RSV Rescue › Guides › How to fix a corrupted GoPro MP4 file

How to fix a corrupted GoPro MP4 file

A GoPro clip that won’t open is usually unfinished, not destroyed. Here’s how to get it back safely, step by step.

1. Stop using the card

Take the microSD card out and don’t record on it or format it. New recordings can overwrite the space your lost clip still occupies.

2. Copy the whole card to your computer

Use a card reader and copy everything in DCIM/100GOPRO/, not just the one clip. Work only on the copy, so nothing you try can make things worse.

3. Find the broken clip and check its size

GoPro names clips like GH010042.MP4 (or GX… for H.265 clips, GOPR… on the HERO5, and GS….360 for MAX 360 clips). The broken one is usually the last clip, or the last chapter of a long take. If its size looks normal, the footage is inside. If it shows 0 bytes, see GoPro video won’t play for what that means.

4. Optional: let the camera try first

Put the card back in the same GoPro with a charged battery and switch it on. Many GoPro cameras detect an interrupted clip and try to repair it, showing a repair message while they work. If it works, you’re done. If not, carry on with your copy.

5. Rebuild the clip

1. Open rsvrescue.com in Chrome, Edge or Safari on a Mac or Windows computer.
2. Drop the broken .MP4 (or .360) onto the page. It’s read in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
3. Watch the free preview with sound to check it’s your clip.
4. Pay once for that file and save the full repaired .MP4.

RSV Rescue reads the camera’s own settings from the clip itself, so you don’t need a working reference clip from the same GoPro. The result opens in GoPro Quik, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, QuickTime and VLC.

What not to do

• Don’t rename it or run it through a converter first. Converters need the index the file is missing, so they fail or produce a few seconds of video.
• Don’t format the card until you have your clip back.
• Don’t trust “repair” sites that upload your footage. RSV Rescue never uploads it.

How to avoid it next time

• Power: start long takes on a full battery, or film on USB power for timelapses and long sessions.
• Cards: use a microSD card GoPro lists for your camera (V30 or faster), and format it in the camera, not on a computer.
• Heat: high resolutions and frame rates make GoPros hot; give the camera airflow and breaks between long takes.
• Stopping: always stop recording before switching off, and never remove the card while recording.

Try the free preview → Drop the GoPro .MP4 that won’t open and watch your recovered clip before you pay anything.