How to recover damaged images​?

To recover damaged images, there are several methods you can try, each depending on the severity of the image corruption and the tools you have at your disposal. Recovering damaged images can be crucial, especially if the photos hold sentimental or professional value. 

Image Damage

Before diving into the recovery methods, it’s essential to understand what causes image damage. Images can become corrupted or damaged due to several factors:

File system corruption: This can occur when your computer shuts down improperly, or if there are bad sectors on your storage device.

Virus or malware: Malicious software can corrupt image files and render them unusable.

Disk failure or physical damage: Hard drives or SD cards that experience physical damage may have issues accessing or reading image files.

Software errors: Sometimes, photo editing software or file transfer programs can inadvertently damage images during processing.

Incomplete file transfers: Interruptions during the image transfer process (e.g., disconnecting the USB or SD card before the transfer is finished) can cause corruption.

Once you recognize the issue, you can choose the most appropriate method to recover the damaged image files.

Step 1: Verify Image Damage

The first step is to confirm that the images are indeed damaged. Sometimes, images may seem corrupted due to a simple software issue or a failed preview. Here’s how to check for real damage:

Try opening the image with different software: Sometimes the default photo viewer may fail to open the image due to format compatibility issues. Try opening it with software like Photoshop, GIMP, or even a web browser.

Check file size: If the file size appears abnormally small (for example, zero KB), it’s more likely that the image is damaged or incomplete.

Step 2: Use Photo Recovery Software

There are many photo recovery tools available that can help recover corrupted or damaged images. Some software options are free, while others are paid. These tools work by scanning your storage device for deleted, lost, or corrupted files and attempt to recover the data by reconstructing the image. Some popular recovery tools include:

Panda Assistant: This program specializes in recovering corrupted images, even if they’ve been partially overwritten or lost. It can recover JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, and other common image formats.

To use these tools:

Download and install the software: Ensure that the program is installed on a different drive or partition from where your corrupted images are stored to prevent overwriting.

Launch the recovery program: Start the tool and select the drive or location where your images were stored.

Scan for corrupted files: Allow the software to scan the drive for damaged or lost images.

Preview and recover the images: Once the scan is complete, you can preview the recovered images. Select the ones you want to restore and save them to a different drive.

Step 3: Repair the Image Files

If the recovery software retrieves the image but it’s still damaged (e.g., showing glitches, artifacts, or partial images), you may need to repair the file itself. Several programs offer image repair features:

JPEG Repair Toolkit: Specifically designed for JPEG files, this toolkit can repair corrupted or partially damaged JPEG images.

PixRecovery: This program can repair corrupt image files in formats like BMP, JPEG, GIF, and TIFF.

File Repair: A tool that repairs a variety of file types, including images, by fixing internal structure and header issues.

When using these tools:

Install and launch the repair software.

Select the damaged image files that need repair.

Initiate the repair process, which usually involves fixing the image header, internal structure, and any other visible damage.

Check the repaired file to ensure that it opens properly without any corruption.

Step 4: Recover from Backup

If the above methods don’t work, and you regularly back up your data, your images might be recoverable from a backup. Many cloud storage services like Google Photos, Apple iCloud, or Dropbox offer automatic backup of images, so check if your images are stored there.

For physical backups, such as an external hard drive or USB drive:

Check for a backup copy: If you have a backup of the image files on a separate device, retrieve the backup copy.

Cloud backups: Check your cloud storage accounts to see if you have uploaded the damaged photos. Many cloud services automatically back up images.

Step 5: Manually Fix File Header or Corruption

Sometimes, you can manually fix damaged images, especially if they are just partially corrupted. For this process, you’ll need to have some understanding of the image file structure and use specific tools to fix it.

Change the file extension: Sometimes images don’t open due to incorrect file extensions. Try changing the file extension (e.g., from .jpg to .jpeg or vice versa) and attempt to open it again.

Hex editor: Using a hex editor, you can view and edit the raw data of an image file. This method requires some knowledge of the file’s internal structure, but it can be useful if you know what part of the file is damaged.

Header repair: If the image header (the part of the file that defines its structure) is corrupted, you can replace it with a correct header from a similar, non-corrupted image file. This can be done using tools like Hex Fiend or HxD.

Step 6: Seek Professional Data Recovery Services

If none of the above methods work or if the damage is severe (such as physical damage to the storage device), your best option may be to consult professional data recovery services. These services have the equipment and expertise to recover data from severely damaged or corrupted storage devices.

Evaluate service options: Look for data recovery companies with experience in recovering image files. Some well-known services include DriveSavers, Ontrack, and Secure Data Recovery.

Send the damaged media for recovery: If the image damage is due to hard drive failure, physical damage, or other serious issues, professional recovery may be your best bet.

Receive recovered images: The company will send you the recovered files, often in a format that can be opened without further issues.

Step 7: Prevent Future Image Damage

Once you’ve recovered your images, it’s essential to implement measures to prevent future image damage. Here are some steps you can take:

Regular backups: Set up regular backups of your images, whether on a cloud service or external hard drive.

Safe handling of storage devices: Always eject storage devices safely to avoid corruption from sudden removal.

Use reliable storage devices: Opt for high-quality SD cards, hard drives, and SSDs that are less prone to failure.

Keep your computer and devices free from malware: Install antivirus software to protect against malicious attacks that could corrupt your images.

Monitor your storage space: Ensure that your device has sufficient free space to avoid write errors that can cause image corruption.