MP4 Video Stopped Playing in Middle [Solved]

“I have been using VLC Media Player for a while with no problems; however, today, something unexpected happened. I started an MP4 video in VLC Media Player. The application played a little of the video, and then after a few seconds the playback got stuck and stopped playing. I've tried the troubleshooter fixes, but they didn’t work. Can someone tell me how to fix the error- MP4 video stopped playing in the middle."

‘MP4 videos stopped playing in the middle' is one of the most common issues users face. Often, incomplete transfer or corruption in file, disrupted download can result in video stopped playing in middle. Fortunately, you can fix the 'MP4 video stopped playing’ issue with the methods mentioned in this article.

Why did the MP4 video stopped playing in the middle?

From MP4 file corruption to disrupted file transfer, there could be various reasons for MP4 videos to stop playing in the middle. Here are some common reasons why your video stopped playing in the middle:

  • MP4 video file is corrupt or damaged
  • Incomplete download/transfer
  • Virus or malware infection
  • Improper video conversion

Workarounds to Fix MP4 Video Stopped Playing in the Middle

Here are some of the best and easiest ways you can follow to fix the MP4 video stopped playing in the middle error.

Caution: Do not work on the original MP4 video files. Make a copy of the original file and then use it.

Download/Transfer the File Again

Due to incomplete transfer or download of MP4 files, your video may stop playing in the middle. In such a situation, try downloading or transferring the video again.

Restart the Media Player/ PC

When your MP4 video files stop playing in the middle, the most basic step is to exit the existing media player, restart it again, and then try playing the video.

If this doesn't work, close all the applications and restart your computer.

Try playing the video in another media player.

If your video stopped playing in the middle of your regular media player, try playing it on a different media player. Some popular MP4-supporting media players are VLC Media Player, QuickTime Player, Windows Media Player, KMPlayer, etc.

Convert the video file

Try to convert the MP4 video to another format like AVI or MOV to see if the video is working fine. Use an online video converter tool like VEED.io, Any Video Converter, etc., or VLC Media Player to change the video format of your video files.

Here’s how to convert MP4 video files to another file format using VLC Player:

  • Launch the VLC Player on your Windows or Mac.
  • Go to Media, select Convert or Save.

convert/save video files

  • Click Add input files/streams to insert the MP4 video files.

convert video format vlc

  • Click on the Convert or Save button.
  • In the Convert window, choose a file name and browse a location in the destination file option.

browse destination file

  • Choose the desired input Codec from the profile list.

select profile

  • Click Start to initiate the conversion process. Once done, check whether your MP4 video is playing smoothly after conversion.

Repair MP4 Files via Video Repair Software

After trying all the above methods, if your MP4 videos still stop playing in the middle, your file may be corrupt. The video may get corrupted due to a software/application error, a system crash, or a virus/malware attack.

If your MP4 video is corrupt, use a professional video repair tool, such as Stellar Repair for Video, to repair your video file. This tool fixes corrupt or damaged MP4 videos stored in SD cards, memory cards, HDDs, SSDs, flash drives, and other storage media. The software also supports MP4 videos shot from DSLRs, smartphones, drone cameras, CCTV, etc.

This video repair tool uses advanced algorithms to fix stuttering, frozen, out-of-sync, truncated, jerky, pixelated, grainy, and other issues in video files caused by corruption. It can even repair almost all popular video file formats, like MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, WMV, etc.

Stellar Repair for Video 

To see how software works in Windows, download the free version from here.

windows

Stellar Repair for Video

To see how software works in Mac, download the free version from here.

mac

Let’s see how to use this video repair tool to repair corrupt MP4 files:

  • Download, install, and launch Stellar Repair for Video on your Windows or Mac system.
  • Click Add Files to add corrupted videos.

add files

  • Click the Repair button to start the repair process.

added files

  • Once the repair process is completed, you can see the preview of the repaired video files.

save repaired video files

  • Then, click Save Repaired Files to browse the location to save the repaired videos.

Conclusion

If your MP4 videos stopped playing in the middle, it can be due to incomplete or interrupted download or corruption. You can try to restart the media player/PC, convert the video format, or play the video in another player to see if your video works. However, if your video stopped playing in the middle due to corruption, the best way is to use Stellar Repair for Video to fix the corrupt MP4 video files. This MP4 video repair tool is easy to use and can quickly repair multiple corrupt, damaged, or unplayable MP4 files in one go.



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FAQs
If your MP4 video files won't play or have no sound, are choppy, out-of-sync, or distorted, your video is probably corrupted. Use professional video repair software to make your corrupted MP4 videos playable again .
You can repair MP4 videos for free by using VLC Media Player (in both Windows and Mac) or QuickTime Player on Mac.
To repair corrupted MP4 files , you can: • Use the VLC video fix feature. • Convert your MP4 files format to make them playable. • Download required MP4 codec. • Repair MP4 videos by using VLC Video Fix Feature
Your MOV files can be repaired easily by transcoding the MOV file to another format or using the VLC Video Fix feature. However, if these doesn’t work for you, use professional Mac video repair tool like Stellar Repair for Video to fix the corruption in MOV files.
About The Author
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Vishakha Singh linkdin Icon

Vishakha Singh is a Senior Writer at Stellar with half a decade of experience in writing content in diverse verticals. She loves creating photo/video recovery & repair tutorials. Vishakha also specializes in writing full-blown iPhone and Android guides.

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