Do you have corrupted FLV (Flash Video) files? Don’t worry; you can fix corrupted FLV videos without sacrificing quality.
Whether you’ve created them yourself or downloaded them before the FLV format became obsolete, you can repair corrupted video files with online or offline tools. Before exploring them, let’s see how these videos suffer damage and if genuine FLV repair that restores quality is possible.
How Can FLV Videos Get Corrupted?
The most widespread causes of FLV file corruption include the following:
- Incomplete file transfer – Forcibly removing a USB or another external drive while in use can damage your videos. The same goes for interrupting downloads because web servers divide data packets into segments.
- System crashes – A sudden power outage or hardware or software failure can cause your operating system to crash, possibly damaging files.
- Corrupted storage – Your internal hard disk or removable drive could develop logical or physical bad sectors, causing FLV file corruption.
- Malware – Malicious code can wreak havoc on your system. For instance, computer viruses can misplace, damage, and delete files, besides delivering payloads to steal data. You can infect any storage device with malware if you click suspicious links and download files from shady websites.
Can you repair corrupted video files in these scenarios? Let’s find out.
Is FLV Repair Possible?
Adobe may have discontinued its Flash Player, and web browsers no longer support Flash-related software, but you can still watch your old FLV files. Since many media players can render the FLV format, you can find the necessary codecs to play them.
That means FLV repair is more than possible. Updating codecs is only one solution, so let’s check out all the methods to fix your corrupted FLV files.
How to Repair FLV Videos
The following fixes will help you repair corrupted video files in a heartbeat and enjoy your favorite content again.
Option 1: Use Wondershare Repairit Video Repair Software
Wondershare Repairit offers professional tools for fixing corrupted videos, images, documents, presentations, audio, and other files. Its Video Repair software can reverse damage effects during recording, transfer, editing, or conversion, making your videos playable again.
The software supports 18 video formats, including FLV, and uses sophisticated technology to remove file corruption while retaining quality.
Here’s how to fix corrupted FLV files with Wondershare Repairit:
Step 1: Download Wondershare Repairit Desktop Video Repair to your computer.
Step 2: Click Add to upload corrupted FLV files.
Step 3: Click Repair to start the process.
Step 4: Preview the videos to check their quality. If you think there’s room for extra fixing, click Advanced Repair. Otherwise, hit Save All and proceed to the last step.
Step 5: Click the Folder icon to upload a sample video for the program to use as a reference. It must be a working FLV file with the same origin device. You can find many online if you don’t have another on your computer. Once you add a suitable video, click Next.
Step 6: Let the software compare the two videos’ encoding, format, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and other parameters to ensure they’re compatible. Hit Repair when it’s ready.
Step 7: Download the repaired FLV files to your computer. Select a new path and click Save All.
Wondershare Repairit will make your FLV files as good as new, but try the fixes below If you don’t want to download any software.
Option 2: Convert FLV Videos to Another Format
File conversion often eliminates corruption. It’s the fastest way to fix corrupted FLV videos.
It’s worth noting that modifying a file extension (e.g., .flv to .avi or .mp4) changes the format without causing damage. However, it may not work when corruption exists. Therefore, you’ll need an adequate converter.
We’ll use the VLC media player as an example to tie it nicely with the method below, but you can use any video converter.
Here’s how to convert FLV videos to another format with VLC:
Step 1: Launch VLC and go to Media > Convert/Save.
Step 2: Click Add to choose one or more FLV files from local storage.
Step 3: Click Convert/Save to initiate the process.
Step 4: Choose a video profile under Convert Settings, depending on your desired output format. For instance, the Video for DivX compatible player will convert your FLV file to AVI. Choose the destination and click Start.
If file conversion doesn’t work, try the following method.
Option 3: Repair FLV With VLC
VLC can repair corrupted video files, but that feature works with the AVI format only. That’s why we’ve used it in the example above.
Once you convert your FLV file to AVI using VLC or another program, launch VLC and follow these steps:
Step 1: Go to Tools > Preferences.
