Videos Won't Open After Windows File Recovery? How to Repair Recovered Video Files

5 mins read

Updated on 2025-01-21 20:56:57 to Video Error

When a video refuses to play or appears corrupted, recovering it using Windows File Recovery feels like finding a lifesaver. However, this whole experience is so annoying. The problem is usually caused by problems within the recovery process, wherein the files are unplayable or incomplete. In this guide, we will examine why videos won't open after Windows file recovery.

We will also show you specific steps you can use when your recovered video files are corrupted and recommend some tools you can use safely to recover video without compromising on quality.

  • Workable Solutions
  • Difficulty
  • Fix 1. Use Professional File Repair Tool
  • Easiest and fastest! Full Steps
  • Fix 2. Fix Recovered Video Files Online
  • Easy but may not working for heavily damaged videos. Full Steps
  • Fix 3. Use VLC Media Player
  • Medium and may not working for heavily damaged videos. Full Steps
  • Fix 4. Check File Extension
  • Easy but only work for slightly broken files. Full Steps
  • Fix 5. Restore from Backup History
  • Medium but not available for any user. Full Steps

Part 1. Why My Videos Won't Open After Windows File Recovery

Why is my video file not playing after recovery? you may wonder the answer. One of the most common issues that happen is recovered video files that fail to open, usually related to corruption or incomplete recovery. Below are the main reasons why recovered video files not playing:

  • Recovery File Corruption
    During the process of recovery, video files are especially likely to be corrupted. If the data has not been recovered or if the fragments have not been joined properly, the files may be recovered but unplayable.
  • Zero-Byte Files
    Recovered videos have sometimes a file size of 0 bytes and nothing in them, which means they are entirely unusable.
  • Use of Unreliable Recovery Software
    If you use unreliable tools for recovering your videos, it doesn't ensure recovery of all the recorded data or indeed recover certain files; in some extreme cases, you could be left with corrupted videos.
  • Incomplete Recovery Process
    The recovery process can be interrupted or has errors that can result in only a partial or no retrieval of the file, adding to playback headaches.
  • Certain Formats or Extensions aren't compatible.
    Your media player may have trouble opening the recovered file if the recovered file is of the wrong extension or unsupported codec.

Part 2. How to Fix Video File - Not Playing Issue

If you are facing issues with playing your video files, we have all the right solutions you need to try.

Fix 1. Repair Corrupted Files with 4DDiG Video Repair After Recovery with

4DDiG Video Repair is a great software worth trying. It is an advanced tool capable of repairing video files damaged during or after recovery. Repairing multiple videos at the same time is what this can do, regardless of whether they have been corrupted severely or not, and supports all common video formats such as MP4, AVI, MOV, and more.

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FREE DOWNLOAD

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✨ What Can 4DDiG Video Repair Do

  • Repaired severely corrupted video files with high success rate.
  • Fix various videos that are corrupted, choopy, unplayable, grainy, fuzzy, distorted, etc.
  • Supports multiple video formats, such as MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, M4V, 3GP, and more.
  • Batch processing repairs all at once.
  • Available with a simple interface for all users.
  • Work with computers, camera, HDD, SD card, SSD, GoPro, and more storage devices.
  • Fix various video cannot be played errors for 9Anime, Aniwave, etc., like error code 102630, 233011, and the like.

✨ How to Fix Recovered Video Files Using 4DDiG Video Repair

  • Start the 4DDiG File Repair executable on your computer. Pick "Corrupted File Repair" then select "Video Repair".

    open 4ddig video repair to fix corrupted videos after recovery
  • Proceed to add your corrupted videos by clicking "Add Videos" or using the drag-and-drop action.

    add videos that are corrupted after file recovery
  • Once you are done adding all the corrupted videos, you will click "Repair All" to begin repairing your videos.

    repair all corrupted videos at once
  • After 4DDiG Video Repair repair all the videos, you can preview those fixed videos by clicking "Preview" and save them by hitting "Save All".

    preview and save fixed video files

Fix 2. Recovered Video File That Won't Open Online Free

If you don't want to pay anything, 4DDiG also offers an online video repair remedy that can fix recovered video files in your web browser for free. It is a quick and easy way to fix minor corruption without having to download software.

