Question"A few days ago, I opened Quick Time Player to watch my favorite movie on my computer. The movie started playing fine, but to my surprise, the screen went blank after some time. The video had a MOV file format, and when I last played the movie a week ago, it wasn't corrupted. So what happened in the meanwhile to make it useless?"
-Question from Quora
We browsed through various forums looking for MOV repair methods and collected the ones that really work. Check the curated five fixes if you are looking for how to fix corrupted MOV files. We've also included the reasons for what causes MOV file corruption and tips to play MOV files on Windows and Mac.
Part 1: Overview of MOV Files Format
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.
Part 2: 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 3: 5 Fixes to Repair Corrupt MOV Files
The good news is that you won't have to worry, as it’s possible to repair MOV file that is corrupted or broken. Here are the methods you can try:
Fix 1: Use 4DDiG File Repair for Mov Repair
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:
- 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.
Follow the steps below to repair MOV files with the 4DDiG File Repair tool:
For PC
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For MAC
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- Download and launch 4DDiG File Repair on your system. Opt for the "Fix Video Errors" option and click "Start" to proceed.
- Select and import your corrupted MOV files. Then click "Start Repair" to begin the MOV repair process.
- Once the repairing process is complete, you can preview the repaired MOV files and export them to a safe location.
Video Tutorial: How to Repair Corrupted MOV Videos
Fix 2: Use QuickTime Player to Repair MOV Files
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.
Fix 3: Use Free Online Video Repair
If you don't have much time to download and sign up for third-party software, use the 4DDiG Free Online Video Repair tool. It will automatically repair .MOV file free of cost in three easy steps. Features include:
- Free of charge automatic video repair.
- Supports MOV, MP4, and M4V file formats.
- User-friendly interface.
- Does not ask for a sign-up process.
- Uses encryption to keep your data safe.
Here's how you can use the 4DDiG Free Online Video Repair tool:
Step 1: All you have to do is upload corrupted MOV files or drag and drop them into the tool. It will scan and automatically repair the corrupted MOV files.
Step 2: You can preview repaired MOV files to check their details. After the repairing process is completed, save them in a different location to avoid overwriting.
Fix 4: Repair MOV File with VLC Player
You can also repair.MOV file by using the VLC media player to change its file extension. Follow the steps below:
Step 1: First, copy the corrupted MOV file. Next, change the corrupted .MOV file extension name to .AVI.
Step 2: Open the VLC player and head to the "Tools" menu, then choose "Preferences."
Step 3: Select "Input or Codecs" and click on "Save" at the bottom of the "Preferences" window.
Step 4: Select “Always fix” from the drop-down menu under "Damaged or incomplete AVI file."
Fix 5: 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:
Step 1: Open the VLC player on Windows or Mac and head to the "Media" menu. Then choose "Convert/Save."
Step 2: Upload the corrupted MOV files by clicking on the “Add” button. Then select "Convert/Save" at the bottom.
Step 3: Click the "Browse" button and choose the output video's file name and destination folder. Press the "Save" button.
Step 4: 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 4: Tips for Playing MOV Files Smoothly
Here are some bonus tips for opening and playing MOV files on Windows and Mac smoothly:
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.
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
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.
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.
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
MOV is a popular video file format, but sometimes you might be unable to play a MOV file due to a corrupted or broken video file. If something like that happens to you, we suggest trying those, as mentioned earlier, free and quick fixes first for MOV repair video files. But if the MOV files still won’t play, and you have multiple files to repair, consider using the 4DDiG File 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.