GIF Repair | How to Fix Corrupted GIF Files

GIFs are widely used in our daily lives. You can see them on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. GIFs often contain content from movies and TV shows. However, there might be instances when your GIF becomes corrupted or damaged. Here's an example:

"I am trying to manipulate images generated by the MapQuest Traffic API. The pages generated images seem to sometimes be corrupt (not always). I am unable to edit them with ImageMagick, GIFLIB, PIL, or Photoshop."

Common Causes of Corrupted GIF Files

Before fixing a GIF, you need to understand why it isn't working in the first place. There are several reasons why someone might be unable to access or view a GIF:

• Corrupted image file
• Hard drive or disk failure
• GIF file deleted
• Improper handling
• Malware or virus attack
• Other unknown reasons

Now that you know the reasons behind a corrupt GIF, you can fix and recover your GIF or other JPG/JPEG files using the solutions below. Sometimes, a simple restart can fix a lot of issues. Try restarting your system before attempting any other methods.

Method 1: Repair the GIF using a GIF Repair Tool

The easiest way to recover and fix a GIF file is by using a GIF repair tool. I recommend the Fixo Photo Repair Tool. This software helps repair corrupted GIF files and also repairs other image formats like JPG and JPEG. Additionally, it can fix MP4 videos that are damaged, corrupted, or have errors. It supports a wide range of popular camera brands, including Canon, GoPro, and DJI. For more details, refer to the table below:

Download the software to fix corrupted GIF files.

Steps to repair GIF/Image file:

Step 1. Launch Fixo on your computer. Choose “Photo Repair” to fix photos that won't open or are partially missing. Click “Add Photos” to select the corrupted photo.

Step 2. Click “Repair All” to fix multiple photos at once. To repair a single photo, hover your cursor over it and click “Repair.”

Select the photo you want to repair

Step 3. Preview the photo by clicking the eye icon, then click “Save” to save the selected picture. Choose “Save All” to save all repaired images. Click “View Repaired” to find the repaired folder.

Method 2: Repairing the GIF Online

If you want to fix a GIF online, use EZGIF. This tool can repair corrupted GIFs or files that aren't recognized properly by certain programs (like some Java apps).

Limit: Maximum GIF file size is 35MB.

Steps to repair a GIF online:

Step 1: Select your GIF file.

Step 2: Click “Upload.”

Step 3: Choose your repair method as needed.

• Discard corrupt frames
• Reset color table
• Combine with ImageMagick
• Unoptimized processing with Gifsicle

Step 4. Click “Submit” and save the output image after the healing process is completed.

Method 3: Convert the GIF to Another File Format

Another effective way to resolve your issue is by converting the GIF to another format, such as MOV, MKV, MP4, or AVI. The simplest method to convert GIF to MOV, AVI, MKV, and others is by using a free GIF converter - the Tool Video Editor. With this tool, you can not only convert GIFs to other formats, but also edit GIF files, merge GIFs, and edit videos.

Method 4: Run SFC Scannow to Fix GIFs

If your disk has errors, you may encounter corrupt GIFs or other types of damaged files. You can run the System File Checker to repair any missing or corrupted files.

Step 1: Press the "Windows" key, then type "cmd".

Step 2. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

Step 3. Type the following command: sfc /scannow

Conclusions

That's all there is to it – you've now learned how to fix a corrupted GIF or image. Explore and share your favorite GIF repair tools in the comments below. If you have any other questions or suggestions, feel free to email us.

FAQ: GIF Repair Issues

How do I fix a corrupted GIF?

To repair a GIF file:

• Restart your computer
• Use a repair tool like Fixo
• Try an online repair tool
• Convert the GIF to another format
• Run the SFC Scannow utility

How do you fix a damaged photo?

Repair Damaged Photos:

Step 1. Download and install the Fixo Image Repair Tool.

Step 2: Select the drive that contains the corrupted photo.

Step 3: Click on “Scan”. Wait patiently for the repair process to finish.

Step 4. Preview the file by double-clicking on it to check the quality. Finally, click “Repair” if everything seems fine.

Why are GIFs of such poor quality?

Unlike modern 24-bit images, which can display 16 million colors, a GIF can show only 256 at a time.

**What is the best GIF maker?**

Top 10 Best GIF Maker Tools:

1. Video Editor 2. ScreenToGif 3. EASY GIF Animator 4. PhotoScape 5. SSuite Gif Animator 6. Picasion 7. GifPal 8. GIMP 9. MakeAGif 10. GifGear 11. Imgur