.

You will need to follow these steps to fix the issue.

First, you need to create a copy of the corrupted MOV file. Then change the .mov extension to .avi.

Launch the VLC media player. Select Tools & click Preferences.

Under the Simple Preferences option, you need to tap on Input/Codecs. Click on the Save button. input-codecs

Under the option damaged or incomplete AVI file, a few options will come up. Choose Always fix.

Note: In case, this trick doesn’t work for you, you can try converting the video formats. Converting the video file format can also give the desired results, as doing this allows you to convert the video file to a format your media player will surely support. With this article, you can learn to convert 3GP video file to MP4 without losing quality.

Method 2: Use alternative players

One might be able to play the earlier unusable MOV files by trying other media players. Useful third-party applications include VLC, GOM Player, DivX Player, Media Player Classic, and others. Here’s how to repair corrupt MOV files using VLC Media Player:

Launch the VLC Media Player and click on Media to open a drop-down menu of options. Tap on Convert/Save.
Select +Add to open the video with VLC. Click on Convert/Save.
Within the Settings option, opt for the correct codecs. Select AVI as the preferred format.
Click on Browse to choose a location to save the video and tap on Start.
From the main menu, select Preferences. Choose the Always fix option and click on Save.

Read also: Fix 4k video not playing issue

Method 3: Check and fix corruption with QuickTime player

Even QuickTime media player can be used to check a corrupt and damaged video file. You can have a detailed check on your MOV videos and then, play it with the same media player.

Follow these steps to check your video using QuickTime player:

Open the MOV video in the QuickTime player.
Select the Window tab and click on Show Movie Inspector. A detailed description of the video will be displayed.
If the video is corrupted, a black screen will be displayed.
If, the MOV file is corrupted, tap on the Edit option within the QuickTime menu.
Select Preferences and then tap on QuickTime Preferences. Use the Update button to update your player.
Restart the QuickTime Media Player.
Lastly, check if your MOV video is repaired or not. In case, the black window still appears, move on to our next solution.

Method 4: Increase cache values in the VLC player

In addition to fixing fully corrupt MOV files, this method also works to fix the video lags or stutters associated with MOV files. The following steps will show you how to increase the Cache values in VLC.

Open the VLC Media Player and tap on the Tools option.
Within the Tools menu, click on Preferences.
Under the Show Settings option, two options appear – Simple & All. Click on All.
Next, click on the Input/Codec option and choose the Advance option.
Within the File caching(ms) option, you need to increase the cache value to 1000.
Lastly, click on Save and restart your VLC player.

Method 5: Install the missing codec

MOV files can have playback issues if your media player doesn’t have the correct codecs installed to play them. First, try to play the MOV file in VLC Media Player. However, if the issue still persists, then download and install an all-in-one codec pack like the K-Lite Codec Pack from the official website. Finish installing the codec pack, then restart your PC for the codecs to take effect.

How to repair corrupt MOV file?

If the above-given methods didn’t work out for you, then it means that your video file is corrupt. Try repairing your video file with VLC, but if that doesn’t work, then you should take the help of a trusted Video Repair tool. One such software that can be used in this adverse situation is Kernel Video Repair. This tool can very quickly repair inaccessible or corrupt video files. The preview feature of this tool lets you preview the repaired files prior to saving them.

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How to prevent MOV files not playing errors in the future?

Keep these things in mind to prevent MOV playback issues in the future:

Use compatible codecs: Make sure that your media player has the H.264 or AVI codecs installed for smooth MOV video playback.
Edit and transfer MOV files carefully: Do not unplug your storage drive or turn off your system until your MOV file is edited and exported completely. Interrupting the process in between can corrupt the video files.
Store MOV files properly: Make sure that you store your MOV files only in high-quality SSD cards or a trusted cloud storage platform.
Backup video files regularly: Create multiple copies of important MOV files and store them at safe locations for easy recovery, in case of corruption or data loss.

Conclusion

If you’re facing MOV file not playing error, it’s better to pinpoint the exact cause for it than to try every solution at random. Check whether this error is caused by an outdated media player, incompatible codecs, or because of corruption in MOV file. Then choose the appropriate method to fix this issue. If you find that this issue is caused by MOV file corruption, then your best bet would be to repair your corrupt MOV file.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Why can’t I play MOV files on my Windows PC?

A. If you’re unable to play MOV files on your Windows PC then that’s because your media player doesn’t have the correct codecs required to play the file smoothly.

Q. Can I repair my corrupt MOV files with VLC Media Player?

A. Yes, you can repair damaged MOV files having minor level of corruption with VLC Media Player.

Q. Is there any other media player apart from VLC to repair my MOV files?

A. There isn’t any media player like VLC that can repair corrupt MOV files, however, you can use a free transcoder to repair your MOV files.