If you’re frequently encountering the Blue Screen of Death, or if the applications installed on your PC aren’t working as expected, the files on your Windows 11 PC may be corrupt. Luckily, corrupted files on Windows aren’t fatal and there are number of ways a file can get corrupt including, buggy updates, improper shutdowns, other hardware related issues, etc.
Regardless of what’s behind your corrupted files, you may want to repair these files immediately and prevent it from making your computer unusable. We’ve compiled a list of the eight best solutions that can be employed to repair the corrupt files on your Windows 11 PC.
1. Check for Windows Update
While this seems trivial, you can fix almost all issues you might face on your Windows computer with a simple software update.
Updating to the latest version of Windows ensures that you have the latest bug fixes that might fix the corrupted system files alongside the latest security updates that help improve your system’s performance and stability.
Here’s how you can check for Windows updates on your Windows 11 PC:
Step 1: Press the Windows + I keys together to open the Settings app.
Step 3: Select Windows Update from the left sidebar in the Settings window.
Step 4: Now click the Check for updates button.
If a new Windows update is available, install it and check if it fixes the corrupted files and the features dependent on those files.
However, if you can’t downloading a Windows update, check our guide onhow to fix Windows 11 updates not downloading or Installing.
2. Perform a System Restore
There’s a chance that you might be encountering corrupted files on your PC because you accidentally changed critical system settings or installed an unstable app. However, you can quickly reverse the changes you’ve made and fix the data corruption by performing a System Restore.
Do note that you can’t use this method if System Restore is not enabled on your PC. If you want to enable System Restore on your PC, check our guide on using System Restore on Windows 11.
With that said, here’s how you can perform a System Restore on your Windows 11 PC:
Step 1: Click the magnifying glass icon on the Windows 11 taskbar and type Create a restore point. Then select the Open button below the search result.
Step 2: When a System Properties window appears on the screen click on the System Restore.
Step 3: Click Next to commence the restoration process.
Step 4: Select a restore point you want to use. If required, click on ‘Scan for affected programs’ to see the changes made to the system before the restore point was created. Then, click Next.
Step 5: Confirm the restore point you want to revert your system to. After it is verified, click on Finish to commence the automated restoration process.
3. Run the Check Disk Command
Apart from the changes you’ve made to your system, issues relating to your computer’s hard drive or SSD can also lead to data corruption. If you think that’s the case with your system, you can quickly troubleshoot and fix those issues using the CHKDSK (Check Disk) command as detailed in the steps below:
Step 1:Press the Windows + S keys and typeCommand Prompt. Then, from the results for Command Prompt, click on ‘Run as administrator.’
Step 2:Click on Yes when a User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears on the screen.
Step 3: Type the following command into the Terminal window and press Enter to scan your C: drive for issues and fix them.
chkdsk c: /r /scan /perf
This command executes a sequence of tests that can check your PC’s storage drives. The /r and /scan modifiers scan and repair the sectors on your hard drive to ensure there are no bad sectors.
Whereas the /perf modifier in the command allows your PC to use more system resources as possible to complete the Check Disk scan as quickly as possible. You can remove the /perf if you don’t mind waiting for the scan to run.
If you want to scan other drives on your PC, replace the c: in the command with any other drive letter.
This command might take some time to scan and fix your hard drive. After CHKDSK completes scanning your PC, you’ll see a message indicating whether or not it found any corrupt files that need fixing.
If the scan didn’t find any issues, you would get a message saying, ‘Windows has scanned the file system and found no problems. No further action is required.’ However, if any corrupted files are detected, it will automatically repair them for you.
4. Use SFC and DISM Commands
You can quickly run an SFC (System File Checker) scan followed by a DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scan to find and fix the corrupt files on your system. Here are the steps for the same:
Step 1:Press the Windows + S keys and typeCommand Prompt. Then, from the results for Command Prompt, click on ‘Run as administrator.’
Step 2:Click on Yes when a User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears on the screen.
Step 3:Type the following command into the Terminal window and press Enter:
SFC /scannow
Running this command instructs Windows to scan for corrupted DLL (Dynamic Link Libraries) and other vital system files on your PC. Furthermore, running this command replaces the broken system files with functioning ones if any corruption is detected.
After the SFC (System File Checker) scan completes scanning your PC, you’ll see a message indicating whether or not it found any problems that need fixing.
If the SFC scan didn’t find any issues, you would get a message saying, ‘Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.’ However, if any issues relating to corrupted configuration files are discovered, it will automatically repair them for you.
Step 4: Run a DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scan once you have completed the SFC scan.
