Repair a corrupted MOV file

By the FixMP4 engineering team · Updated October 9, 2026 · Tested on real H.264, HEVC and AAC recordings

MOV is Apple's QuickTime format, used by every iPhone and by many cameras. When a MOV file is damaged, QuickTime Player says "The file isn't compatible with QuickTime Player", Photos shows a blank thumbnail, and Windows reports an unsupported format. The video data is usually still there; it is the QuickTime index that is missing or broken. FixMP4 rebuilds it in your browser.

Open the free repair tool and get a free preview of your repaired MOV.

MOV and MP4 are cousins

The MP4 format was derived from QuickTime, so a MOV file has the same basic structure:

• a header (ftyp, sometimes wide),
• the media data (mdat) with the compressed frames,
• the index (moov) that lists tracks, codec settings and the position of every frame.

iPhone MOV files usually contain HEVC (H.265) video when the camera is set to "High Efficiency", or H.264 when set to "Most Compatible", plus AAC audio and some metadata tracks (location, camera data, Live Photo information). FixMP4 repairs the video and audio tracks, which are the ones that matter for playback.

Why MOV files break

• The iPhone or camera turned off during recording (battery, overheating, crash).
• The memory card was full or removed.
• The recording was interrupted by a phone call or the camera app being closed by iOS.
• The transfer from the device was interrupted, for example an AirDrop, a USB copy or an iCloud download.
• A disk error damaged the beginning of the file.

How FixMP4 repairs a MOV file

1. We read the QuickTime structure and report what is missing: the index, the end of the data or the header.
2. If the index survived, we reuse it, remove references to frames that are no longer in the file and write a clean header. No reference file needed.
3. If the index is missing, we need a short healthy MOV from the same device. From it we copy the codec settings (the HEVC hvcC or H.264 avcC configuration and the AAC audio configuration), the frame rate and timescales. Then we scan the media data:

• video frames are recognised from their HEVC or H.264 structure and grouped into pictures;
• AAC audio frames are parsed so that their exact sizes are known;
• metadata samples that we do not understand are skipped automatically;
• picture order is decoded so that frames play in the right order.

4. We write a new MOV file containing your original, untouched frames and a fresh index, preserving the video's rotation from the reference.

Choosing a reference MOV on iPhone

For the best result the reference should match the broken video exactly:

• same iPhone,
• same resolution and frame rate (Settings > Camera > Record Video),
• same format (High Efficiency or Most Compatible),
• same HDR setting,
• ideally the same lens and orientation.

Just record five seconds with the same settings. If you are not sure which settings were used, record one clip per setting and try each as the reference; the free preview shows immediately whether it works.

MOV files from other cameras

Many mirrorless cameras, camcorders and drones also record MOV files, and the same rules apply. If the camera uses H.264 or HEVC with AAC audio, FixMP4 can rebuild the index; if it records ProRes, PCM audio or a proprietary variant, the preview will show that the file is not supported. Some cameras split long recordings into several files of about 4 GB each. Only the file that was being written when the recording stopped is usually damaged; the earlier parts play normally and make perfect reference files, because they were recorded seconds earlier with exactly the same settings. Always repair a copy and keep the original file untouched, so you can try again with a different reference if needed.

Free preview, paid export

You will see the first 15 seconds of the repaired video on the page for free. Exporting the complete MOV requires a subscription: $9/month or $29/year, cancel anytime. There are no per-file fees.

Privacy

iPhone videos often contain family moments, children and location data. FixMP4 never uploads your files: everything runs locally in your browser, which is also faster for large 4K videos.

Limits you should know about

Supported: H.264 and HEVC video with AAC audio in MOV, MP4 and M4V files; missing or deleted index; truncated recordings; damaged headers.

Not supported yet:

• ProRes and ProRes RAW (used by iPhone Pro "ProRes" mode and many professional cameras),
• PCM or ALAC audio tracks,
• Dolby Vision metadata is not preserved separately; the video plays as standard HEVC,
• Cinematic mode depth data and Live Photo metadata are not restored,
• frames that were themselves overwritten cannot be restored.

The free preview tells you whether your file works before you pay.

Step by step

1. Copy the broken MOV to your computer (AirDrop, Image Capture or USB).
2. Record or copy a short healthy MOV with the same settings.
3. Open the repair tool, drop the broken MOV and the reference.
4. Press Repair and check the preview.
5. Subscribe and download the full repaired MOV.

More help: video won't play after recording, repair a corrupted video and how to choose a reference file.

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