Audio Video Interleave is a highly popular and one of the most widely used audio formats. However, AVI files getting corrupt is not an uncommon issue. Thousands of users encounter this issue on a day-to-day basis.
In this article, we will guide you through the process of repairing corrupt AVI videos using VLC media player, a popular and versatile media player known for its wide format support and built-in repair features.
Methods to Fix AVI File Using VLC Media Player:
AVI is a video file format that contains both audio and video data in a single container, enabling synchronized playback. However, AVI files can become inaccessible or unplayable when the index, which stores critical information about the file's structure, is damaged or corrupted. Fortunately, VLC provides a solution to repair such AVI files and restore their accessibility.
1. Reopen AVI File After Redownloading:
VLC or Windows media player won’t play AVI videos when they are improperly downloaded or transferred to the system. In cases where the videos were downloaded from the internet or transferred from a storage device, it may be worth attempting to redownload or retransfer the same files without any interruptions. By taking these steps, you can potentially improve the chances of playing AVI videos without any playback issues on VLC.
Once redownload the AVI file, you can try playing it on the VLC media player with the following steps:
- Locate the AVI video file on your computer.
- Right-click on the AVI file to open the context menu.
- Select the Open With option. Under the submenu, choose VLC media player from the list.
- VLC media player will launch and automatically start playing the AVI file.
2. Rebuild AVI File Index:
If you encounter a missing or broken AVI index issue, you can encounter playback issues. This is because the AVI index contains critical data about the file structure and timing of the video file, allowing VLC or any other media player to navigate and play it correctly.
- Install the VLC media player on your system.
- Play the damaged AVI video on VLC, and it will prompt you with a message which states VLC will not fix or repair your AVI video but will temporarily fix your video by building index information in its program memory.
- You can then choose the Build index then play option which will temporarily fix the index issue of your AVI file.
3. Fix Damaged or Incomplete AVI Files:
If you encounter unknown errors on your AVI video or have a damaged/broken AVI file, you can fix them effectively with the help of the VLC player itself. Follow the steps below to configure your VLC media player to repair damaged, broken, or incomplete AVI video files for free.
1: Open the VLC media player, select Tools, and then click on Preferences.
2: Click on the Inputs & Codecs column.
3: In the Damaged or Incomplete AVI file line, change it to Always Fix and click on Save. (as shown below)
The newer codecs like Xvid and DivX enhance the quality of the AVI video, which is better than DVD. If you have any incomplete information on these codecs on your AVI file, then DivX or Xvid will also be fixed by VLC itself. Hence, you will not need to fix corrupt AVI files using VLC anymore after setting this preference.
Note: It is always suggested to set the preference as Ask for Action in the VLC media player. This is because VLC tries to repair the AVI file every time it is opened, and choosing Always Fix will repeatedly prompt the program to fix it even if the video file is healthy. This repetitive process will not affect the compatibility of the video with VLC. But, it might make the video unplayable for other media players.
Thus, it is advised to choose to Ask for Action to prevent corruption or damage in your AVI video in the future.
4. Fix AVI File Compatibility Issue:
When encountering an AVI video codec compatibility issue, the VLC media player fails to fix the video file, so converting it to an MP4 format becomes the most effective solution.
By converting the AVI video file to MP4 format using VLC, you can effectively address not only compatibility issues related to AVI video codecs but also resolve potential problems with the video file's structure, .avi audio-video sync issues, and damaged video header.
Follow the steps mentioned below to access your AVI file by converting it.
1: Open VLC and click on Media. From the dropdown, select Convert/Save option.
2: Add the video to the list and then click on Convert/Save.
3: Click on Edit selected profile.
4: Select MP4/MOV and hit on Save.
5: Browse the destination folder and click on Start to start the conversion process.
By now, you must have accessed Free Download For Windows Free Download For Macyour inaccessible AVI file by converting it to another file format. If these free methods to repair AVI files are ineffective due to the severity of corruption, then using a professional AVI repair tool will be your last resort.
5. Use Alternative Video Repair software
Remo Video Repair software is an excellent alternative for repairing corrupt, damaged, or unplayable AVI files. This tool is designed with self-explanatory steps to fix any format of the video, such as MOV, MP4, AVI, DivX, and Xvid, in simple steps.
Conclusion:
This comprehensive article has guided you through the step-by-step process of fixing AVI file issues using the VLC media player, a free and widely-used media player. However, if you're seeking a reliable and efficient solution for repairing your videos, it is recommended to try Remo Video Repair software.