Steps to Fix Recovered Video Files with 4DDiG Online Free

  • Open the 4DDiG online video repair tool and click the "Upload video" button to select and upload damaged videos from your offline storage.

    upload videos that are corrupted after recovery to 4ddig
  • Once you have selected the video you will click the "Repair All" button to repair it.

  • After your video is repaired, save it to your offline storage by clicking "Save all".

Note:

There is no need to download any tools or install any software if you just want to repair a video file. However, the speed of this process may vary depending on your network connection. So, if you have a lot of files or you want quicker results then the 4DDiG desktop version is the better option.

Fix 3. Fix Corrupted Video Files with VLC Media Player

One of the great things about VLC Media Player is that, if you have some damaged files, since VLC includes a built-in repair feature, it can repair any minor damage right on the spot with the following steps:

  • Open VLC and go to "Media" > "Convert/Save".

    use vlc convert or save feature
  • On the "Open Media" dialog, tap on the right "+Add" tab to import your damaged video files to VLC.

    add corrupted videos to vlc
  • Choose the "Convert/Save" draw-down box and pick "Convert" from the it.

  • On the new window, find the "Profile" section and select an output format.

  • After that, click "start" and repair the file.

    convert formats on vlc to fix corrupted videos

Fix 4. Check File Extension

Video files may fail if they come with incorrect or missing file extensions. It may be the solution to changing the file extension to the proper one.

  • Pick the corrupted video file and right-click it. After that, select "Rename".

  • Replace file extension (.tmp with .mp4). If those changes are confirmed, try playing the file.

    rename video file extension to fix corrupted videos after recovery

Fix 5. Restore from Backup

The easiest solution though, if you've been diligent in creating backups is to restore videos from a backup.

  • Open your backup platform (iCloud, Google Drive, or external drive). Find the original video files.

  • Download or copy the videos to your selected location and play

    repair corrupted videos after recovery from google drive backups

Part 3. How to Recover Video File without Corruption

Using a reliable Windows Data Recovery tool like Tenorshare 4DDiG Data Recovery, you will also be able to prevent corruption issues that occur during recovery. This software guarantees to fully recover videos without losing their quality or integrity.

Steps to recover videos with 4DDiG

  • Launch your 4DDiG desktop software and click the "Video Recovery" option then click "Get Started" to begin the process.

  • Select the drive and its folders where you want to recover the video from and click "Recover".

    recover video files using 4ddig

  • Preview the recovered video and click "Recover" then select the target location to save that video and click "Save now".

With these steps followed you can easily recover your deleted video files from your storage drive with the help of 4DDiG data recovery software. It not only works quickly but also provides highly reliable results.

Part 4. People Also Ask about Videos Won't Open After Windows File Recovery

Q1: How do I recover a video from Windows File Recovery?

You can use the Windows File Recovery tool to scan the drive to find the lost videos. If the files are corrupted and the data within is damaged, follow up with a repair tool like 4DDiG Video Repair.

Q2: How to play recovered MP4 video files?

Check that file extension and codec. If the trouble persists, just use VLC Media Player or repair the video. Changing the video file extension by renaming the file will also work in most cases.

Q3: Why are WhatsApp videos not playing after restoration?

It may happen because of corruption or unsupported formats. The file can be repaired using a video repair tool or played by VLC to open or convert the file.

Q4: What to do if the disk drill recovered video won't play?

Fix the corrupted video with 4DDiG Video Repair or just check the file extension. In most cases, 4DDiG will repair your corrupted or damaged video file and it will start playing like a normal video again.

Conclusion

Recovering videos that have become corrupted after using Windows File Recovery is a headache, but 4DDiG Video Repair solutions let you repair and restore corrupted files. Still, both automated tools and manual fixes are mentioned as possible ways to save your valuable videos with the help of methods described in this guide.

If your videos won't open after Windows file recovery, you need a smooth recovery experience. 4DDiG Windows Data Recovery is suggested to you to minimize the chance of data being corrupted while recovering.

FREE DOWNLOAD

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FREE DOWNLOAD

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William Bollson (senior editor)

William Bollson, the editor-in-chief of 4DDiG, devotes to providing the best solutions for Windows and Mac related issues, including data recovery, repair, error fixes.

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