MP4 is one of the most popular video file formats, mainly known for its high compression and good quality. You can easily save your precious moments as MP4 video files across multiple devices. However, sometimes you might encounter issues when your MP4 file gets corrupted or damaged and becomes unplayable on your Windows PC.
There are many reasons, including improper encoding, corruption during transfer, media player incompatibility, virus infections, etc., why your video won’t play on Windows PC. Fortunately, there are several video repair workarounds available online that you can try to repair your video files.
In this guide, we’ll discuss different methods on how to repair MP4 files that won’t play on Windows, along with preventive tips to avoid such issues in the future. Let’s explore!
Common Reasons Why MP4 Video Won’t Play on Windows
Before jumping to repair workarounds to fix the MP4 video, it’s important to understand the exact cause of the problem. Some main reasons why MP4 video won’t play on Windows include:
Corrupted MP4 File
Your video file may be partially downloaded or corrupted due to improper saving, sudden system shutdown while recording or downloading video files, and/or a file transfer issue.
Unrecognised Media Player
All media players don’t support all codecs. Windows Media Player might not support a codec your video was compressed with in the MP4 format.
Missing or Outdated Codecs
Codecs are necessary to decode and play video and audio data. If you are missing a codec needed to run the video, or you are using an outdated codec that is needed, it will not play properly.
Bad Sectors on Hard Drive
If the hard drive or storage device that contains the MP4 file has physical damage or bad sectors, your device won’t play the stored MP4 video.
Virus or Malware Attacks
MP4 files get corrupted or damaged due to malicious programs like viruses or malware, which generally attack during file download or transfer.
Quick Methods to Repair MP4 Videos That Won’t Play on Windows
Here are some quick and easy-to-implement MP4 video repair fixes that you can try to repair your corrupt/damaged video files:
Method 01: Try a Different Media Player
As mentioned above, your media player might not have the codec required to play your MP4 video file. Along with this, there can be some other reasons as well, like a black screen, freezing, or an error which appears while playing MP4 video files. If you ever encounter such a case, you can use any other video player.
Windows’ VLC media player offers a wider range of codecs and file structures, which not only allows you to play video files but also to fix minor corruption issues. Here’s how to play or repair MP4 video files using VLC player:
- Firstly, download and install the VLC player from https://www.videolan.org.
Launch the VLC media player, go to Media > Open File.- Browse and select the problematic MP4 file that you need to repair.
- VLC will attempt to play the video—if it detects minor corruption, it may auto-repair during playback.
Method 02: Convert MP4 File to Another Format
Sometimes converting the video file format from MP4 to any other format can fix your MP4 videos that won’t play due to incompatible encoding, missing audio/video streams, or slight corruption. There are various online video converter and software available, you can follow the steps below to convert your MP4 file format using VLC Media Player:
- Launch VLC player, then go to Media from the top menu bar.
- Select Convert / Save from the dropdown.
- Now, navigate to the File tab and click Add.
- Add the corrupted or problematic .mp4 file you want to convert.
Click Convert / Save at the bottom.- Choose a different file format from the Profile drop-down menu.
After that, click Browse next to the Destination file - Lastly, choose the folder and rename the output file, then click Save.
Method 03: Use Professional MP4 Repair Software
If the above methods to repair MP4 video files using the VLC player fail, try third-party video repair tool. Some third-party video repair tools like Stellar Repair for video are especially designed to fix video playback errors like choppy movement, freezing, audio-video sync issues, and file not opening. You can use this tool to repair videos of several file formats, including MP4, MOV, F4V, M4V, and many more.
Stellar Repair for Video tool is a versatile, powerful, and user-friendly tool which helps you repair videos shot from smartphones, DSLRs, surveillance cameras, and other devices. The software is known for some amazing features, including:
- It supports full HD and 4K video files from various cameras and phones.
- The software offers an Advanced Repair feature, which helps you to repair videos using a sample video file.
- It also allows you to preview the repaired files before saving.
- This video repair software is available in multiple versions varying in features and prices.
Here’s how to repair MP4 files that won’t play on Windows using the Stellar Repair for Video tool:
Step 1: Firstly, download and install the Stellar Repair for Video software from its official website on your Windows PC.
Step 2: Launch the software, click on the Add Videos button to upload the corrupt MP4 file(s) you need to repair. 
Step 3: After files are added, click the Repair button to initiate the repair process. Once it is complete, go through the list of repaired files.
Step 4: Select the file you want to save and click ‘Save Repaired Files’ to save the repaired videos at a secure location on your computer.
Additional Tips to Prevent MP4 Videos From Damage/Corruption
Now that you are familiar with different methods to repair MP4 file that won’t play on Windows, let’s check additional tips to avoid such issues from your end:
- Avoid forcefully shutting down your system while transferring or editing videos.
- Keep your software and drivers updated.
- Always use “Safely Remove Hardware” before unplugging external drives.
- Back up important files regularly to cloud backup services or any external storage devices.
- Use antivirus software to avoid malware infections.
Wrapping Up
Corrupted MP4 files that won’t play on Windows can be a frustrating experience, but the aforementioned video repair methods can help you repair your video files. Start with simple fixes like using VLC or changing the file format. If the issue persists, tools like Stellar Repair for Video can help recover your valuable content. Moreover, consider preventive tips like creating backups, updating software programs regularly, etc., to avoid such video damage instances in the future.
