File corruption is a common issue that can affect Android phones and devices. It occurs when the data in a file becomes damaged, unusable or inaccessible. There are several potential causes of file corruption on Android phones:
- Software issues like bugs, crashes or errors during an update
- Hardware faults or damage to the phone’s internal storage
- Virus or malware infections that can alter or delete files
Corrupted files can lead to a variety of problems, from apps crashing to being unable to open photos, videos or documents. File corruption reduces the reliability and stability of a device. Luckily, there are ways to prevent and recover from file corruption on Android phones, which will be covered in this article.
Types of File Corruption
There are two main types of file corruption that can occur on Android phones: logical corruption and physical corruption.[1]
Logical corruption is when the file system structure or metadata becomes corrupted, but the actual data still remains intact on the storage device. This can happen due to bugs, power outages, or improper system shutdowns. With logical corruption, the data is still present, but the pointers to that data get mixed up or lost. The file system may show the files as 0 bytes or be unable to find the files at all. Examples of logical corruption include missing directories, invalid file table entries, or incorrect file sizes.
Physical corruption is actual damage to the physical storage device at the hardware level. This can be caused by bad sectors, connector failures, power surges, or component malfunctions. With physical corruption, the underlying data itself gets destroyed or overwritten. Examples include the inability to read data from a particular sector, or random flip bits in a file making it unreadable.
The main difference between logical and physical corruption is that physical corruption destroys the actual data, while logical corruption only affects the file system’s ability to access the still-intact data. Logical corruption is usually easier to recover from.[2]
Signs of Corrupted Files
There are several signs that indicate your Android files may be corrupted:
- Files fail to open or cause apps to crash – If you try opening a file and the app crashes or the file fails to load, it’s likely corrupted. This is one of the most common signs of file corruption.
- Strange characters or symbols appear in files – When trying to view a corrupted image or document, you may see strange characters, gibberish text, or pixelated symbols. This visual garbling indicates file damage.
- Inability to access or open files – You may get error messages when trying to open files or be unable to access them at all. Missing or inaccessible files often point to corruption.
- File size mismatch errors – If your file manager shows a file size vastly different from what’s expected, it could signify corruption. Sudden file shrinkage or growth are red flags.
Paying attention to these warning signs can help you identify and troubleshoot corrupted files on your Android device before the damage spreads.
Causes of File Corruption
There are several common causes that can lead to file corruption on Android devices:
Software bugs and crashes – Apps and system software can have bugs that cause unexpected shutdowns or data writes to be interrupted, resulting in corrupted files (source). For example, a camera app crashing while saving a photo could corrupt the image file.
Virus or malware infection – Malicious apps can intentionally corrupt or encrypt files on a device making them inaccessible (source). The ransomware virus is a prime example, locking user files unless a ransom is paid.
Faulty memory card or hardware issue – Damaged memory cards or internal storage chips can develop bad sectors leading to data errors. This physical damage can make files unreadable.
Interrupted transfers – Pulling out a cable or losing connectivity during a file transfer can cause incomplete writes and file corruption. For example, unplugging during an Android file transfer to a computer could corrupt files.
Power outages – If the device loses power suddenly, open files and apps can fail to close properly. The unexpected shutdown corrupts open files and data structures.
Preventing File Corruption
There are several steps you can take to help prevent file corruption on your Android device:
Regularly backup your files – Back up important files like photos, videos, and documents to cloud storage or external hard drives on a regular basis. This ensures you have copies of your data if files become corrupted on your device. According to StellarInfo, backing up files regularly “keeps your data protected against file corruption or data loss scenarios.”
Install antivirus software – Malware and viruses can sometimes lead to file corruption. Install a trusted antivirus app like Avast Mobile Security or Norton Mobile Security to scan your device and protect against threats.
Handle your phone and SD card carefully – Dropping or jostling your Android device, especially when powered on, can cause file corruption. Also, avoid forcefully removing or improperly ejecting an SD card as this can damage files. Be gentle with your device and storage.
Safely eject external storage – Always properly eject or unmount external SD cards or USB drives before removing them from your device. This ensures all data is correctly written to the storage before disconnecting. Suddenly removing external storage without ejecting can cause file corruption.
Recovering Corrupted Files
There are several methods you can try to recover corrupted files on an Android device. The easiest options are using built-in file recovery tools or third party Android data recovery apps. As a last resort, you may need to factory reset the device or use a professional data recovery service.
Many newer Android devices have a built-in file recovery or repair utility within the system settings or file manager app. For example, on a Samsung Galaxy you can go to Settings > Battery and Device Care > Storage > Analyze Storage. This will scan for any corrupted files and give you the option to delete or repair them. Always try the built-in tools first as they are designed specifically for your device model (source 1).