Running a DISM command scans for corruption and repairs issues with the operating system. Although this scan might seem similar to the SFC scan, a DISM scan is a bit more advanced. DISM also scans the recovery and boot sectors for corruption and can be used to restore the resiliency of your files if any corruption is detected.
To perform a DISM scan on your PC, execute all the commands listed below one command at a time by copying and pasting them into Command Prompt and pressing the Enter key.
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
This DISM scan might take some time. Restart your PC after completing both scans to see if it helps to restore your corrupted data.
5. Run Startup Repair
Startup repair is a troubleshooting tool built into Windows that helps fix issues when your PC doesn’t start. The tool also tries to fix the corrupt files on your PC to ensure those aren’t the culprit behind your PC not starting. You can improvise the Startup Repair tool to fix corrupt files on your PC even if it starts up as expected.
Here’s how you can commence Startup Repair using Advance Startup Options on your Windows 11 PC to fix corrupt files.
Step 1:Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard.
Step 2:Keep holding the Shift key. Then, head to the Power menu in Start and click on Restart.
Step 3:When your PC restarts and you reach the blue Choose an option screen, release the Shift key. Then, click on Troubleshoot.
Step 4:Click on Advanced options.
Step 5: Click on Startup Repair.
Step 6: Wait for Startup Repair to scan and repair issues on your PC.
Random Access Memory (RAM) or memoryis an integral part of any computer. It allows the processor to quickly access temporary files used by programs running on your system. However, if memory fails to do its job, your system might start encountering glitches leading to data corruption.
Microsoft Windows, to help you troubleshoot such RAM-related issues, offers a handy tool called the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool. And Here’s how you can use it on your system:
Step 1: Press the Windows + R keys together to access the Run utility.
Step 2: When a Run dialog appears on your screen type mdsched.exe. Then click on OK.
Step 3: You should see a Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool window pop up on your screen with two options:
- Click the ‘Restart now and check for problems (Recommended)’ option if you want to reboot your PC and troubleshoot memory-related issues immediately.
- Click the ‘Check for problems the next time I start my computer’ option if you want to schedule the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool to run the next time your PC starts.
We selected the first option; you can choose the second option if required. Whichever option you may choose, once your PC restarts, the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool will automatically start scanning your system for memory-related issues in Standard mode.
Running a two-pass scan in Standard mode should be enough to discover any memory error in most cases. However, if you want to change the scan options to Basic or extended and change the number of scan passes, press the F1 key on your keyboard to access more Options.
Do note that you will have to press the Tab key on your keyboard to cycle through the different scan options, F10 to Apply the new changes, or Esc to go back and Cancel the changes.
If no issues are detected move on to the next solution. Meanwhile, if issues are found, it might be time to replace your computer’s RAM and check if it fixes your corrupted data. While you’re at it you may also want to take a look at our full guide on how to use the Windows Diagnostic Tool on Windows 11.
7. Run the System Maintenance Troubleshooter
Windows has all kinds of troubleshooters to simplify troubleshooting and fix issues for normal users. You can run the System Maintenance Troubleshooter to find and fix problems with your computer that might be causing data corruption, as detailed in the steps below:
Step 1:Press the Windows + S keys to open Windows Search and typeControl Panel.Then, from the results for Control Panel, click on Open.
Step 2:On the Control Panel window that opens, click on the Category drop-down and select Large Icons.
Step 3: Scroll down to the end of the page and click on Troubleshooting.
Step 4: On the troubleshooting page that appears, click on View all option located in the left sidebar.
Step 5: From the list of troubleshooters that appear, look for System Maintenance and click on it.
Step 6: Click on next to start the System Maintenance Troubleshooter.
Alternatively, you can also run this troubleshooter as an administrator by clicking on Advanced and selecting the Run as Administrator check box.
Step 7: If no issues are detected, click on ‘Try troubleshooting as an administrator’ and rerun the troubleshooter. Or click on Close.
8. Reset Your PC
Suppose none of the solutions listed above work for you, the only way to fix the corrupted files on your PC would be to reset and reinstall Windows from scratch. And If you’re worried a losing your data using this method, then you may want to take a look at our guide onhow to reset a Windows 11 PC without losing dataor follow the steps listed below:
Step 1: Step 1:Press the Windows + I keys on the keyboard to open the Settings app. Then click on Recovery.
Step 2: On the Recovery page, click on Reset PC.
Step 3: When a Reset this PC window appears on the screen, select any one of the relevant options:
- Select Keep My Files to keep your personal files unchanged and erase all your apps and system preferences.
