Video files come in various formats such as MKV or MP4, and we all often face difficulties in playing them as they are often damaged or corrupted. If you love making videos and like watching movies, then you must have come across Matroska Multimedia Container aka ​​​​​​​​ mkv format video. This format incorporates video, images, audio and text subtitles into a single file and is widely used for movies and shows. If your MKV file isn’t playable, it’s likely damaged. This article explores some of the primary factors that make them unplayable, the most efficient way to repair MKV files, and some great tips for protecting them. So let’s not ramble on, and let’s get started.

Part 1: Reasons behind Unplayable MKV File

It’s very common not to notice the file format until you try to play it. The first thing that comes to every user’s mind is the possibility of a corrupted video file. However, there are specific other scenarios which make MKV file not playable. Let us discuss them in brief.

Unsupported Media Player:

87.8% of computer users worldwide use PCs with Windows operating system. The default media player of Windows OS is Windows Media Player which does not support MKV files. This is valid for versions below Windows 10, and if you want to play MKV format file on this player, you need to download special codecs to make it compatible. VLC is the most commonly used video player which fully supports MKV files. So always play your files on a supported player before jumping to the conclusion that it is damaged.

Not Upgraded Drivers:

Are you one of those who do not update their OS and keep delaying it? Then there is a possibility that your video drivers are out of date, which can cause problems while playing. If you’re using an older device and your drivers haven’t been updated, this could be one of the reasons why your MKV files aren’t playing. Update the drivers from a trusted source and try running again to see if that fixes the problem.

Device Problems:

Sometimes the playability issue with video files isn’t because there is some problem with the file itself. Video players will also not function properly if the overall functionality of your PC is compromised, maybe due to a virus or malware attack or if the OS is not installed correctly. The best way to confirm that the problem is with your device is to try playing it on another sound device to eliminate the cause.

MKV file is corrupted:

Once you discard all the above reasons, it will finally be concluded that either the non-playable MKV file is corrupted. This corruption of data can happen due to many reasons. The most common is the video data being infected by a powerful malware or virus, which renders it unplayable. If you’ve recorded video with a digital device yourself and it suddenly shutoff, or the device was running on low battery when recording or saving, it can also damage MKV files. The use of MKV format is prevalent in subtitled videos, usually movies. People acquire them from unreliable sources, so there is always a risk of contamination – sudden rejection of storage devices during transfer. MKV files are another factor that leads to loss of such data.

Part 2: Repair damaged MKV video with Wondershare Repairit

When you are sure that the video files are corrupted or damaged, please do not panic; You can repair them with an efficient repair tool. MKV files are complex, and not every repair tool is built to repair them. So always choose a reliable one with good reviews. Wondershare is a leading software company with a wide range of software products for data recovery, video editing, template creation, and more. The company has come up with a great video recovery tool known as Wondershare Repairit. The repair tool has a high repair success rate and is specially designed to repair MKV files and many other video formats, including MP4, MOV, AVI, 3GP, FLV, and more. Irrespective of the reason of video file damage/corruption, the tool can efficiently repair MKV format data within few minutes. The tool is loaded with advanced features, a user-friendly interface, and is compatible with Windows and macOS. It is available in two versions. The online free version will help you repair files up to 200MB for free. To use the desktop version to repair large files, you need to download the version according to your PC operating system and follow the steps below to get back all your precious videos.

Step #01: Launch and add video file:

After launching Wondershare Repairit, you will see an Add Video button. Click on that, and it allows you to add multiple videos at once. Add all your MKV files with errors and move on to the next step.

Step # 02: Select the file and repair:

After you have added all the problematic videos, the interface will show you the file size, dimensions and duration as well. Select the ones you want to improve and press the Repair button at the bottom right corner of the screen.

Step # 03: Preview the Fixed MKV Files:

The software has an embedded preview feature through which you can view the content of the repaired video and ensure that it has been repaired completely.

Step # 04: Save the MKV File:

The last step is to save your file at the desired location on your computer as per the availability of space. In this way Wondershare Repairit helps you to repair all your corrupted and damaged .MKV files quickly

Part 3: Tips for Protecting Video Files:

Every video file, regardless of format and size, is prone to corruption and damage. Very often, files get lost and become unplayable due to human errors. You can prevent them from getting contaminated by taking necessary preventive measures. Some are necessary.

• Don’t shut down your computer immediately, and make sure to avoid every scenario in which this happens. When you are playing videos or transferring or downloading them from/to another device, the immediate shutdown interrupts the process making changes that result in loss of files.

• When you want to transfer files to an external device, always scan them for possible malware and viruses. If the storage device is infected with any of them, it will corrupt your videos. For safety, don’t use your USB, pen drives, and passport hard disks on public computers or computers without antivirus.

• Videos are larger than any other type of data, and it can take a while to transfer them. When the transfer is incomplete, do not eject your device suddenly. Let the process complete and exit properly to avoid data loss.

• Take all necessary precautions while recording video. Do not playback them excessively and turn off the camera when not in use. Transfer recorded data to a healthy device and back it up on a secure cloud-based storage platform.

• The Internet is an excellent source for content and you can download informative and entertaining video format data from it. Just make sure that you download them from reliable sources and websites as they may contain viruses that can harm your existing videos. Download them when your internet connection is stable, and the speed is excellent.

This beginner’s guide to video repair and video data protection will come in handy when you get stuck in this situation. Most of the problem is solved by downloading the proper media player or correct codec. Nevertheless, if the MKV or MP4 video file is really corrupted, Wondershare Recoverit will help you recover all your corrupted video data most easily. In a simple four-step process, you can get all your data back in playable form. This online/desktop video repair tool has an incredible success rate that won’t disappoint you at all. Check out all the features and benefits of the software on its official website.