Why MOV files break
iPhones, Macs and many cameras record MOV files. If recording is interrupted, or a transfer from the phone stops part way, the file can lose its index. QuickTime then says the file “could not be opened”, and Photos may show it with no length.
How to repair it
- Copy the broken MOV to your computer and drop it into HealVideo.
- Add another video recorded on the same phone or camera with the same settings (for example 4K at 30 fps). This matters for iPhone videos: one phone records in many different modes.
- Start the repair and open the new copy when it is done.
Good to know
Modern iPhones record H.265 (HEVC) by default. HealVideo can try to rebuild these with a working clip from the same phone, but iPhone videos have not been tested much yet; it tells you if the result is only partial. Videos set to “Most Compatible” are H.264 and need the free tool untrunc as well.
HealVideo works on your computer only. Nothing is uploaded, which matters for personal videos.
What can be repaired
- Recording cut short, index still there
- HealVideo copies everything that is still readable into a new file that plays.
- Index missing (“moov atom not found”), H.265 video
- HealVideo finds the frames in the raw data and builds a new file. It needs a camera profile or one working clip from the same camera.
- Index missing, H.264 video
- Needs the free tool untrunc installed next to HealVideo, plus one working clip from the same camera.
- Videos deleted from an exFAT memory card
- HealVideo reads an image of the card and puts each video’s scattered pieces back in order.
Repaired files from the frame finder have video but no sound yet. Damage inside the picture itself (glitches in a file whose structure is fine) is not something HealVideo can undo.
Related guides
Updated 2026-10-13. HealVideo is an early preview (version 0.1). Found a mistake? Tell us on GitHub.