- Select Remove everything to reset and wipe everything, including your files, apps, and system preferences.
Step 4: Now you will need to select how would you like to reinstall Windows 11 on your PC.
- Choose Cloud download if you installed Windows 11 manually. Do make sure you have a working internet connection if you select this option,
- Choose Local reinstall if your PC came with Windows 11 pre-installed.
Step 5: When you reach the Additional settings page of the Reset this PC window, click Next.
Step 6: Confirm your selected reset options and click on Reset. Alternatively, you can also click on the ‘View apps that will be removed’ option to see which app will be removed from your PC before clicking on Reset.
Once you click on Reset, your PC will reboot and initiate the System reset procedure. This procedure might take anywhere from 30-minutes to 1-hour, depending on your PC and selected options.
Fix Corrupt Files on Windows 11
After following the above solutions, you can easily fix the corrupt files on your Windows 11 PC. Let us know which solution worked out for you or if you’ve found a better solution to repair the corrupt files.
FAQs
8 Best Ways to Fix Corrupt Files on Windows 11? ›
On the Command Prompt window, type the command: sfc/scannow and press "enter". If the SFC scans and verifies that the protected file has been corrupted or changed, it will repair and replace it with the correct copy. The SFC can even try to repair the file cache if it is found to be changed or corrupted.
How do I fix corrupted files on Windows 11? ›On the Command Prompt window, type the command: sfc/scannow and press "enter". If the SFC scans and verifies that the protected file has been corrupted or changed, it will repair and replace it with the correct copy. The SFC can even try to repair the file cache if it is found to be changed or corrupted.
Does Windows 11 have a repair tool? ›Microsoft Software Repair Tool. Microsoft Software Repair is a nice straightforward tool designed by Microsoft to help mitigate software issues on Surface devices, but it can be used with Windows 10/11 installations on other devices just as effectively. This tool restores Windows 10/11 to its default settings.
How do I find and delete corrupted files in Windows 11? ›- Solution 1: Restart Computer and Delete Corrupted Files Using the Administrator Account.
- Solution 2: Close Windows Explorer and Restart Computer to Delete Corrupted Files.
- Solution 3: Delete Corrupted Files in Safe Mode.
- Solution 4: Use the CMD Command Prompt to Delete Corrupted Files.
- Perform a check disk on the hard drive. Running this tool scans the hard drive and attempts to recover bad sectors. ...
- Use the CHKDSK command. This is the command version of the tool we looked at above. ...
- Use the SFC /scannow command. ...
- Change the file format. ...
- Use file repair software.
Improper shut downs, botched Windows updates, malware, viruses, software crashes, or hardware issues can all be the cause of corrupted file problems.
How to do a clean format Windows 11? ›Restart your PC while holding the Shift key to boot into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). Once in the Windows Recovery Environment, choose to boot from the USB drive. On the Windows Setup page, select your language, time and keyboard preferences and then select Next. Select Install now.
How do I open advanced repair options in Windows 11? ›The Advanced Boot Options screen lets you start Windows in advanced troubleshooting modes. You can access the menu by turning on your computer and pressing the F8 key before Windows starts.
How do I repair Windows 11 without losing data or programs? ›Use the installation media to reinstall Windows 11
Select Change to determine what to keep: Select one of the following options, and then select Next: Keep personal files and apps – This will preserve your personal data, apps, and settings.
- Start the system to the installation media for the installed version of Windows. ...
- On the Install Windows screen, select Next > Repair your computer.
- On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.
- On the Advanced options screen, select Startup Repair.
How do I uncorrupt a file in Windows? ›
Right-click the Command Prompt and choose "Run as administrator". Step 2. Type: sfc /scannow and hit "Enter". This command aims to find and repair corrupt Windows system files.
Is there a way to recover permanently deleted files Windows 11? ›Right-click the file or folder, and then select Restore previous versions. You'll see a list of available previous versions of the file or folder. The list will include files saved on a backup (if you're using Windows Backup to back up your files) as well as restore points, if both types are available.
Will CHKDSK fix corrupt files? ›Use CHKDSK regularly to scan your hard drive for corrupted files, help repair and clean up your PC, and maintain its health. CHKDSK can scan for bad sectors — ruined parts of your hard drive — even when your PC won't turn on. That helps you find and fix hard drive errors, and frees up disk space as well.
Can I uncorrupt a corrupted file? ›The Open and Repair command might be able to recover your file. Click File > Open > Browse and then go to the location or folder where the document (Word), workbook (Excel), or presentation (PowerPoint) is stored. Don't try to open the file from the Recent section as this won't go into the Open dialog box.
