How to Repair MOV File Online/Free/Safely [9 Ways]

Part 1. Why is MOV File Not Playing and Corrupted?

❓ What Is MOV File

MOV video is a well-known file format developed by Apple Inc. It contains several tracks to store different media files, especially videos, in a multimedia container. MOV videos are specifically designed to play on Quick Time Player and use MPEG-4 codec for file compression. Their distinct design gives them an edge over other file formats regarding the ease of editing. But only a few players support this file format. However, MOV videos are compatible to play on both Windows and Mac devices. 

❓ What Causes MOV File Corruption

Like any other video file, MOV files can also become corrupted, and there are several reasons behind their corruption and damage. They include:

• Abrupt Shutdown: If there is an improper or abrupt shutdown of your system, it can cause damage to the structure of MOV files.
• Ineffectual Format Conversion: While converting MOV files to another format, several problems can develop if the application used for conversion is ineffectual. Or if there is an interruption during the conversion process, it can also cause MOV file corruption.
• Incompatible Video Player: Video players incompatible with the MOV file format can overwrite headers, making the media inaccessible or corrupt if you use them to play MOV files.
• File Transfer Interruptions: While transferring MOV files to another medium, a power outage or other interruptions can corrupt them.
• Issues in File Compression: If you are using an incorrect application to reduce MOV file size, this could cause MOV file corruption. Or if you didn’t follow the compression process to a logical result, this may also cause damage to MOV files.
• Bad Sectors On a Drive: Storing MOV files on a drive with bad sectors or a physically damaged storage medium will affect their viability, causing corruption.
• Virus Or Malware Attack: Virus or malware attacks targeting the system or, specifically, the MOV videos can damage the files' internal structure, resulting in corruption.

Part 2. Basic Ways to Fix Broken .mov File for Free [3 Ways]

✔️1. Redownload MOV Files

If the original MOV file download was interrupted or incomplete due to internet connection or other factors, the MOV file may be corrupted. Redownloading ensures you get the complete file.

• Deletedm the current corrupted MOV videos from your media player.

• Go to YouTube or other original source where you downloaded the MOV files before, redownload the .mov videos to your computer.

✔️2. Readd MOV Files to Media Player

When you re-import a MOV file, the media player re-reads the data in the file. This can help identify and fix some playback issues caused by read errors. Also, you can switch to another media player to check if the corruption results from the media player error. Different players may have different levels of support for MOV files. Re-importing to another player may solve compatibility issues.

✔️3. Convert MOV to MP4 Format

You can also use the VLC media player to repair MOV file by converting it to an MP4 file format. Follow the instruction below for the conversion process:

• Open the VLC player on Windows or Mac and head to the "Media" menu. Then choose "Convert/Save."

  

• Upload the corrupted MOV files by clicking on the “Add” button. Then select "Convert/Save" at the bottom.

• Click the "Browse" button and choose the output video's file name and destination folder. Press the "Save" button.

• From the "Profile" drop-down menu, select "Video - MP3 (.mp4)." Then hit the "Start" button to start the conversion process from MOV to MP4.

Part 3. How to Fix MOV File on Mac/Windows with Expert Software [4 MOV Repair Software]

Some users reported that the above basic methods don't work for them. Thus, we also present other 4 powerful MOV file repair software you can try on your Windows or Mac when the video file is not playing and corrupted:

☞1. Use 4DDiG Video Repair [for Windows & Mac]

If you are in a hurry and want to repair multiple files at once, we highly recommend using the 4DDiG File Repair tool for MOV file repair. It can instantly repair corrupted, fuzzy, grainy, choppy, or distorted videos with a high success rate. 4DDiG features include:

Why Choose 4DDiG Video Repair

• User-friendly interface and advanced algorithm for repairing videos.
• Repair popular video formats such as MOV, MP4, MKV, M4V, 3G2, 3GP, etc.
• Repair videos from Windows, Mac and other storage devices such as internal and external drives, SD cards, USBs, and cameras.
• Batch repair various format videos at once.
• 100% safe and instant repair process.
• Supports video repair on popular camera brands such as Canon, GoPro, and DJI.

How to Fix Broken MOV Files Using 4DDiG Video Repair

Follow the steps below to repair MOV files with the 4DDiG File Repair tool:

• Download and launch 4DDiG File Repair on your system. Opt for the "Corrupted File Repair" option from the left menu and click "Video Repair" to proceed.

  

• After opening the Video Repair section, hit "Add Videos" to import your broken MOV videos to the tool.

  

• Once imported, click the bottom-right "Repair All" button to kick off the MOV repair process.

