What to do if file format is corrupted?

Dealing with a corrupted file format can be incredibly frustrating. When you try to open a file and get an error message, or the file contents are garbled or incomplete, it leaves you wondering if you’ve lost access to important data for good.

The good news is that there are usually steps you can take to recover corrupt files. With the right tools and techniques, you can often get your files back into a usable state. Here are some quick answers to common questions around dealing with file corruption, along with more detailed solutions.

What causes file corruption?

There are a few main causes of file corruption:

  • Faulty storage devices – If your hard drive or external storage device has errors, it can lead to corrupted files.
  • Improper shutdowns – If a computer crashes or loses power while writing a file, it may corrupt the file structure.
  • Bugs/glitches – Software bugs or other technical glitches during file operations can cause corruption.
  • Malware/virus infection – Malicious programs may intentionally corrupt files or damage file systems.
  • Transfer issues – Errors during file transfer over a network or between devices can corrupt files.

How can I tell if a file is corrupted?

There are some clear signs that point to a corrupted file:

  • You get an error message when trying to open the file
  • The file contents display incorrectly or seem scrambled
  • The file is partially missing data or seems truncated
  • You can’t access or modify the file as expected
  • The file’s icon is generic instead of its normal icon
  • File properties show 0 bytes or odd size

If you notice any of these issues, it likely means the file is corrupted in some way.

Can corrupted files be fixed?

In many cases, yes – corrupted files can be fixed. The chances of repairing the file depend on:

  • The extent of the corruption
  • The cause of the corruption
  • The file format
  • How much data recovery is needed

For less severe corruption, errors may be repairable. But major corruption often causes permanent data loss.

How do I recover corrupted files?

Here are some steps to try for recovering corrupted files:

  1. Check your anti-virus software – Malware is a common cause of corruption, so scan your device to eliminate that possibility.
  2. Reboot your computer – A simple restart can clear any software glitches causing corruption.
  3. Try alternate software – Open the file in another program that supports the format.
  4. Open the file in safe mode – Launch the program in safe mode to isolate software issues.
  5. Use built-in tools – Some programs have repair utilities that can fix corrupt files.
  6. Try data recovery software – Utility programs may reconstruct corrupt files by recovering its data.
  7. Repair the storage device – Run chkdsk or a repair utility to fix errors on the storage device.
  8. Restore from backup – Retrieve a good copy of the file from your backups if available.

Best practices to prevent corruption

You can help avoid corrupt files by following these best practices:

  • Install anti-virus/anti-malware software and keep it updated
  • Always eject devices and close files properly before disconnecting storage media
  • Use the “safely remove hardware” option before detaching external devices
  • Enable auto-save and backup your files regularly in case they get corrupted
  • Avoid using unreliable storage devices prone to errors
  • Defragment your hard drives to minimize file fragmentation
  • Check your disk drives regularly for errors and fix any problems

Repairing Corrupted Word Documents

Microsoft Word documents are one of the most common file types. Here are some specific tips for repairing corrupted Word documents:

Use Word’s Built-in Recovery

Recent versions of Microsoft Word have an AutoRecover feature that saves incremental versions as you edit. You may be able to revert to an older AutoRecovered version of your document before the corruption occurred.

Go to the File tab and look for available AutoRecover copies under Versions. Or try opening Word while holding Ctrl – the document recovery pane should appear showing available versions.

Open Document in Safe Mode

Launch Word in safe mode, which only loads minimal components. Then try opening the corrupted document – this isolates issues caused by add-ins or customizations.

To launch Word in safe mode, hold the Ctrl key as you open the program. If the file opens correctly, the issue is with an add-in or setting.

Open File in WordPad or Another Editor

A different text editing program may be able to open the Word document even if Word can’t. Programs like WordPad are able to load the fundamental document contents and formatting.

You can then save the recovered document in a working format like RTF, and attempt to reapply formatting in Word afterward.

Use Microsoft’s Office File Recovery Tool

Microsoft provides a File Recovery tool as part of their Office software suite. It can scan for corrupted Word documents and extract recoverable elements.

You may need to rename a damaged DOC/DOCX file before the tool can attempt repair.

Try Third Party Word Recovery Software

If the built-in options don’t resolve your Word document corruption, commercial file recovery tools offer more advanced repair capabilities. They can reconstruct corrupt documents by diving into the file data.

Some top-rated Word repair software includes:

  • Stellar Repair for Word
  • WordRepair from DataNumen
  • Remo Repair Word
  • Kernel for Word Repair

These tools can often fix even seriously corrupted Word files in just a few clicks, and may enable recovery of text and formatting thought lost.

Repairing Corrupted Excel Files

For fixing corrupted Microsoft Excel files, such as XLS or XLSX sheets, try these methods:

Open in Safe Mode

Like Word, launch Excel in safe mode to disable any add-ins or extensions. Attempt opening the damaged workbook – it may load correctly with defaults.

Open File in Google Sheets

The cloud-based Google Sheets can sometimes open an Excel file even if Excel fails. You may lose some formatting or data but can likely extract key content.

Repair Tool in Excel

Excel has an in-built “repair” tool for recovering damaged workbooks, found under File > Open. It scans the file for errors and restores recoverable data.

