How to Fix a Corrupted MP4 File for Free

How to Fix a Corrupted MP4 File for Free

Selena Thomas

June 28, 2021 11:30Posted by to Edit Video, MP4

Have you ever got a corrupt MP4 video file and didn't know how to repair it? MP4 is the most common video container format in recent years for its good compatibility and other peerless features. However, they might also be damaged in some cases, like when the recording device suddenly powers off, when the video editing program crashes, or after being attacked by viruses, etc. If you are looking for a solution, don't miss this article sharing with you the most efficient way to repair corrupt MP4 video files.

Repaire MP4 File

Part 1: How to Repair Corrupt MP4 Video File With VLC

VLC is a famous multimedia player that plays video files in almost all popular formats. In fact, it is more than a common media player. Many powerful functions embedded in the program are waiting for you to explore. Among them, the video fixing feature is the focus of this tutorial. Let's move directly into the steps to repair corrupt MP4 video file using VLC:

Step 1

Fist, free download VLC media player from https://www.videolan.org/. Then just install and launch VLC media player on your computer.

Step 2

To repair a corrupt MP4 video file with VLC, you have to convert it to AVI format beforehand. When you see the main interface of the program, click on Media and select Convert/Save from the drop-down list.

Enter Convert Save in Media

Step 3

Then you will see the Open Media window pop up. Click the Add button to the right of the window and import the corrupted MP4 video file(s). Then just click the Convert/Save button in the bottom right corner of the window.

Add Your Corrupt MP4 and Convert

Step 4

Then you will move to the Convert window. Here you need to select a destination for the converted file and rename the new file. You can use the Browse button at the bottom of the interface.

Select destination File and start

Step 5

A file explorer window should pop up now. Select a destination folder. Then you need to select All in the Save as type menu, and name the file with the extension of ".AVI". At last, click on Save button in the bottom right corner of the window.

Rename the File and Save

Step 6

It takes some time for VLC to fully convert the corrupted MP4 video file to AVI format. While waiting, enter the Preferences under the Tools tab in VLC.

Enter VLC Preferences

Step 7

Head to the Input / Codecs tab. Then find the Damaged or incomplete AVI file section near the bottom of the window and select Always fix option. Click the Save button in the bottom right corner.

Select Always Fix Damaged AVI File

Step 8

When the corrupt MP4 video file is fully converted to AVI format, you can try opening it with VLC. Just drag and drop it into the interface of VLC. VLC will repair the MP4 video and start playing it.

Apart from repairing video files, VLC enables you to convert AVI, MP4, etc. to popular media formats.

Part 2: Recommendation: A Safe Video Player for MP4

What is the best multimedia player for MP4 videos? We recommend Blu-ray Master Free Blu-ray Player. Though called Blu-ray player, it is actually an all-in-one multimedia player that plays hundreds of popular video formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, WEBM, MTS, AVI, VOB, M4V, WMV, MTS, and more. Here are several key features of it:

Steps to play MP4 video file with Blu-ray Player:

Step 1

Import the MP4 video

Download and install Blu-ray Player on your Windows or Mac. Click the Open File button in the middle of the interface. A file explorer window will pop up. Select and open your MP4 file in it.

Guide Interface

Step 2

Start playing something

To start with, you can click the Playlist button at the bottom of the player's interface to show the titles and chapters on the right side of the interface. Double click any of them to start playing.

Play DVD

Step 3

Control the playback

To play, stop, forward, volume up, and volume down, just click on the Controls tab in the top left corner. Audio settings are under the Audio tab. Video settings like video track, subtitle track, deinterlace, and screen size can be found on Video menu.

RMVB playback Control

Part 3: FAQs about Repairing MP4 File

1. Can I fix a corrupted MP4 file?

Yes, you can repair corrupted MP4 videos, but not all of them can be repaired perfectly. That means you may lose some segments of the video, get some laggings in it, or find the video not as clear as it was, etc. Try repairing the damaged MP4 with VLC player.

2. How to avoid damaging MP4 video file?

When transferring your video files, make sure the transfer is fully completed before you close the program or window. When you want to power off your computer, or when the laptop battery is dying or there is going to be a blackout, make sure your file is not running or under editing.

3. What professional tools are recommended to repair corrupt MP4?

These four programs are good: Remo Repair AVI, VLC media player, Kernel Video Repair, and Recoverit Video Repair.

Conclusion

In this post, we shared how to repair corrupted MP4 video files for free using the famous VLC multimedia player. There is a built-in function in VLC to fix incomplete or damaged AVI video. Our solution is base on it. Since your original video files are not in AVI format, you need to convert them to AVI format beforehand, which can also be done within VLC. Do you have any difficulty when trying to repair MP4 video files? Don't hesitate to let us know!

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