Why do my files keep getting corrupted? ›Here are a few prominent reasons why your data gets corrupt: Malware attacks and viruses infecting your computer can corrupt your data. Data corruption can also result from improperly saving files. Incorrectly stopping a file relocation process can corrupt whichever file was being moved at that time.
What makes Windows 11 bad? ›The biggest ones to leave Windows in version 11 are the Timeline, Live Tiles, and Internet Explorer. If you run an old business application that requires IE, however, you can still run an Internet Explorer mode within the Microsoft Edge browser.
What is the most common cause of file corruption? ›File corruption usually happens when there is an issue during the 'save' process. If your computer crashes the file being saved will likely be corrupted. Another cause might be damaged sections of your hard drive or storage media that might have viruses and malware.
How to repair Windows 11 with ISO? ›- First, download a Windows 11 ISO file and save it to your PC.
- After the download is complete, right-click on the ISO file and select Mount. ...
- In File Explorer, go to This PC > Devices and drives and double-click on the newly mounted virtual drive.
Run Disk Cleanup
Disk Cleanup is a tool built-in to Windows 11 which does a great job at erasing junk files such as program files, temporary internet files, caches, and thumbnails.
A “clean install of Windows 11” is always recommended for new setups, upgrades, or reinstalls. This method takes the most time and doesn't keep your files, settings, and apps, but it's the method that is more likely to complete the installation successfully.
What is the difference between a clean install and a factory reset Windows 11? ›
The reset reinstalls the same version of Windows (for example 20H1). While with a clean installation you could use a newer ISO and install the latest version (such as 21H2).
Why is F8 not working for Safe Mode? ›If F8 isn't working and you've to restart your computer in Safe Mode immediately, try it via the Start menu. Open the Start menu and then Settings> Update & Security> Recovery> Restart Now option. While your computer is in reboot mode, you've to select Troubleshoot under the Select an Option screen.
How do I get to advanced boot options without F8? ›- At the Windows desktop, open the Start Menu and click on Settings (The cog icon)
- Select Update & Security.
- Select Recovery from the left side menu.
- Under Advanced Startup, click the Restart Now button on the right side of the screen.
- The computer restarts and boots to an Options Menu.
- Click Troubleshoot.
You can access the BIOS from the Windows Settings menu on your computer. To do this, click on the Start menu and go to Settings. Once here, click on “Update”, and then select “Recovery.” Under “Advanced Startup”, select “Restart Now.” This will restart your computer and bring you to the BIOS menu.
How do I restore Windows 11 without reinstalling? ›Related links. To reset your PC, go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC > Get Started. Then, select Keep my files, choose cloud or local, change your settings, and set Restore preinstalled apps? to No.
How to use DISM command tool to repair Windows 11 image? ›- Open an elevated Command Prompt and type DISM /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth . ...
- Once the scan is complete, your system will automatically connect to the Windows Update service to download and replace the corrupt files.
- If the scan fails, please rerun it in Safe Mode.
Firstly, make sure to set up your BIOS to boot from the USB drive. After that, click on the Repair Computer option > Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt to do so.
Can you recover files from corrupted Windows? ›Yes, you can recover data from corrupted Windows OS. Most users feel it is hard to access hard disk data without OS. But they are still looking for a possible way to recover data when the PC won't boot.
What app can fix corrupted files? ›- Recoverit Free data recovery software. ...
- iBoysoft Data Recovery. ...
- Soft Perfect File Recovery. ...
- Puran File Recovery. ...
- Recuva Data Recovery. ...
- Stellar Phoenix Data recovery. ...
- ICare Data Recovery. ...
- PC Inspector file recovery.
A corrupted file is a damaged computer file that fails to open or shows some errors when you try to open it. A corrupted file on your computer can crash your hard drive or, even worse, lead to the loss of valuable data. That's why you need to remove corrupted files from your computer.
How to recover permanently deleted files without any software? ›
- Access the Start menu and type cmd in the search bar.
- Select "Run as administrator" to run Command Prompt with administrator privileges.
- Type attrib -h -r -s /s /d drive letter:\*. *" and press Enter.
- Double-click on the Recycle Bin to open it.
- Find and see the files to be recovered. You can use the Ctrl and Shift keys to choose multiple items at once.
- Right-click on the selection and choose Restore. ...
