Most Common JPEG File Errors and Their Solutions

Read time: 12 minutes

Ever wondered why all your JPEG files suddenly became inaccessible? Or why does that one picture have weird looking specks all over it? You must be dealing with severe JPEG corruption issues. Now, professional photographers and people familiar with graphic design have a brief idea of the errors faced while using JPEG images. But dealing with JPEG corruption when you’re a novice gets quite confusing and frustrating.

In the present article, we will check some prominent errors that may severely affect the JPEG file’s quality and the corresponding ways to fix these JPEG files.

Common reasons behind corruption in JPEG files

We’ve given the usual reasons why JPEG files face corruption:

• Power surge or power cut leading to abrupt system shutdown.
• Bad sectors of storage devices like USB, SD cards, hard drives, memory cards, etc.
• Interruptions during the file transfer process.
• Header-related corruption in the JPEG images.
• Virus/malware attacks on the image files, leading to data corruption.
• Improper sharing of files via an infected medium.
• Corruption in storage devices or corruption in the system.
• Improper ejection or insertion of storage devices.
• Use of a single storage device on multiple systems or devices.
• Unstable network connection leading to improper upload or download of JPEG files.

Top JPEG file errors and methods to fix them

We have described some of the most common JPEG errors faced by users worldwide. We have also given an overview of their potential fixes to help you gain an understanding about the various types of errors.

Error – 1. Invalid value for registry error

The ‘Invalid value for registry’ error is reported by the users generally after updating the Windows OS or after rebooting the system. Another major reason behind this error is incorrect registry values, which happens when the older registry values don’t get updated. Error in Windows registry can create serious issues with your system as this is the place where data of system’s software and hardware, user preferences, etc. is stored. An error free Windows registry is crucial for setting up different hardware devices, applications, and important policies.

Fix

Some common methods to fix this JPEG error are:

• Update the graphic drivers of your system.
• Update the registry settings.
• Try accessing JPEG files in another photo viewer.

Error – 2. ‘Unable to open JPEG file’ error

‘Unable to open JPEG file’ error usually occurs when the image viewer can’t read JPEG images properly. Common reasons behind this error include corruption in JPEG file, incorrect file format, outdated photo viewer, incorrect registry settings, etc.

Fix

• Rename the JPEG file and give the correct file extension.
• Reset and update your photo viewer application.
• Run the SFC command in the command prompt.

Error – 3. JPEG error code #52

Different reasons give rise to error #52 in JPEG files like incomplete installation of programs, improper shutdown of Windows system, virus/malware attack, corrupt header, etc. This error occurs when a JPEG file is saved with an incorrect file extension. This mismatch of file extension gives rise to error #52.

Fix

• Save the JPEG file with the correct file extension.
• Run system scans to check for corruption or bad sectors on drives.
• Download the JPEG file again from the source.

Error – 4. JPEG error code #53

JPEG error #53 is one of the common errors that you may face whenever handling JPEG images. JPEG files become inaccessible due to corruption in either the images or the operating system. Apart from corruption, there can be several other reasons behind the errors like 53.

Fix

• Download the file from the source once again.
• Try to open the image in a photo editing app like Adobe Photoshop, Paint, or save your images in JPEG format.
• Rename the JPEG file with the correct file format.

Error – 5. JPEG error code 0x80070522

When a user tries to edit the image without having legitimate permissions, then such action can damage the complete picture and give rise to the 0x80070522 error. One might face this error while trying to edit or move files stored in the system’s root folder without the required permissions and privileges. It’s more like a warning that stops users from modifying the system’s root folder.

Fix

Provide the required permissions to the user or Disable the Admin Approval in the Local Policies with the following steps;

• Type secpol.msc in the Run window.
• Go to Local Policies, then Security Options category. Then find the User Account Control: Admin. Right-click on it and choose Properties.
• In the Local Security Settings tab, click the Disabled option. Then click Apply.

Error – 6. Invalid image error message

When you get the invalid image error message while attempting to open the JPEG files in multiple image viewers, it shows that the image is corrupt, and you need to repair it as soon as possible.

Fix

The SFC command can effectively handle the small-scale corruption for the windows, including the JPEG file.

1. Start the command prompt as the Administrator.
2. In the command prompt, type sfc /scannow and click Enter. It will start scanning the whole system.

After completion, you should restart your computer and check if the JPEG file is opening correctly.

Error – 7. Corrupt JPEG file header

A corrupt JPEG header is one of the most common errors faced while working with JPEG files. You can tell your JPEG header is corrupted if the JPEG image has visible distortions or if the thumbnail isn’t available. Multiple reasons can give rise to this error such as damaged storage devices, virus/malware attacks, system crashes, etc.

Fix

• Use Hex-editors to repair the corrupt image headers.
• Use a reference image to repair corrupt headers.

Error – 8. Invalid JPEG marker

The ‘invalid JPEG marker’ error arises because of a corrupt JPEG image header and is caused because of improper download of JPEG files or incorrect file format. Markers are small segments of JPEG file header that serve as indicators of start and end points of an image. JPEG file becomes inaccessible if this marker is missing or incorrect.

Fix

• Change and save the image with the correct file extension.
• Unhide file extensions by going to Advanced settings in the Control Panel.
• Run Windows Troubleshooting to check for any hardware related errors on your system.

Error – 9. Grainy or faded photos

Low-light images often have small particles like distortion that gives blurry appearance to the image, significantly affecting its quality. Images can turn out to be grainy due to several conditions like poor lighting conditions, poor camera quality, high ISO value, etc.

Fix

• Fix grainy photos with the advanced features of Photoshop.
• Use plugins like Noise Ninja, Photo Ninja, NoiseWare downloaded from the web to repair grainy photos.
• Repair grainy photos with Lightroom or Photoworks.

