How To Repair Corrupted JPEG Files On Windows 11/10

Your Windows PC or laptop is probably the final repository for all the images you might have captured using your DSLR or smartphone. In fact, as a way to lighten up our device’s storage space and to make it ready for the next session, many of us transfer clicked photos from the device to the computer. But what if, one day, you tried to open some JPEG photographs and realized that they became corrupt? How would you repair corrupted JPEG files?

Worry not! If you have found yourself in such a situation, we have some ways in which you will be able to repair or recover corrupted photos on your Windows computer.

How Do JPEG Image Files Get Corrupted?

There can be several reasons your JPEG files become corrupted/ broken or unreadable. Here are some of the reasons –

1. Abrupt power loss
2. Broken header
3. Virus infection
4. The image file got overwritten
5. System crash

How To Recover or Repair Corrupted JPEG Files

Here are some effective ways using which various users have been able to either restore or recover corrupted JPEG files –

1. Change The Format

One of the simplest ways in which you might be able to repair corrupted JPEG files for free is to change their format. Oftentimes, photos do not open in the JPG/ JPEG format. In such cases, you can try changing their file format. For this, you can use the Windows built-in Paint tool. To change the format of your corrupted JPEG photo –

1. Open the Paint app.
2. Press Ctrl + Oand open the corrupted JPEG file.
3. Head to File > Save As
4. Select a file format of your choice other than JPG/ JPEG

It has also been observed that changing the file format also helps in removing the effects of corruption in images.

2. Restore JPEG File From A Backup

The importance of creating regular backups on Windows PC cannot be stressed enough. So, if you have created a backup of your data, you can easily restore the uncorrupted version of the photos you intend to recover. To create regular backups on Windows, you have a variety of options. For instance, you can set up an automatic backup or take the help of backup software.

3. Perform The CHKDSK Command

One of how you can repair corrupted JPEG files is to perform the CHKDSK command in the Command Prompt. This method can be helpful if your JPEG files have become corrupt because of bad sectors on your hard drive or storage medium that had the photos in it. To perform the CHKDSK command, follow the steps mentioned below –

1. In the Windows search bar, type cmd.
2. Click on Run as administratorfrom the right-hand side.
3. When the Command Prompt window appears, type –

CHKDSK (drive letter) / r

4. After the process finishes, restart your computer.

Now try opening the JPEG file again and check if the error persists or not.

4. Repair Corrupted JPEG Files Using Software

A third-party photo repair tool like Wondershare Repairit won’t just help you repair corrupted JPEG files but even corrupted video files as well (if there are any). Talking of Wondershare Repairit, it can help you recover corrupted photos regardless of the severity of the corruption. Apart from that, with this utility, you can easily access the thumbnails in case images are beyond repair. To repair corrupted image files, use Wondershare Repairit –

1. Download, run and install the software on your computer.

2. Click on + Add button and select the corrupted JPEG images that you want to repair.

3. Click on Repair button and let the application’s algorithm work its magic on the selected corrupted JPEG files.

4. Preview or save the image.

The free version offers you limited functionality. The premium license is priced at $29.99/ year.

5. Repair Corrupted JPEG Files Online

To repair corrupted JPEG files for free, you can upload your damaged, corrupted, or broken image files to an online tool like JPG.Repair. The tool even lets you preview your image file to ascertain its recoverability status.

6. Recover Corrupted Photos Using A Dedicated Tool

Let’s presume that you have exhausted every other option to repair corrupted JPEG files and have lost hopes of regaining them. How about we say that you still have an option to get back permanently deleted files – whether it is about getting back corrupted JPEG files or restoring files that have been deleted due to corruption. You can use an image recovery utility like Photos Recovery.

1. Download, run and install Photos Recovery.

2. Select the drive from which the images were deleted.

3. Select the mode of scan – Quick Scan or Deep Scan.

4. Select the image that you want to recover.

5. Click the Recover button from the bottom-right corner of the screen.

6. Select the location on your computer to save the recovered images. You should select a location other than the original location from where the image was deleted. This will prevent the JPEG image from being overwritten.

Wrapping Up

Just because your JPEG image file has become corrupted doesn’t mean it can’t be restored or recovered. Do give these fixes a try and share your success story with us, to how you were able to repair a corrupted JPEG file. For more such content, keep reading WeTheGeek.

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