How to Fix Corrupt MOV Which Can't be Played on QuickTime

Occasionally, you might find that your MOV can’t be played on QuickTime or that your file got corrupted somehow. Fortunately, depending on the specific cause, it’s usually easy to fix a corrupt MOV and ensure you can access your most essential files.

Learn how to fix the QuickTime MOV error and restore your corrupted files.

What Is the QuickTime Video Player?

QuickTime is the default video player that comes with your macOS. It’s a powerful little player that supports various picture, audio, and video file formats, including MOV.

While it’s primarily used as a player for multimedia content, it comes with some basic editing features that enable you to have some fun with your MOV files. For instance, you can seamlessly clip, merge, split, and trim your videos or use the player for live streaming.

The best part is that it has a seamless mobile integration, so anything you can do on your Mac, you can also do on your iPhone with the utmost ease.

Reasons Why QuickTime Doesn’t Want to Play MOV Files

MOV file format is compatible with QuickTime player, so you should always be able to open your videos without much fuss. If your QuickTime will not play MOV, it’s probably because your files got corrupted.

In a nutshell, a corrupted file will have pieces of its data missing. Sometimes, those small missing pieces will make your videos a bit glitchy, or the overall quality will be poorer than expected.

However, if there are too many missing pieces of data, the video player will be unable to reconstruct the data that’s left, and it will refuse to open your files, sending out errors every time you try to play your video.

Causes of MOV Video File Corruption

To be able to fix unplayable MOV files, you’ll want to first identify the cause of their corruption. Knowing the cause can help you save time and effort by going straight for the most effective solution.

The problem is that a million different things could corrupt your files, from malware attacks to improper downloads and outdated software.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the most common reasons why your MOV files got corrupted:

How to Repair Corrupt MOV Video Files

MOV video repair doesn’t always require you to be a tech guru, nor does it require you to spend hundreds of dollars for professional repair. In many instances, simple solutions such as using intuitive repair software or updating your players can give you access to your video files again.

Here are some of the easiest and most effective ways to repair QuickTime MOV file errors.

Repair Corrupt MOV Videos With Repairit

Wondershare’s Repairit is an advanced data repair tool that can salvage files lost or corrupted in virtually any scenario. Whether it comes to a data transfer interruption, disk corruption, malware attack, or anything in between, chances are that Wondershare Repairit can help you fix the problem as it boasts a high success rate.

To fix your MOV files with Repairit, you’ll have to follow a few simple steps:

Step 1: Install Repairit on your Mac, then click +Add to upload your corrupted MOV file;

Step 2: Click Repair to start the data repair process;

Step 3: Preview your MOV files and click Save.

Alternatively, you can use the Wondershare Repairit Advanced Repair mode if your MOV files are completely corrupted and unplayable. The process is just as simple as the traditional data repair:

Step 1: Add your corrupt MOV and click Repair;

Step 2: Preview the video, then click Advanced Repair;

Step 3: Upload a sample MOV file that isn’t corrupted and click Next;

Step 4: Click Repair.

Your repaired MOV files will be in the location you chose during the repair process, and you should be able to play them without any further issues.

This video will provide a step-by-step guide on how to fix corrupted MOV files which can't be played on QuickTime.

Update Your QuickTime Player

As mentioned, outdated software could be causing problems with your MOV files, so you might want to try updating your QuickTime player before attempting other solutions. After all, in many instances, the easiest fix is the most effective one.

Since QuickTime player is the default app on your Mac, updating your macOS will update your player:

Step 1: Click on the Apple logo in the top right-hand corner;

Step 2: Click on System Preferences;

Step 3: Go to Software Update;

Step 4: If an update is available, click Upgrade Now;

Wait for the macOS update to complete. You might need to restart your device, so follow the on-screen instructions.

Convert the Files to a Different Format

Of course, it’s also possible that the MOV format itself is causing problems. Even if your player does support the MOV format, there could be a glitch that’s preventing it from playing your videos. In that instance, the best thing you could do is convert your videos to a different format, such as MP4.

The easiest way to do that is with the iMovie app on your Mac:

Step 1: Open iMovie and click on Create New;

Step 2: Select Import Media and choose your MOV file;

Step 3: Go to File > Share > File;

Step 4: Go to Export File > Next > Save.

This simple process will convert your MOV files to MP4, and hopefully, you’ll be able to play your video.

Use VLC to Repair MOV Files

Another easy solution is using the VLC media player to repair your MOV files. VLC has some great features that can help you easily repair any files:

Step 1: Open the VLC media player and go to Media > Convert/Save;

Step 2: Add your damaged MOV file;

Step 3: Under Profile, choose your preferred settings and click Start;

Step 4: When the conversion is done, go to Tools > Preferences;

Step 5: Go to Input/Codecs;

Step 6: Under Damaged or incomplete AVI file, choose Always Fix;

Step 7: Click Save.

Now, when you open your corrupted MOV file (that you’ve just converted to AVI) in VLC, the tool will automatically fix it and enable you to play it without obstacles.

Use QuickTime Movie Inspector

Finally, to check whether the MOV file corruption is causing problems, you can use the QuickTime Movie Inspector. That won’t fix the QuickTime MOV file, but it can help you ensure it’s file corruption that’s to blame.

To check your MOV files with Movie Inspector, follow the next few steps:

Step 1: Open QuickTime and import your MOV file;

Step 2: Go to Window > Show Movie Inspector;

Step 3: Check the MOV file information.

Your MOV file isn’t corrupt if you can see information such as resolution, data size, video format, and more. Your MOV file is corrupt if all you see is a black screen with an error code. You can search the error code online to learn more about it.

Conclusion

Having corrupt or otherwise damaged MOV files is annoying, but there are a few effective solutions you could try to repair your files. In most instances, using advanced tools like Repairit, converting your files with the VLC media player, or simply updating your players could be just the solution you need.