Having videos that won’t play on your PC is really frustrating. If your video refuses to play, freezes midway, shows a black screen, or displays an error message, don’t lose hope. Whether such video playback issues happen due to corrupted files, unsupported formats, damaged storage devices, interrupted transfers, malware attacks, or outdated media players, there’s always a chance to repair them.
Fortunately, several video repair methods are available to help you repair videos that won’t play on your computer. In this article, we’ll explore different reasons behind video playback problems and quick repair methods to fix them easily.
Why Videos Won’t Play on PC? [Common Reasons]
Before repairing the videos, it’s important to understand the common reasons for this video playback issue. Some main reasons include:
● Corrupted video headers or metadata
● Incomplete video downloads or transfers
● Unsupported video codec or format
● Sudden system shutdown while recording
● Infection by malicious programs like viruses or malware
● Damaged storage drive or memory card
● Outdated graphics drivers or media player
● File corruption during editing or conversion
Signs of Corrupted Video Files
Along with the above reasons for your unplayable video files, it’s important to understand the symptoms of damaged videos. The symptoms can vary from video freezing and lagging to audio-video sync issues or complete playback failure.
Common signs include:
● The video shows a black screen
● Audio plays, but video doesn’t
● Error messages like “Cannot play this file” appear
● Video freezes or stutters frequently
● Media player crashes while opening file
● Missing audio or distorted visuals
● Unsupported format warning despite supported extension
If you encounter any of these signs, it’s important to immediately proceed with video repair methods.
How do I Repair Videos That Won’t Play on Windows?
In this section, we’ll explore different video repair methods that you can try to repair videos that won’t play on Windows PC. Just go with these methods one by one to repair your videos effectively:
Method 01: Restart Your PC
Sometimes that problem is not with your video file; it’s just some memory glitches or background processes that prevent the video from playing properly. In such cases, you can follow the below steps to restart your device:
● Close all the applications running on your PC.
● Restart it and try playing the video again.
This simple fix often resolves temporary playback issues.
Method 02: Try Another Media Player
There may be problem with your current media player, which may not support the video codec and cause playback errors. Different media players support different codecs and file structures. Changing the video player might resolve these issues. Here are some common media players that you can try:
● VLC Media Player
● Windows Media Player
● PotPlayer
● KMPlayer
Method 03: Update the Media Player
An outdated media player may fail to decode newer video formats and cause problems while playing them. Updated software improves compatibility and playback stability. In such cases, you can follow the below steps to update your media player:
● Firstly, open your media player.
● Go to Help, then select Check for Updates.
● If any latest version is available, install it on your PC.
Method 04: Convert Your Video Format
Sometimes, your Windows PC or media player may fail to recognise the video file format, causing problems during video playback. If the video doesn’t play, convert its file format using video conversion tools. Converting often fixes codec-related playback issues.
Steps to convert the video file format using VLC:
● Launch the VLC media player on your PC.
● Go to Media > Convert/Save.
● Add the video file that you need to convert and click Convert/Save again.
● Choose the desired output format (like MP4).
● Select the destination folder and click Start to initiate conversion.
Method 05: Repair Videos Using VLC
Along with playing video files, Windows’ VLC media player offers built-in repair features that can help you fix minor corruption in damaged videos. You can follow the below steps to repair your videos using VLC:
● Launch VLC player, go to Tools > Preferences.
● Select Input/Codecs.
● From the drop-down next to Damaged or Incomplete AVI File, select Always Fix.
● Click Save to save the changes and then try playing the video again.
Method 06: Check for Missing Codecs
A codec is required to decode and play compressed video data. If your media player lacks the required codec, videos may not play properly. In such cases, you can try installing the following codecs from the official manufacturer's site:
● K-Lite Codec Pack
● Combined Community Codec Pack
Installing codecs can restore playback for unsupported formats.
Method 07: Update Graphics Drivers
Outdated or corrupted GPU drivers can also be one of the main culprits for your unplayable video files. Updating these drivers improves rendering and playback performance. For this:
● Right-click the Start menu, then select Device Manager.
● Expand Display Adapters and right-click on your graphics card.
● Select Update Driver and wait till the process is complete.
What if Your Video Still Won’t Play on PC? [Try Online Video Repair Tool]
Instances may happen when the aforementioned video repair fixes fail to repair your unplayable video files. In such cases, you can try free online video repair like Stellar Repair for Video Online to fix your corrupted or damaged video files. This all-in-one video repair tool can help you fix video files that may display a black screen, freeze during playback, show distorted visuals, or generate an error like “Cannot play this file.”
The Stellar Repair for Video Online tool is known for several amazing key features, including:
● It is completely online, i.e., no need to install any third-party video repair software on your PC.
● The tool supports several video file formats such as MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, and more.
● The repair process usually takes only a few minutes, depending on file size and corruption level.
● It allows you to preview the repaired files before saving them on your computer.
Steps to repair videos that won’t play on PC using this online video repair tool:
Step 1: Launch a web browser on your PC and open the official Stellar Repair for Video Online page. Click Upload Video and add the unplayable video file that you need to repair.
Step 2: After uploading the file, click the Start Repair button to initiate the repair process. The video repair duration depends on its size, severity of corruption, file format, etc.
Step 3: Once the repair process is complete, the tool allows you to preview the repaired video. Preview the repaired files and tap Save Repaired Video to download and save it to your PC.
This method is especially useful when videos become corrupted after sudden interruptions or device crashes.
Conclusion
Having a corrupted or unplayable video file can be a distressing issue, but it can be easily repaired. Whether the problem is due to codec incompatibility, corruption, malware, transfer interruptions, or system issues, you can go with the aforementioned video repair fixes to make your videos playable again. For severely damaged videos, dedicated online video repair software such as Stellar Repair for Video Online can effectively restore corrupted files and recover smooth playback.
By following the methods discussed in this guide and adopting safe file-handling practices, you can reduce the risk of video corruption and keep your important media files accessible and secure.
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