2 Feasible Solutions to Repair Corrupted MOV Files on Mac/Windows

December 12, 2023Jenny Ryan

You are looking forward to watching a movie you downloaded. But even with the default QuickTime Player, you cannot open the MOV video. If you’ve checked software and everything is ok, you might need to fix the MOV file. It is a common problem that you will encounter when dealing with video playback; fortunately, it is not tricky at all and some solutions can help handle it. In this case, read further to see the best methods for a damaged MOV video file repair on your computer.

Part 1. Why the MOV Can't Be Opened?
Part 2. Feasible Solutions for MOV Repair (Free included)
Part 3. FAQs about Repair MOV Files

Part 1. Why the MOV Can't Be Opened?

It is worth noting that a video file can get damaged by various factors, or QuickTime has its errors. Since these can happen constantly, it is best to keep an eye on the possible elements causing damage to the file. Here are some possible reasons:

The outdated QuickTime Player cannot handle new MOV files.
Files get damaged during downloading or transferring.
MOV files have unsupported or missing codecs.
Incorrect or incomplete system update.
The piled-up media caches cause software crashes.
Unfixed malware and viruses on the device.

Part 2. Feasible Solutions for MOV Repair (Free included)

Considering all the problems that make your MOV files unrecognizable, you will need some help to fix them. Check the following solutions here.

	Pros	Cons
Aiseesoft Video Repair	1. Repair MOV files on Mac, including the resolution, quality, bitrate, and frame rate. 2. Easy to use with a fast-speed process. 3. Lightweight and not source-hungry.	It can’t change formats or codecs.
VLC Media Player	1. Excellent converting tool. 2. Support a wide range of formats. 3. Free and open-source.	There is no preview option before converting the video.
Zamzar	1. Free web-based converter. 2. Support bulk conversions.	It is limited to 50 MB file size only.

Aiseesoft Video Repair

To effectively fix the corrupted MOV file, it is best to use Aiseesoft Video Repair. It is a desktop program that uses advanced technology to repair a corrupted video by imitating a sample file’s encoder, format, resolution, and more. Whether or not the MOV file has defects in codecs, this tool will fix them in one click. Additionally, its strong suit is the secured process, as it protects the file while restoring it. You can quickly get cross-platform Video Repair on Windows and Mac.

Downloads

Aiseesoft Video Repair

100% restoration for MOV, MP4, and 3GP videos.
Fast-speed process without losing quality.
Preview the restored video before exporting it.
Shortcut keys to access functions conveniently.

Free DownloadFor Windows

100% Secure. No Ads.

Free DownloadFor macOS

100% Secure. No Ads.

Step 1.

Click the Download button to get Aiseesoft Video Repair on your desktop. Once it is installed and launched, click the Add button on the first column and upload the corrupted video from your folder. Click the Open button to confirm the selected file.

Step 2.

Upload the sample video in the second column by clicking the Add button. It is best to upload a file with the same details as the corrupted video regarding the duration, format, and frame rate, as it will help get the highest access rate on recovery.

Step 3.

After setting up, hit the Repair button to start the process. It will take a few minutes, and then you can click the Preview button to see the results. Also, don’t forget to check for mismatched details below the repaired clip. Once done, press the Save button to export the MOV file fixed.

VLC Media Player

In case QuickTime is not working properly on your Mac, VLC can be the alternative to watching movies. But since it is a flexible tool, you can also use it to fix broken MOV files or change the codecs. To use the media player, here are the steps:

Step 1.

Download VLC from the official website. You can download it for free on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. Once it is installed, launch it. Navigate to the File menu at the upper left corner and choose the Open option. Upload the MOV file to see if it will play on VLC.

Step 2.

If the video is not playing, go to the Media menu again and choose Convert/Save from the dropdown list. From the dialog box, click the Add button and select the damaged file. Click the Convert/Save button to proceed.

Step 3.

Open the advanced settings on the Profile option by pressing the wrench icon. Choose the supported format and codecs for MOV. Hit the Start button to change the codecs on the video.

Zamzar

To fix the corrupted MOV file on Mac, you can use Zamzar, one of the best free video converters online, to change the file extension of the video. The online converter is a free tool that is accessible to any browser. Its straightforward interface allows you to upload multiple files at once. It also supports many output formats, so finding the most standard ones is easy. Zamzar can only allow free 50MB for an upload. This means it will require you to buy a plan to upload a larger file.

Step 1.

Go to the Zamzar’s website and click the Choose Files button. Click the dropdown button beside it to see other sources where you can get an MOV file.

Step 2.

Once the video is uploaded, the next button will be available to access. Choose the format on the Convert To menu. It is recommended to choose a format that is universally supported.

Step 3.

When everything is set, click the Convert Now button to process the file. After a few moments, click the Download button to export the newly converted file to your computer.

Part 3. FAQs about Repair MOV Files

Can QuickTime Player open an MOV file?

Yes. As a matter of fact, the format was made exclusively for Apple devices, which is also the standard for storing video files. QuickTime can open MOV by default, but the file is probably corrupted if it can't.

Can you fix an MOV video that is pixelated?

A Grainy or pixelated visual is a sign of a broken MOV file. A few things to resolve this is to use a professional video editor like Adobe After Effects or an alternative media player if QuickTime plays the video blurry.

How do I know if my MOV file is corrupted?

A corrupted MOV file will not play on QuickTime or any media player. You will receive an error notification with the file details. This could be a virus or an unsupported codec.

Should I update QuickTime to play MOV?

Yes. It is recommended to update the media player when there is available new software. To check for updates, open QuickTime and click the QuickTime Player icon. Choose the Update Existing Software option. If there is a new version, click the Install button.

Conclusion

Your corrupted MOV files can be repaired on Mac with the given solutions in this post. Despite being a media player, VLC has the tools to change the unsupported codecs. Meanwhile, Zamzar is a free online converter that can change the file extension, but with a limited file size. Among these options, Aiseesoft Video Repair is the right choice to recover the original quality of your MOV files. With easiness and advanced technology, it is worth trying!

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