How to Fix Frozen Videos and What Really Causes Them to Freeze

Have you ever been crazy about the continuous pause when watching videos? And now, you are asking yourself, "Why are my videos stuck?" "How do you fix a frozen video?"
Frozen videos can happen on your phone, computer, or camera. A frozen screen or choppy playback can make it hard to watch anything at all.
In this guide, we will teach you how to fix frozen videos using professional software. We will also present what causes a frozen video and share other valuable measures you can try to fix the problem.
Stick with us, and you will never have to deal with a frozen video again!

Part 1. What Causes a Frozen Video

When your video stops playing but the sound keeps going, or it just gets stuck, it can be really annoying. It might happen while watching a movie, playing a game, or even editing a video. This problem can come from inside the video file or from your computer. To fix it, you have to know what is making it freeze in the first place.

1. Driver Issues

If your computer's audio or video drivers are too old or broken, videos can freeze, lag, or crash while playing. Drivers help your system talk to your hardware, so they need to be up to date.

2. Hardware Problems

Broken or weak parts inside your computer can also make videos freeze. It includes your RAM, graphics card, or hard drive. If one of these is not working right, it can mess up how your computer runs videos.

3. Display Resolution Settings

If your screen settings are too high or do not match the video, it can make the video stutter or freeze. A wrong refresh rate or screen size can cause problems, especially with high-quality files.

4. Missing or Wrong Codecs

Videos need special tools called codecs to run. If the correct codec is not installed, your player might freeze trying to read the file. Some files need extra codecs that do not come with your video player.

5. Corrupt Video File

If the video file itself is damaged, it may stop or freeze during playback. You might see the screen freeze while the sound keeps playing. It often happens if the file was not saved correctly or was interrupted during download.

Knowing the reason behind a frozen video is the first step to fixing it. Once you find the cause, you can choose the best way to solve it.

Part 2. Fix Frozen Videos with Professional Software

1. Tipard FixMP4

Fixing a frozen video can feel really frustrating, especially when the audio plays fine, but the screen just does not move.

Tipard FixMP4 is the best program you can use to fix frozen videos fast. It can analyze your broken file and fix it automatically without needing you to do much. It handles MP4, MOV, AVI, and even 3GP videos. It works with videos from all kinds of devices like phones, cameras, memory cards, or hard drives. It also keeps the original quality of your video, so it does not look blurry after repair. You can preview the result before saving it, which is helpful to check if the video plays smoothly again.

Best of all, Tipard FixMP4 has a very high success rate, even with badly frozen or corrupted videos.

Step 1Get Tipard FixMP4 installed on your computer. Pick one that is compatible, whether Windows or Mac.

Step 2Head to the Corrupted Video tab. Add the video that keeps freezing. Then, in the Sample Video tab, add a clean video from the same device or camera. All you have to do is click the + button for each.

Step 3Once both files are set, press Repair. The program will begin fixing your frozen video using the good one as a guide. It only takes a short while to finish.

Step 4When it is done, click Preview. It lets you watch the repaired video before saving it. Check if it runs smoothly with no freezes.

Step 5If you are happy with how it looks, click Save. Pick a folder on your computer to keep the new working video.

2. VLC Media Player

If you want a free program to repair frozen videos, this media player can help a lot. Besides watching videos, it can also help you repair playback problems as the whole video freezes on one frame or glitches videos. It works best with minor changes in the settings. This player is safe, easy to use, and works on most computers.

Step 1Click Tools at the top menu and select Preferences. You can also press Ctrl + P to get there fast.

Step 2At the bottom left corner, click the Radio button beside All to show all settings.

Step 3Go to Input/Codecs and scroll down to find File caching (ms), Disc caching (ms), and Network caching (ms). Set them all to 1000. It helps VLC load the video smoother.

Step 4Still in Input/Codecs, go to the FFmpeg section. Change Skip the loop filter for H.264 decoding from None to All. Also, make sure Hardware decoding is set to Disable.

Step 5Now, click the Simple option at the bottom. Then, go to the Video section. Set the Output to DirectX (DirectDraw). Restart VLC and check your video.

3. Stellar Repair for Video

When your movie freezes again and again, you can try a program that is built just to repair that. One of the top picks is Stellar Repair for Video. It is made to fix choppy videos from cameras, phones, or downloads. You can add many videos at once and repair them in bulk. Just know the free version would not let you save fixed files without buying.

Step 1Install and run the program. Then, click Add File to pick the frozen video you want to fix.

Step 2After the video loads, click the Repair button. The tool will begin scanning and fixing it.

Step 3When the repair finishes, a box will pop up to let you know.

Step 4You can watch the repaired video right inside the program to check if it is smooth again.

Step 5If it looks good, click Save to keep the new version on your computer.

4. Remo Video Repair Tool

Sometimes, a frozen movie video clip is a sign it is broken inside. If that is the case, you need a program that goes deep and makes a clean copy of the video. That is what the Remo Video Repair Tool does. It works with damaged MP4, MOV, and AVI files. It keeps your original safe by repairing a copy. It is excellent for fixing videos from phones, drones, and cameras.

Step 1Install the Remo Video Repair Tool on your computer. Launch it from your desktop or start the menu.

Step 2Click Select File, then find and open the video that is freezing or would not play.

Step 3Once the file is loaded, press the Repair button. The tool starts fixing the file right away.

Step 4After the fix, you can use the Preview button to see if the video plays correctly now.

Step 5Happy with the result? Click Save and choose a folder to keep the new working video.

Part 3. Other Useful Measures You Can Take to Fix a Frozen Video

Sometimes, a frozen video is not caused by the file itself. It could be a problem with your system, your settings, or even a hidden virus. That is why it is smart to try other ways to fix the problem before giving up. These steps can help make your videos run smoother, even if the freeze keeps coming back.

1. Keep Your Antivirus Updated and Turned On

A virus or lousy software can mess with how videos play. If your antivirus is not working or is too old, it would catch these threats. Make sure your antivirus stays updated so it can block problems before they hit your system.

2. Update Your Audio and Video Drivers

Drivers help your computer understand what to do with video and sound. If the drivers are old, videos might freeze or lag. Check for updates on your computer and install the latest versions. It only takes a few clicks, and it can stop a lot of problems.

3. Take Care of Your Hardware

If your computer parts are overheating or breaking, videos will not play right. Clean out dust, keep it cool, and replace old parts when needed. A healthy computer means better video playback.

4. Fix Your Screen Settings

Sometimes, your screen's resolution or refresh rate does not match the video. When that happens, the video might skip, stutter, or freeze. Set your screen resolution and refresh rate to work with the kind of videos you usually play.