Fixing corrupted files on Android is quite simple. If you have ever encountered a situation where a file fails to work and displays an error message indicating that the file is corrupted, then there is a solution. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to fix corrupted files on Android.
Files are groups of data stored to perform, reveal, or undertake a specific task. These files can be saved in different formats. Let’s say you created a file document using any of the best office apps on Android and saved it as a .doc file. When you try to open it on your device, you get the response that it is corrupted.
Not only do documents get corrupted, but sometimes an Android device system can be corrupted, and that can affect the Apps, Games and even all files and folders. That’s why we’ve provided a guide on how to fix corrupted files on Android here on NaijaKnowHow.
Here Are the Causes of a Corrupted File
Before learning how to fix corrupted files on Android, it’s okay to know what causes a file to corrupt in the first place. We’ve highlighted the 3 possible reasons why a file would corrupt on Android.
1. Improper Storage/Not Completing the Savings Process:
This is particularly common with users who are in haste and probably have a low battery on their devices. In a bid to save their file with the low amount of battery they have, they end up saving an incomplete file, and when the battery goes off, the file in the process becomes corrupted.
2. Installing Unknown Apps and Third-Party Apps:
While I get the point that sometimes your Play Store may not have the app you seek on it and you would want to resort to downloading from a third-party website, do know that your file is at risk of being corrupted if the software or program you want to download is related to it.
3. Android OS Crash
When the system software crashes, saving files on them becomes risky, and should you have saved any files on them, they are bound to be corrupted. An OS may crash if the update for it is not utilized, a part of the hardware is faulty, and files saved on it become corrupted.
How to Fix Corrupted Files on Android Devices
If you want to know the different ways you can fix corrupted files on Android, we’ve provided 3 different methods below. While these methods are quite different, you should try them one after the other because file corruption happens in different ways.
Method 1: Fix Corrupted Files on Android Using Antivirus
When a file gets corrupted on Android, one of the reasons could be due to a virus that has infected your device, either through downloading apps from unclean sources. I’ll recommend you download your Android apps and games from the Google Play Store or the best Play Store alternatives out there.
Follow the steps below if you want to know how to fix corrupted files on Android.
Steps to Fix File Corruption on Android Using Antivirus:
- On your Android device, go to your Google Play Store and search for antivirus. You’ll see many antivirus applications; you can check out this article for the best antivirus apps for Android.
- Once you’ve decided on the antivirus app, download and install it right away, and launch it once the installation process has been completed.
- Once the antivirus has been launched, run a scan on your Android device to detect which app is causing your files to corrupt. Once the app has been detected, uninstall it via the antivirus app, and you’re good to go.
Method 2: Deleting Corrupted File
Some files, regardless of how much repair was done to them, would still stay corrupt, and such files can affect every other file on your Android device to become corrupt as well. To avoid a situation like that, you’ll need to delete the corrupted file. Follow the easy steps below to get that done.
- Before you delete files on your Android device, you need to run a scan on your files and folders. You can do that via an antivirus app that you installed from the first method.
- Once you’ve scanned your Android device’s files and folders and detected the corrupted file, you now need to access your device’s internal storage.
- Go to your Android device File Manager > Internal Storage > Locate the Corrupted File Folder > Delete the Corrupted File.
- Once done, you need to restart your Android device to see if you’ve fixed the corrupted file issues successfully, and if not, check the next method below.
Method 3: Change File Extension
A wrong file extension might cause a file to get corrupted, especially document files like PDF, .docx, and so on. Sometimes it can happen to apps and even videos. The only solution is to change the file extension, you can do that via the steps below.
- You’ll need a good File Manager app like ES File Explorer or any app like ES File Explorer.
- Launch the File Explorer, then locate the place where the corrupted file is. It can be internal storage or inside an SD card.
- Once you’ve located the file, press and hold the file until you see different options underneath the list of files in that storage location. Click on Rename. While renaming, you only need to change the format after the filename and the (.dot).
- Let’s say you want to rename Reading Books.pdf to a Docx file. You’ll have to rename it this way: Reading Boos.docx.
Conclusion
With the easy methods provided above, you’ll find it very easy to fix corrupted files on Android. Don’t forget to leave us a comment below and also share this article with other Android users out there.
