There are a few reasons why you may have a partially downloaded video file on your PC. You might’ve experienced an internet connection loss, a server timeout, incomplete proxy downloads, or the file was moved on the server. Or, you just have a slow download speed and you want to take a peek at the video to check its quality.

In this article, we’ll show you can preview and check out a video quality and decide if you want to continue the download.

How to View Partially Downloaded Video Files on VLC

We all know that VLC is a versatile media player that can play almost any media format you throw to it. Well, another thing that you can get it to do is to repair and playback the partially downloaded video.

Open your VLC and load the video file. It will automatically detect that this is a broken file and will prompt you to repair it. For instance, it can open broken AVI files.

Click the Build index then play button to start the repair process. It could take quite some time depending on the file size of your video. Once the repair is finished, it will automatically play back in the player.

Related: Top Secret Features of the Free VLC Media PlayerTo avoid damaging the integrity of the partially downloaded video file, it is best to first duplicate a copy of the video file, then use VLC to repair and playback the duplicated copy. When you are done previewing, simply delete the duplicated copy.

Download: VLC (Free)

How to View Partially Downloaded Video Files on DivFix++

DivFix++

DivFix++ is a complete rewrite of the DivFix application. Its creation came about when the developer felt that the original DivFix program was too slow and took up plenty of CPU power.

As such, while the program is a fantastic choice as a lightweight video player, it can do more than that. DivFix++ is capable of fixing a broken AVI file, rebuilding the index of the video, and allowing you to play it back in a media player.

Before fixing the incomplete video files, you can perform, a search for errors. After clicking Check Errors, DivFix++ will display the error list within the Log Window. If you think there are too many errors and it will take too long to fix the video, you may be dealing with a corrupted file. As such, delete your browser cache and download the video again to see if that improves anything.

One of the best things about DivFixx++ is that you can make a complete list of files that you need to repair. You can use the Add Files and Remove Files buttons to edit the list.

DixFix++ will create a fixed version of the same video and it will save it to a new filename in the same location as the original video. If you want to change the default location, uncheck the Relative Output Folder and File option from the top of the window.

Related: How to Fix Out of Sync Audio and Video in Windows 10

One minor disadvantage of DivFix++ is that it will rename every video that it fixes. As such, you will have to change the name for every one of them for easier identification.

Like VLC, DivFix++ works in Linux, Windows, and Mac and it is a great software worth trying out when you need to watch a partially downloaded video.

Download: DivFix++ (Free)

How to View Partially Downloaded Video Files on GOM Player

GOM Player

On the front end, GOM Player looks just like any of the media players in the market. It allows you to play videos (of various format) and have great subtitles support. However, what really distinguishes GOM Player from the rest is its patented technology that allows you to play broken AVI files on the fly.

When playing an incomplete video file, GOM will not display any error message or ask you if you want to repair the file. It will automatically playback the file on the frontend while it quietly repairs it on the backend. The process might be a bit slow but if you pause the video and wait for the backend repairing to complete, you will get smooth playback in no time.

Download: GOM Player (Free)

Quickly Fix or Preview Your Videos

Now you know how to play an incomplete video file. Chances are you already have VLC or GOM Player installed on your computer, which will make things even easier.

If you can’t play any locally stored videos, even ones that you have played before without any issues, your problem could be bigger than an incomplete download. You might need to update your video drivers, check the Windows version, or even search for malware.