Create a folder
ComputerIn Drive: “New” → Folder, then drag your files in
PhoneDrive app: “+” → Folder → Upload
Rescue & Restore
Video will not open? Corrupted file recovery service
The video is still there, it simply cannot be read. With most videos that will not play, the problem is in the file structure rather than the picture itself — and that can be repaired.
0 KB / will not play
Structure rebuilt
You shoot all day, get home, double-click the file and nothing happens; the player throws up “cannot play this file”; or the file size shows as 0 KB — this is the moment when many people assume the footage is gone for good.
In fact, a video file is made up of two parts: the “index structure” and the “picture data”. When power is cut mid-recording or a memory card is pulled out, what usually breaks is the index structure, which is written last, while the picture data is normally still sitting intact inside the file. Rebuild the index and the video plays again.
What we can handle
- A crash or power loss during recording: a camera running out of battery, a phone crashing, a memory card pulled out mid-record
- Files that will not play: the player reports a format error, an unsupported codec, or a corrupt file
- Sound but no picture, or picture but no sound
- Video that stops halfway through or throws an error
- Heavy blocking, broken images and smearing on screen
- An abnormal file size: a long recording that shows as only 0 KB or almost nothing
- Editing software will not import it: errors on import in Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve or CapCut
How we judge whether it can be recovered
We look inside the file itself: whether the picture data is still there, how much of it can be restored, and whether we need a working video from the same model of device as a reference for the repair. Only once that is done do we report back and quote.
- Higher success rate: structural damage from an interrupted recording, a missing index, a file truncated at the end
- Depends on the case: bad sectors on the memory card, or a file partly overwritten — usually some of the footage can be recovered
- Close to impossible: files that have been completely overwritten, or cards that have been formatted and written over repeatedly
If you find there is a problem with a file, please do two things first: one, stop using that memory card immediately — do not shoot anything else or save any new files onto it; two, do not keep trying unknown “video repair software”, because some tools overwrite the original file directly and turn a recoverable file into one that cannot be recovered.
Common situations we are asked about
- Damaged recordings from weddings, ceremonies and performances — events that only happen once
- Interviews or documentary shoots where the subject cannot easily take part again
- Dashcam or CCTV files needed as evidence after an incident
- Family keepsake videos: the only record of a child growing up or of an older relative
- Damaged footage on a commercial job with the deadline close
Devices and formats we support
We can assess footage from all the common sources, including DSLRs and mirrorless cameras (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic, Fujifilm), action cameras such as GoPro, drones, phones (iPhone / Android), dashcams and CCTV systems. Formats include MP4, MOV, AVI, MTS / M2TS, MKV and INSV.
Send Files
How to send us your files
Put the files on Google Drive and share the folder with us — we can only tell what is possible once we have looked at them. Assessment is free.
Turn on sharing
ComputerRight-click the folder → “Share” → “Anyone with the link”
PhoneHold the folder → “⋮” → Manage access → “Anyone with the link”
Send us the link
ComputerClick “Copy link”, paste it into an email or LINE
PhoneTap “Copy link”, paste it into LINE
Tell us what is wrong
One line is enough: will not open, noisy, volume jumps around…
Knowing the symptom lets us give you a more accurate assessment
Not sure how? Just message us on LINE and we will walk you through it.
Process
The repair process
Every file is damaged differently, so the process starts with looking at it — not with a price.
Send the files
Upload the original files to Google Drive and share the folder link with us. Please send files that have not been through any other software — repair works best that way.
A real assessment
We open the file and actually listen to it and watch it, work out what caused the damage, and how far it can be improved. Every file is different, and this step cannot be guessed at from experience. The assessment stage is free.
Report and quote
We tell you what we found and how much improvement you can expect, and send a quote for you to decide on. If we judge that it cannot be handled, we will say so directly rather than take the job on regardless.
Payment, then work begins
We start work once the quote is agreed and payment is complete. When it is finished we deliver the files through Google Drive, along with a before-and-after comparison for you to check.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
My video file is corrupted — what is the success rate?
It depends on the cause. Structural damage from an interrupted recording usually has a fairly high success rate; physical bad sectors on a card, or a file that has been overwritten, are much lower. We will look at the file and tell you what we find, rather than give you a number with nothing behind it.
Can I try repair software myself first?
We would rather you did not. Some free tools overwrite the original file, or write test data into it, which can destroy a file that could otherwise have been recovered. Please keep the original and send it straight to us to assess.
Why do you need another working video?
Many repair methods need a working video shot on the same device with the same settings as a structural reference, to rebuild the index of the damaged file. If you can find one, please send it as well — it raises the success rate considerably.
Can I carry on using the memory card?
Please do not, until the files have been recovered. Any new write can overwrite picture data that has not been read out yet.
Will the recovered video be lower quality?
No. We repair the file structure; the picture data itself is not re-compressed. If data from part of the recording really has been lost, we will state clearly which sections are affected.
What if only part of it is recovered?
We tell you at the assessment stage how much we expect to recover, and the quote and the scope are explained together. We only start work once you have confirmed.
Want us to take a look at a file first?
Upload the original to Google Drive and send us the folder link. We will assess it and tell you how much it can realistically be improved.