Excel Recovery Software

Powerful XLS/XLSX repair programs can often salvage tables, formulas, cells and other data from highly corrupted files. Some top Excel recovery utilities include:

  • Excel Repair from Kernel Apps
  • Stellar Repair for Excel
  • ExcelRecovery from DiskDoctors

These advanced tools can fix 100+ error messages and accurately rebuild corrupted Excel files.

Repairing Corrupted PDF Files

Here are a few troubleshooting tips for repairing damaged or corrupt PDF documents:

Open PDF in Adobe Reader

Download the latest Adobe Reader if you don’t already have it. Adobe software offers the best chance of rendering PDF files properly.

Copy Text from PDF

In Reader, try selecting all text (Ctrl+A) and copying it to another program like Notepad. This extracts readable text from the PDF.

Run PDF File Repair Tool

Adobe Acrobat has a built-in tool called “Enhance Scanned PDF” that can detect and fix errors in PDFs.

Recover Data Using Software

Advanced recovery tools like Stellar Repair for PDF and Aiseesoft PDF Recovery can fully rebuild corrupt PDFs and restore searchable, editable text.

Reprint PDF File

If possible, get the source file and re-export or reprint the PDF, which may generate a new usable copy.

Repairing Corrupted Image Files

With corrupted image files like JPG, PNG, GIF and PSD, try these steps:

View File Properties

Look at the image metadata – if size, dimensions or other info looks garbled, the file is likely corrupt.

Open Image in Different Viewer

Try opening in an alternate program than what you normally use. It may render the image if it’s a software issue.

Scan for Viruses

Images are often corrupted due to malware infection. Run an antivirus scan and check for viruses.

Use Image Repair Software

Tools like Stellar Phoenix JPEG Repair can scan image data and rebuild corrupted pixels to restore JPGs and other formats.

Extract Preview/Thumbnail

If the full image won’t open, see if you can access its preview thumbnail which may be intact.

Repairing Corrupted Video Files

For corrupted or damaged video files like MP4, MOV and AVI files, try these troubleshooting tips:

Play Video in VLC Media Player

VLC is able to play many damaged video files – install it and try opening the video.

Look for Codec Issues

If the video thumbnail shows but won’t play, you may be missing the proper codec. Try installing K-Lite Codec Pack.

Re-encode the Video

Use Handbrake or other encoding software to transcode the video to a new, working file format.

Repair with Video Recovery Software

Tools like Disk Drill and VideoRepair can repair corrupt headers, indexes and other critical video components to restore damaged files.

Extract Audio Track

In VLC, try Tools > Codec Details > Audio and extract the audio stream if you just need to recover the audio portion.

Repairing Corrupted Zip Files

To fix corrupted Zip archives, RARs or other compressed containers, try these steps:

Extract Archive in Safe Mode

Use the -F switch when invoking your extraction tool to ignore minor errors and force extracting good files.

Extract Zip to New Folder

Extract uncompressed files to a new folder to avoid overwriting any originals in case extraction fails.

Open Zip with Multiple Tools

Different programs handle archives in their own way. Try WinZip, WinRAR, 7-Zip and others to see if any can extract your data.

Repair with Zip Repair Software

Tools like Zip Repair Pro analyze archive structure and rebuild broken parts so all content can be fully recovered.

Re-compress Data from Scratch

If archive is severely damaged, recover original uncompressed data and re-compress into a new archive.

Preventing File Corruption

Here are some tips to avoid file corruption in the first place:

Use Antivirus and Firewall Software

Protect your computer against malware, spyware, ransomware and viruses that can cause file corruption.

Handle Storage Media Safely

Don’t unplug or disrupt external drives while files are being accessed to avoid data loss or corruption.

Backup Files Regularly

Maintain backups so you always have clean copies available if needed.

Check File System and Drives

Periodically scan drives using utilities like chkdsk and repair any bad sectors or errors.

Update Hardware Drivers

Outdated drivers can sometimes cause glitches leading to corruption – keep drivers up-to-date.

Shut Down Computer Properly

Always use proper shutdown procedure instead of force powering off to prevent file write issues.

Maintain Good System Health

Keep your operating system and software updated and follow good computer hygiene practices.

Recovering from Severe File Corruption

In worse case scenarios where files are severely corrupted, there are still options to rescue your data:

  • Send to data recovery service – For critical files, pros can physically repair media and extract raw data.
  • Recover previous versions – If file history was enabled, you may restore earlier uncorrupted copies.
  • Restore from backup – Hopefully you have a solid backup to recover intact file versions.
  • Extract remnant data – Recovery software may be able to partially reconstruct versions of corrupted files.
  • Contact software vendor – The vendor may have hidden utilities to repair proprietary file damage.

Prevention is truly the best medicine when it comes to file corruption. But even if you suffer corrupted files, don’t panic – carefully applying the right tools and techniques can usually get your data back intact.

Conclusion

File corruption can happen to anyone but there are almost always ways to get your data back. Understanding the common root causes of corruption and following best practices can help avoid many issues. If you do get the dreaded “file is corrupted” message, stay calm and work methodically through different repair solutions. With the right tools and persistence, you can usually recover or rebuild even badly damaged files – so keep trying until you can access those precious file contents once again.