Step 2: Navigate to Input/Codecs and select Always fix in the Damaged or incomplete AVI file drop-down list. Click Save.
Play your newly converted video in VLC to see if it works. If it still refuses to play, try the fix below.
Option 4: Use the System File Checker
The System File Checker (SFC) is a Windows utility for troubleshooting and restoring corrupted system files. However, it might also help with damaged videos, primarily if they’re in corrupted storage.
Here’s how to run the System File Checker:
Step 1: Find the Command Prompt in your taskbar’s search bar and click Run as administrator.
Step 2: Run this command: sfc /scannow. It will scan your system, check file integrity, and replace corrupted files with their cached copies.
If the System File Checker doesn’t find problems, missing or incompatible codecs might be the culprits. Here’s how to update them.
Option 5: Update Codecs
Audio and video codecs have encoders for compressing and decoders for decompressing media files. Media players can regularly download and update them to provide a seamless experience. However, some, including Windows Media Player, don’t support FLV files and their corresponding codecs.
Here’s a dialog box you’ll see when opening a FLV file with Windows Media Player:
Clicking Web Help will direct you to Microsoft’s Windows Media Player documentation page without download links. Therefore, find another source to download a suitable codec pack.
Your best options include the K-Lite Codec Pack, the X Codec Pack, and Shark007, each with reliable codecs for numerous formats, including FLV. Regardless of your choice, installing the codecs requires only running the installation file and following the on-screen instructions.
Option 6: Update Your Graphics Drivers
Outdated graphics drivers are among the usual suspects when investigating file corruption. Updating them might resolve your problem and make your FLV files playable again. Here’s what to do:
Step 1: Launch Device Manager, find your graphics driver, right-click it, and select Update driver.
Step 2: Choose the first option: Search automatically for drivers.
Repeat the process if you have multiple graphics drivers. Once your computer updates them, play your FLV file to see if it works.
How to Prevent FLV File Corruption in the Future
File corruption is sometimes out of your control. For instance, you can’t predict a power outage to shut down your computer in time. However, you can take the necessary precautions to prevent other scenarios.
Follow these essential tips to prevent FLV file corruption (and protect other data):
- Don’t forcibly remove USB flash drives or other external storage media while in use.
- Safely remove hardware after transferring files.
- Don’t interrupt downloads because you’ll receive incomplete data packets.
- Install and regularly update antivirus software.
- Avoid forcibly shutting down your computer to prevent logical bad sectors.
- Carefully handle external drives to avert physical damage.
The best way to protect files is to create regular backups. It may not prevent corruption, but you’ll have copies in a secure location.
Bonus Advice: How to Repair FLV Videos Online
Many providers offer online video repair software, making fixing damaged files a breeze. Wondershare Repairit is no exception.
Its Online Video Repair tool supports ten formats, including FLV, and limits the file quantity and size (unlike its desktop counterpart). The free version lets you fix only one video of up to 50 MB (one is all you need sometimes), while the premium edition allows 150 monthly videos of a maximum of 3 GB.
Despite the limitations, it’s a fantastic choice for quickly repairing videos without downloading software. Here’s how:
Step 1: Visit Wondershare Repairit’s Online Video Repair page and click Add to upload corrupted FLV videos.
Step 2: Click Repair to initiate the process.
Step 3: Preview your restored FLV files. If you think the quality could be better, click Upload a Sample Video to use the tool’s Advanced Repair technology. Ensure the reference video comes from the same origin device and has a matching format, bitrate, frame rate, resolution, and other parameters. Click Download All to save the videos to your device.
Conclusion
FLV repair is pretty straightforward when you know what you’re doing. Whether you convert FLV to another format, install codecs, update graphics drivers, or use VLC or the System File Checker, you can restore your favorite videos without losing quality.
However, video repair software like Wondershare Repairit is your best bet, primarily when other methods don’t bear fruit. It’s a surefire way to fix corrupted FLV files.