  

• Once the repairing process is complete, you can preview the repaired MOV files and click "Save" to export them to a safe location. 

  

Video Tutorial: How to Repair Corrupted MOV Videos

☞2. Use QuickTime Player [for Mac]

QuickTime Player comes with lots of features for trimming, editing, looping, and reverting videos. You can also use it to repair MOV files. It can detect marginal problems but isn't effective with severely damaged MOV videos. If you try to repair a badly damaged MOV file with QuickTime Player, it will show a Black Screen error. Therefore, you may have to consider trying other fixes.

• Launch QuickTime Player on Mac

  

• In QuickTime, select "File" > "Open File", and then select the MOV file you want to repair.

• Try to play the file to see if it plays properly. If not, proceed to the next step.

• If the file plays partially, select "File" > "Export As", and then select the appropriate format (such as 1080p or 720p). This way, you can fix errors in the file.

☞3. Use VLC Media Player [for Windows/Mac]

You can also repair.MOV file using the VLC media player to change its file extension. Follow the steps below:

• First, copy the corrupted MOV file. Next, change the corrupted .MOV file extension name to .AVI.

• Open the VLC player and head to the "Tools" menu, then choose "Preferences."

  

• Select "Input or Codecs" and click on "Save" at the bottom of the "Preferences" window.

• Select “Always fix” from the drop-down menu under "Damaged or incomplete AVI file."

☞4. Use FFmpeg to Repair MOV

FFmpeg is an open-source multimedia tool that can be used to record, convert and stream audio and video. It supports almost all audio and video formats and provides rich features, including using the Command Line tool to fix damaged video files.

• Install and run FFmpeg from its official website.

• On the command-line window, typ the command: ffmpeg -i corrupted.mov -c copy fixed.mov.

• Then FFmpeg will start analyzing and fixing the broken MOV files on your computer.

Part 5: Tips for Playing MOV Files Smoothly

Here are some bonus tips for opening and playing MOV files on Windows and Mac smoothly:

1. How to Play MOV Files on Windows and Mac?

You can use the following players to play MOV files:

QuickTime Player: As of 2016, Apple Inc has retrieved its support for the QuickTime player for Windows. So, it no longer receives security updates. However, you can use Mac’s default player or an older version to run on Windows.

VLC Media Player: The VLC media player is a superb player that supports a wide range of file formats. It can play M4V, MKV, AVI, WMV, FLV, MTS, VOB, AVCHD, and M2TS files other than MOV. 

Windows Media Player: Windows media player comes pre-installed on Windows computer. You can play MOV files with Veriosn 12 of WMP, which is the newest version.

2. How to Open MOV Videos on Mac and Windows?

You should always use a compatible media player if you want to open a MOV file on Mac or Windows. Default media players on your Apple or Windows 10 device can easily open the MOV files without needing additional plugins. You can also store MOV files on cloud storage, such as Google Drive, which allows you to stream videos from any browser on your computer.

FAQs about MOV Repair

Q1: How do I fix a .MOV file that won't play?

Here are some ways to fix the MOV not playing error:

• Try a Different Media Player
• Update Your Media Player
• Check File Corruption
• Convert the File File Size and Duration

For more details, you can look into this article: How to Fix MOV File Not Playing 2024?

Q2: What is the best repair for MOV files?

It depends on your preferences. If you want to ensure a safe and fast MOV repair process no matter how severely the file was corrupted, 4DDiG Video Repair is worth using.

Q3: How Do I Fix A Corrupted MOV File on a Mac?

To fix a corrupted MOV file on a Mac, you can try using the 4DDiG File Repair software which is available on Mac platforms. It is a reliable and efficient tool for repairing various file formats, including MOV files.

Q4: Is MOV Files the same as MP4 Files?

MOV files are somewhat similar to MP4 files as both are formats for video files. However, the real difference is that MP4 is an international standard format while MOV is a proprietary video format by Apple Inc. Also, a MOV file is of higher quality and larger than an MP4 file.

Q5: How Do I Find the Codec that I Need to Play MOV Files?

MOV is a container format determined by various audio and video formats. You'll need the best MOV codec, the K-Lite Codec Pack, and Windows 10 Codec Pack to play MOV files.

Conclusion

When you might be unable to play a MOV file due to a corrupted or broken video file, you can try those methods and tools to repair MOV files, as mentioned earlier. 

But if the MOV files still won’t play, and you have multiple files to repair, consider using the 4DDiG Video Repair tool. It can fix playback issues, slow video display, and flickering, corrupted, blurred, broken, and stuck videos. Moreover, it has a user-friendly interface and can repair all popular video formats, including MOV, with high efficiency.