Error – 10. Unsupported format error

The unsupported format error occurs when the photo viewer is unable to read the JPEG file properly. Primarily this JPG error occurs if the image viewer application is outdated or if the image is corrupt or damaged.

Fix

• Update the photo viewer application in your system.
• Check the file extension of your image.
• Repair the corrupt JPEG file.

Error – 11. Blurry or pixelated photos

Visual distortion like blurriness or pixelation in images can occur due to different reasons like camera exposure, poor lighting, ISO and aperture, etc. These effects degrade the quality of images and even sometimes make them unusable. Blurry photos can be fixed using photo editing tools like Photoshop, Lightroom, Photoworks, etc. 

Fix

• Carefully resize your images while maintaining the aspect ratio.
• Use photo editing tools to sharpen your images.
• Apply noise reduction filters to reduce blurriness and minimize pixelation.

Error – 12. Problem parsing the JPEG data error

The ‘Could not complete your request because of a problem parsing the JPEG data’ has become a constant issue that’s been troubling Photoshop users ever since the software update of 2018. Users most commonly face this error while trying to import a JPEG image in Adobe Photoshop. This happens when the Photoshop preferences aren’t good enough or if the file extension isn’t changed from .psd to .jpg or .png extension.

Fix

• Try to update your Photoshop application and see if that resolves your issue.
• Open your JPEG image in a different photo editing application like Lightroom.
• Try to edit the registry values as suggested by this Adobe community user.

Error – 13. Photos App file system error 2147219196

File system error 2147219196 in the Photos app generally occurs when the photo viewer is unable to view or read the JPEG files due to an error in the Windows file system. This error stems from corruption in photo files, a bug in the Windows system, authentication issues, etc.

Fix

• Update the photo viewer application to see if it resolves the issue.
• Uninstall the photo viewer (Windows Photo) and reinstall it using Powershell.
• Run Windows Troubleshooter to repair any bugs present.

Error – 14. Full or partial grey photos

Sometimes JPEG photos get fully or partially greyed out due to a corrupt storage device or if they’re not downloaded properly. Some other reasons include glitch in the photo viewer, corruption in JPEG files, storage issues, connectivity issues, etc.

Fix

• Download the photos again from the source.
• Use another photo viewer to open the photos.
• Run the SFC scannow command to try and fix the image.

Error – 15. JPEG photo error 0x887A0005

This error primarily occurs when a user tries to open a JPEG file in the system’s photo viewer app. Whenever there’s an issue with system’s graphic drivers, your system displays the photo error 0x887A0005 error message:

“We encountered an issue with your video drivers and are unable to export video. Update your drivers to export video. Here’s the error code, in case you need it: 0x887A0005”.

Fix

• Install the latest updates of graphic drivers.
• Run the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter to check and resolve minor issues.
• Reconfigure the photo viewer.

Error – 16. Error 256- unsupported image icon

‘Error 256- unsupported image icon’ emerges when you use an image as an icon that’s either of incorrect file format or of wrong dimensions. Another reason for this error is if the ICO file is more than 256×256 pixels then you might face this error.

Fix

• Verify that your icon image is of ICO file extension.
• Make sure that your icon image’s size doesn’t exceed 256×256 pixels.
• Create a new ICO image with the right dimensions and extension.

Error – 17. Photocopier effect in JPEG files

Photocopier effect in JPEG files is also known as ‘generation loss’. This happens when a JPEG file is copied and edited repeatedly in a photo editor which leads to visual degradation. Since JPEG files use ‘lossy compression’ technique, some image data is lost every time the image is saved, leading to quality loss.

Fix

• Avoid editing the same JPEG file again and again.
• Save the JPEG file at a much higher quality setting than needed.
• Edit your JPEG files in a lossless format like PNG and then save it in JPEG format.

Error – 18. Color cast error

Unintentional color cast in JPEG files can drastically change the tone and mood of the entire image and may even ruin the image. It can be caused while shooting with different light sources or due to camera settings.

Fix

• Use photo editing applications like Photoshop and Lightroom.
• Automatically adjust the color cast in your images with advanced AI features in photo editing tools.

Error – 19. STOP/DJVU ransomware

The STOP/DJVU ransomware can pose a significant threat to your data safety and security if it’s not dealt with swiftly. This ransomware uses a physical or an online key to encrypt your important data and then demand ransom to decrypt it.

Fix

This error can be resolved in the following steps:

• Isolate the corrupt device so that it doesn’t spread ransomware.
• Identify the type of ransomware by going to the ID ransomware website.
• Remove every single file even remotely associated with the STOP/DJVU ransomware.
• Use a STOP/DJVU ransomware decrypt tool to recover all your encrypted files.

Error – 20. Invalid file structure: SOI markers error

The ‘Invalid file structure: SOI markers’ error is usually faced by users when the standard data structure of a JPEG file is corrupt. A SOI marker in JPEG files is the starting marker of the digital data of an image and if it becomes invalid, then the JPEG file can’t be accessed.

Fix

• Verify that your photo viewer application is compatible with JPEG file format.
• Try opening your images in a different photo viewer.
• Convert your images in a format other than JPEG files.

Conclusion

Facing errors while working with JPEG files is nothing new but it doesn’t make it less frustrating. Moreover, if images aren’t fixed promptly then they can get severely damaged. We have explained the top 20 JPEG errors to help you get a better understanding of all the issues that you might face with this file format.

To repair and recover your images safely, use a trusted photo repair utility like Kernel Photo Repair. The tool will scan the photo, remove the corruption, and save it safely in the original quality and format. It is the best JPEG repair tool for Windows System where you can add an unlimited number of images and repair them collectively.