If the built-in options don’t work, your next step is to try a dedicated third party Android data recovery app. Apps like DiskDigger Photo Recovery and EaseUS MobiSaver Free can scan your device’s storage and recover lost or corrupted files. Make sure to download the app from the Google Play store onto the affected device itself. The recovery app will then scan the internal and external storage for recoverable files (source 2).
As a last resort, you can try factory resetting your Android device to wipe the storage and recover from a major software corruption. However, this will erase your data, so only attempt it if you’ve exhausted all other options and have backups. Resetting will clear out any corrupted files and give you a fresh start.
For severe hardware-level corruption like a failing storage chip, you may need to use a professional data recovery service. They can physically repair devices and use specialized tools to extract data from corrupted chips. This costs hundreds of dollars but can recover data that is otherwise irretrievable.
Built-in Recovery Tools
Most Android devices come with some built-in tools that can help recover corrupted files without needing to download any third-party apps. These tools leverage core OS functionality to scan storage and attempt to repair issues.
One option is to use Android’s disk utility apps like chkdsk or fsck, which can scan disk drives and file systems to fix errors. These tools can detect bad sectors, lost clusters, cross-linked files, and directory errors. While they won’t recover deleted or overwritten files, they can repair file system issues to make corrupted files readable again (Source 1).
Another built-in option is to use Android’s system restore functionality to undo system changes to a previous state. System restore points are created automatically during major OS updates. Rolling back to a restore point prior to file corruption can fix the issue and recover damaged system data. However, user files may still need to be recovered separately (Source 3).
While handy, built-in tools have limitations. They can only scan and repair certain file system and OS issues – not recover deleted or overwritten user files. For more comprehensive data recovery, third party apps or professional services may be required.
Third Party Recovery Apps
Many third party apps have been developed specifically for Android data recovery. Some of the top recommended options include:
Jihosoft Android Phone Recovery – This is widely considered one of the best Android file recovery apps. It can recover deleted photos, messages, contacts, call logs, WhatsApp data, and more from Android phones and SD cards. The recovery process is quite straightforward:
- Connect your Android phone to your computer and launch Jihosoft.
- Allow USB debugging on your device when prompted.
- Select the file types you want to scan for and click “Next”.
- Preview recoverable files and select those you want to restore.
- Choose a destination on your computer and start the recovery.
Tenorshare UltData – This Android file recovery software claims a 97% recovery rate. It can extract lost data from broken Android phones and SD cards. Key steps include:
- Download and install the software.
- Connect your Android phone and allow USB debugging.
- Select the file types to scan for.
- Preview and select files to recover.
- Restore data to your computer or device.
The intuitive interface of these apps makes Android file recovery straightforward even for novice users. As long as your device is detected, you stand a good chance of getting back deleted files.
Factory Reset
A factory reset should be considered as a last resort when you’ve exhausted other file recovery options. Resetting your device to factory settings will wipe all data, settings, and installed apps, which can result in permanent data loss if backups are not available.
To factory reset an Android device:
- Open Settings
- Select System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset)
- Confirm that you want to reset your device
The device will reboot into recovery mode and erase all user data. You’ll then need to reconfigure the device from scratch.
After a factory reset, any corrupted files and apps will be wiped clean. However, this also removes any chance of recovering important files that were not properly backed up beforehand. Some data recovery apps claim the ability to restore certain deleted files even after a reset, but results are not guaranteed.
To have the best chance of recovering files after a factory reset, it’s critical to back up your Android phone regularly. You can back up data, photos, call logs, messages and more to your Google Account, cloud storage, or a computer. With a recent backup, you’ll have the ability to restore your personal data if ever needed after resetting your device.
Professional Data Recovery
When data loss is too complex for DIY solutions, it may be time to seek professional help from companies that specialize in Android data recovery, like Ace Data Recovery. Professional data recovery services are most useful when damage to your device or data is severe and requires specialized tools and expertise.
The main advantages of professional Android recovery services are their extremely high success rates and ability to handle catastrophic data loss scenarios like severe water damage or hardware component failures. Their sophisticated tools and clean room facilities can extract data even from devices that won’t power on.
However, professional services can be expensive, ranging from $300 to over $1000 in many cases. There is also a risk that no data can be recovered, even by professionals. Most providers offer free evaluations or a no data, no charge policy to offset this risk.
The Android data recovery process normally involves shipping your device to a secure facility so technicians can disassemble it and use specialized hardware and software to extract the data at the component level. They then return the recovered data on a new storage device.
Overall, for critical or irreplaceable data lost due to hardware issues beyond DIY solutions, professional recovery services provide the best chance of rescue. But the costs mean this option is best reserved for severe cases where the data has very high value.