How to Fix Corrupted Images and GIF Photos for Free

Often, we store images or photos on our devices to incorporate them into professional projects or relive cherished memories. However, sometimes, when we revisit them, we may find that most of our images have been distorted or corrupted.

Yes, people often encounter the issue of corrupted images or photos. You might have also suffered such an issue for sure. Encountering corrupted images is not a problem; not knowing how to fix corrupted images online is a problem. But worry not; we have got you covered in this post.

If you don’t know how to fix corrupted images and fix corrupted photos, then read this post. Here, we’ve rounded up the best ways to fix corrupted images online. Let’s dig deeper into the article to walk through a step-by-step comprehensive guide on how to fix distorted images online in a simplified manner. Read on!!

What Causes Images to Become Corrupted?

Before you delve into the following paragraph to learn how to recover corrupt photos, you should learn what crops up the issue of corrupted pictures. Take a look at the following pointers to know the reasons behind this issue:

1. Incomplete or interrupted downloads or file transfers crop up the issue of corrupted PNG photos, JPG photos, GIF photos, or more
2. Sometimes, the problem of image file corruption occurs due to bad sectors on a hard drive or storage device
3. Malicious software or ransomware may damage the image file formats. Hence, avoid clicking suspicious links, ads, or more
4. Incorrect encoding or editing of images/photos is also a cause of damaged picture
5. A corrupted boot system of the Windows OS raises the issue of a corrupted image JPG image
6. Incomplete scanning of images damages images without any warning.

Let’s now take a look at the top fixes to repair corrupted images. Here we go…

Top Fixes to Repair Corrupted Photos

Fix 1: Change the Corrupted Image Format into Another Format

First things first, change the format of the image. Yes, the first thing that you can do to repair your images is change the corrupted image format into another format. Sometimes, the wrong format extension does not let you open the file image. By changing the file format, you can repair the image in no time. Follow the following steps depending on your device’s operating system:

➢ For Windows

• Locate the image in the folder that you want to convert into another format
• Right-click on the file
• Navigate to the option ‘Option With’
• Select the option Paint to open your image in Paint
• Navigate to the File menu and click on it
• Select the option Save As
• Choose a different format from the menu (JPEG, JPG, PNG, GIF, or any other)
• Add a name and file location where you want to save the image
• Check if it has been repaired in the changed format.

➢ For Mac

• Go to the Preview app on your Mac
• Navigate to the File and click on it
• Select the image file > Export
• Click on the format pop-up menu
• Choose the format type in which you want to save the file
• Save the file
• Ensure that you have repaired the image in the changed format.

Fix 2: Rename the Corrupted Image File

If the earlier method doesn’t work for you, then try renaming the corrupted image file. It is easy to rename the image file. This will help you recover the damaged picture in no time. Take a look at the following pointers and know how to rename it on different Types of operating systems:

➢ For Windows

• Go to the File Folder
• Select the corrupted image which you want to repair
• Right-click on it
• Look for the option Rename and click it
• Change the name of the image file.

➢ For Mac

• Select the corrupted image that you want to rename
• Press the option Return. Or, you can force-click the image
• Input a new name
• Again, press the option Return.

Fix 3: Download the Image Again

Probably, it is the case of the download failure or error in the download. Hence, you should download the image again from the source from where you downloaded it. This will help you fix the issue in no time. Take a look at the following pointers to know how to do it on Windows/Mac:

• Go to the source from where you downloaded the image (Google Image, WhatsApp, Gmail, etc.)
• Click the icon Download or Save Image to download it
• Make sure that you have properly downloaded the image
• Go to the location where you saved that image
• Open it to ensure that you have repaired it

Fix 4: Restore the Image File from Backup

If nothing has worked so far, then try restoring the image file from backup. More often than not, people have the backup of their files, images, photos, or videos in iCloud storage or an external drive. If you also have data stored in cloud or external device, try restoring the image from there. You can easily restore the image in good condition from the backup if it is corrupted. Follow the steps below to restore the image file from the backup depending on the operating system:

➢ For Windows

• Connect the device or location where you have saved the image:
  • If you have saved the image on an external drive, you should connect that drive to the Windows desktop or PC
  • If you have saved it on any network location, you should ensure that the location is turned on to access the file
  • If you use the DVDs for Windows file backup, you should insert the DVD into the computer.
• Then, you should boot your desktop/PC from a USB Recovery drive or system recovery drive
• Select the preferred layout from the options visible on your screen
• Then, select the option Troubleshoot on the next screen
• Then, look for the option System Image Recovery from the Advanced Options
• Select the Windows Backup to use
• Configure the system image recovery
• Confirm Windows restoration by clicking the option Yes
• This will restore the image file from backup on your Windows computer.

➢ from Google Drive

• Open your web browser on Windows
• Log in to Google Drive
• Locate the image file that you want to restore on the PC
• Right-click the image to press the option Download
• This will save your image file in your computer’s file folder
• Head over to the saved image in your local file folder to view it.