- Verify the files have indeed been restored to their original or new location.
| Best Data Recovery Software | Platform | Pro version |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Disk Drill | Windows, Mac | Multiplatform lifetime license |
| 2. Easeus Data Recovery | Windows, Mac | Subscription-based |
| 3. Recuva | Windows | Subscription-based |
| 4. TestDisk | Windows, Mac, Linux | Freeware |
DISM can be used to service Windows images and their associated versions of WinPE and WinRE. The commands and options that are available for servicing an image depend on which Windows operating system you are servicing, and whether the image is offline or a currently running operating system.
What is the best practice of CHKDSK? ›Invoke chkdsk
chkdsk simply runs in diagnosic mode and displays the results when completed. Because the utility makes no changes, you don't need administrator privileges. As a best practice, you should run chkdsk in this mode before you add arguments to repair.
Press Windows + R, type cmd, press Ctrl + Shift +Enter to run Command Prompt as administrator. Next, type the command exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and press Enter. This command provides the files that are required to fix system file corruption. Then type the sfc /scannow command and press Enter.
How to repair corrupted files using command prompt? ›The sfc /scannow command will scan all protected system files, and replace corrupted files with a cached copy that is located in a compressed folder at %WinDir%\System32\dllcache. The %WinDir% placeholder represents the Windows operating system folder.
Why can't you delete corrupted files? ›There are various reasons why you can't delete a corrupted file or folder on Windows 10: The corrupted files are in use by a running program. Your computer was improperly shut down. The hard drive, USB drive, or external hard drive has disk errors.
Can viruses cause corrupted files? ›Have you encountered one or more corrupted files on your computer? If so, your computer may be infected with malware. File corruption is a common symptom of a malware infection. Whether it's a virus, trojan, ransomware or any other malware, it may corrupt some of your computer's files.
What is the most common program used to check and fix damaged file system? ›The System File Checker (SFC) is a built-in Windows repair tool that scans your computer for corrupted Windows system files and attempts to restore any that it finds. To locate these troublesome files, use the SFC scannow command in the System File Checker.
How do you tell if a file was intentionally corrupted? ›
A corrupted file is not readable if you double-click on it; you'll often see an error message instead. Malware such as ransomware and file or disk wipers can even cause intentional, malicious file corruption.
How do I restore files in Windows 11? ›In the search box on the taskbar, type restore files, and then select Restore your files with File History. Look for the file you need, then use the arrows to see all its versions. When you find the version you want, select Restore to save it in its original location.
Can you fix corrupted Windows files? ›Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files. If some Windows functions aren't working or Windows crashes, use the System File Checker to scan Windows and restore your files.
How do I run Startup Repair in Windows 11? ›Press the power button again to turn on your device. This time, allow your device to fully start up. Select Advanced options. Now that you're in winRE, on the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair > Restart.
Can corrupted files be restored? ›Can corrupted data be recovered? For those asking if it's possible to recover corrupted data we have good and bad news: it's possible but professional help may be needed. Sometimes, users will be able to recover a previous version of the file using their operating system's built-in software.
How can I recover corrupted files for free? ›- Recoverit Free data recovery software. ...
- iBoysoft Data Recovery. ...
- Soft Perfect File Recovery. ...
- Puran File Recovery. ...
- Recuva Data Recovery. ...
- Stellar Phoenix Data recovery. ...
- ICare Data Recovery. ...
- PC Inspector file recovery.
Windows File Recovery is Microsoft's native data recovery app. It's available for download from the Microsoft Store and runs on Windows 10 (2004) and newer versions, including Windows 11. You can use it to recover common file formats from local storage.
Does Windows 11 have file history? ›On Windows 11, “File History” is a legacy feature that allows you to create a file backup on an external or network drive to have the means to recover files in case of accidental deletion, modification, or corruption.
What is Restore drive Windows 11? ›A recovery drive stores a copy of your Windows 10 or Windows 11 environment on an external source, like a DVD or USB drive. Here's how to create one before your PC fails.
Should I run DISM or SFC first? ›Run SFC first, and only if SFC finds a problem is it necessary to run DISM. Run SFC first, and — no matter what SFC reports — you might as well run DISM after that.
How do I repair services in Windows 11? ›
- In the search box on the taskbar, type control panel and select Control Panel from the results.
- Select Programs > Programs and Features.
- Right-click the program you want to fix and select Repair, or if that's not available, select Change. Then follow the directions on the screen.
One of the easiest ways to reset your PC without a password is by issuing the Restart command while pressing the SHIFT key. This allows us to invoke the same Reset operation as from the Windows Repair menu. On the Choose an option screen, click Troubleshoot: Reset your PC or see advanced options. Choose Reset this PC.