The Best Practices for Storing Videos to Prevent Corruption

Tips to Avoid Video Corruption Before Storing

With the advancement of technology nowadays, it has become very easy to save new files anywhere on our devices. You must have saved important videos on different devices. But ever wondered what if these crucial videos get corrupted or become unplayable? Video files are susceptible to corruption due to factors such as hardware failures, software issues, and improper storage methods. When your videos get corrupted, it will be difficult for you to play them on any device.

To avoid such video corruption issues, it is important to act with adequate preventive tips before it gets corrupted. Here, we’ll explore the best practices for storing videos to prevent corruption and ensure your files remain accessible and safe over time. Let’s get started!

Why Videos Usually Get Corrupted?

Before we start with the preventive measures to avoid video corruption issues, it is important to understand why videos usually get corrupted. Some common reasons for the same are:

  • Improper Shutdowns or Interruptions: Abruptly shutting down a device or interrupting video transfer can leave files incomplete, leading to corruption.
  • Faulty Storage Devices: If your storage device, including hard drives, USB drives, or memory cards contains bad sectors or if they are physically damaged, video files stored on them may become corrupted.
  • Virus or Malware Attacks: Malicious software such as viruses or malware can alter or damage video files, causing them to become unreadable.
  • Unsupported or Damaged Codecs: Video files rely on specific codecs for playback. If a codec is outdated, corrupted, or unsupported, the video may not play properly.
  • Software Incompatibility: Using outdated or incompatible software to play or edit videos can sometimes corrupt the files.

Tips to Prevent Video Corruption Issues

After understanding the above causes for your video corruption, it’s time to consider adequate tips to prevent video corruption and protect your valuable video files.

1.Choose Reliable Storage Solutions

It is very important to save the video in a safe and secure storage location. Each storage solution has its own set of pros and cons, so it’s essential to select one that suits your needs. Common storage solutions that you can try are:

External Hard Drives:

External hard drives are mainly known for their high storage capacity and affordability. You must save all your important files and folders, including videos on these drives to help you out in future corruption or data loss issues. To minimize risks, consider purchasing a high-quality, reputable brand and handling the drive carefully.

Solid State Drives (SSDs)

SSDs are more reliable than traditional hard drives because they have no moving parts, which makes them less susceptible to physical damage. Though SSDs are more expensive, but they offer faster data transfer speeds and are less likely to fail.

Cloud Storage

Cloud storage services such as iCloud, Google Drive, etc. offer convenience and accessibility, allowing you to store videos online and access them from anywhere. However, it is important to choose a reputable cloud provider to ensure data security and reduce the risk of data loss.

2. Maintain Regular Backups

Creating a regular backup of your important video files helps a lot in case of sudden or accidental data loss scenarios. You can consider the 3-2-1 backup rule for creating a simple and effective backup strategy. The rule says:

  • Keep three copies of your data at different locations (including the original file).
  • Store the data on two different types of media (e.g., hard drive and cloud).
  • Store one copy offsite (i.e., at a cloud storage location).

This approach allows you to access other copies of your file if one copy becomes corrupted or inaccessible.

You can also use your device’s built-in backup solutions like File History (Windows) and Time Machine (Mac) to create backups of your important files. All you need is to enable these backup solutions on your device and when you encounter data loss issue, go through the recovery steps to get your lost files back.

3. Use Proper File Formats and Codecs

Video files come in various formats and codecs, each with its own compatibility, quality, and storage requirements. Sometimes, incompatible codecs or file formats can lead to corruption issues and make your videos unplayable on your media player. To avoid such corruption instances:

Choose Widely Supported Formats

Popular video file formats, such as MP4, MOV, AVI, etc. are generally supported by all media players and generally stable. You can try saving your videos in these file formats to prevent corruption.

Avoid Lossy Compression On Videos

Lossy compression reduces your video size by eliminating some of its data. This can also reduce the video quality and make files more prone to corruption. To avoid such instances, consider using lossless compression formats like ProRes or H.265 for better preservation and quality.

4. Implement Proper File Management

A well-organized file management system can reduce the risk of corruption by making your videos easily accessible. Here are a few file management tips:

Organize Files by Date or Events

Always try saving your files by categorizing them on the basis of dates, events, or projects. For instance, you can label folders by year, and then further divide them into different months or projects. This method simplifies navigation and reduces the chances of accidentally deleting or moving files.

Delete Duplicate or Unused Files

Keeping duplicate or outdated files can clutter your storage, making it more challenging to manage. Check your storage on a regular basis to remove unnecessary files, and consider archiving videos you no longer need immediate access to.

5. Protect Against Malware and Viruses

As malware and viruses are also one of the main reasons for your video corruption, it is important to protect your videos from such malicious threats. For this:

Install Reliable Antivirus Software

Install a reliable antivirus software on your device and keep it updated to detect and block potential threats. Regularly scan your system to catch any malicious programs that could corrupt your files.

Avoid Suspicious Websites and Downloads

Be cautious while downloading files or visiting websites, as they can contain viruses that may target your video files. Also, avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments.

What if Videos Get Corrupted?

Instances may occur that your video file may get corrupted even after considering the aforementioned preventive tips. To sort this out, you can use a video repair tool such as Stellar Repair for Video, DivFix++, Fix.video, etc. These video repair software allow you to fix video files that are corrupted or damaged due to improper shutdowns, faulty storage, malware, file transfer errors, or any other reason. Just check their features and select the one that best fits your requirements.

Conclusion

Storing important video files safely is very important to prevent corruption issues. You can consider a combination of reliable storage solutions, regular backups, proper file management, etc. to store videos and prevent instances like video corruption and damage. By following the aforementioned best practices, you can significantly reduce the risk of video file corruption and ensure your valuable memories and important projects are preserved. While no method is foolproof, so there may be chances of your video corruption. In such cases, you can use a professional video repair software to fix your corrupt or damaged video files.