➢ For Mac (from iCloud storage)

• Go to the Photos app on Mac and open it
• Select the option Library to view your images/photos
• In the sidebar, you will see the saved images/photos/albums
• Right-click the image to download it
• The backup image file will be transferred to your local files
• Head over to your Mac file folder to access the repaired image

Also Read: Steps to Download WhatsApp Backup From Google Drive

Fix 5: Run CHKDSK or Disk Utility

Another way to fix the problem of corrupted images run CHKDSK utility or disk utility. You can either run the CHKDSK utility or repair the disk utility. If you are using a Windows computer, you should run CHKDSK Utility. On the contrary, if you have a Mac notebook, you should repair the disk utility to fix the issue. Follow the steps below to repair corrupted image seamlessly. You can choose any of the methods depending on your operating system (OS):

➢ For Windows (CHKDSK utility)

• Connect the storage device that has a corrupted image file
• Press the keys Windows and R together on your keyboard
• Type CMD in the Window
• Right-click on the Command Prompt
• Select the option Run as administrator
• Input “chkdsk/r/fx” in the given Command Prompt
• X is the corresponding drive letter
• Press the Enter key on your keyboard
• Wait for 2 minutes to complete the scanning
• Go to the Windows Taskbar to press the “up” arrow
• Double-click the icon that suggests Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media
• Disconnect the storage device and reconnect the device to access the image or photo.

➢ For Mac (Disk utility)

• Go to the Disk Utility app on your Mac notebook
• Select the option View >Show All Devices
• Go to the sidebar and then select a volume
• Click the First Aid button
• Click the option Run and follow the on-screen instructions
• Once you complete the First Aid process, click the option Done
• Repeat the steps 3 to 6 for each volume to fix the disk utility
• Go to the sidebar and then select a container
• Click the First Aid button
• Click the option Run and follow the instructions visible on the screen
• Once you complete the process, click the option Done
• Repeat steps 8 to 11 for each container to fix the disk utility
• Go to the sidebar and select the storage device
• Click the First Aid button
• Click the option Run and follow the instructions appearing on the screen
• Once the First Aid process is complete, click the option Done
• This will repair the disk utility and it will also repair the corrupted image with it

Fix 6: Built-in Error Checking Tool

Probably, you don’t know that most devices come along with an error-checking tool. This is a wonderful tool that can help you repair the corrupted image. Yes, you can efficiently use it to get rid of the issue of the corrupted file. Check the steps, outlined below:

➢ For Windows

• Just head over to the File Explorer
• Then, right-click the storage device that carries corrupted image files
• Select the option Properties
• Navigate to the Tools tab and then select the option Check
• Click on the Now to let the errors get fixed automatically
• Restart your desktop/PC to restore images or photos.

➢ For Mac

• Head over to the Photos app on the MacBook
• Select Photos > Quit Photos
• Press the option Command on your keyboard
• Do Double-click the icon of photos in the application folder
• Go to the Repair Library Window
• Now, click the option Repair to rebuild your photo library
• This will solve the issue of images or photos of any format.

Fix 7: Use Third-Party Tool or Software

If none of the methods have worked for you so far, then it is advisable to use third-party repair app or software to repair your image.

There are numerous specialized third-party photo repair software available out there that allow you to recover images from Windows & Mac computer disks, memory sticks, USB flash drives, SD cards, external hard drives, and other storage mediaSo, of the popular tools include, EaseUS Fixo Photo Repair software, Picture Doctor, File Repair, and so on.

You can choose to use any according to your requirements. Picture Doctor is the best one as it allows you to fix any corrupted and truncated JPEG photos. In addition to JPEG files, this tool also enables you to repair PSD files on Windows computers.

Here is how you can use Picture Doctor to fix corrupted images

You can repair damaged pictures using Picture Doctor in three steps:

• First add file
• Now, select location
• Rescue to save the repaired files anywhere you like.

NOTE: Although picture doctor is an excellent tool, it cannot restore thumbnails of severely corrupted JPEG.

Fix 8: Contact Professionals

If none of the methods have worked for you, don’t lose heart. Contact professionals. Professionals use advanced tools and techniques to repair corrupted images online. Look for a reputable service provider and get your images fixed instantly.

Also Read: Steps to Recover Deleted & Hacked BGMI ID

FAQs

1. How can I repair corrupted images?

First things first, repairing a corrupted image is very easy. More often than not, people get panic the moment they see their favorite image got distorted. You don’t need to get panic, instead you can follow the steps outlined above to repair the image. With the help of the steps outlined in the post, you can get rid of the issue and save the images.

2. How to delete corrupted image files?

To delete corrupted image files, you should boot your PC/Mac in a safe mode. Then, you can delete these corrupted images normally. It’s that easy! Isn’t it?

3. Are corrupted files useless?

The answer is yes. The corrupted files become completely useless. You can never recover the image files until you fix the issue. Hence, it is crucial to fix the issue and repair your image using the methods outlined in this post.

The Bottom Line

So, these are the top 8 ways you can fix corrupted images online. In a nutshell, it will not take much time to fix corrupted images and fix corrupted photos online. The above-mentioned comprehensive guide is very easy to follow. Choose the best troubleshooting tip as per your operating system.

Following the right steps can help you get rid of the issue instantly. Hopefully, this article has been enlightening for you and will help you overcome the issue in no time. So, bookmark this article for future reference also. Whenever you get corrupted images, apply these online ways to resolve the problem in no time.

Thanks for reading!

Happy Fixing… 😊 😊