JPEG-Repair Toolkit – Repair and Recover JPEG photos

Recover, Fix and Repair corrupted JPEG photos 

Repair corrupt and broken JPEGs like a pro using JPEG-Repair Toolkit

The JPEG-Repair Toolkit consist of two tools that can help you repair and recover damaged and corrupt photos: JPEG-Repair a repair utility and JpegDigger a recovery tool. The tools were developed based on my experiences while repairing photos for my JPEG repair service and Photo Recovery Service, initially for my own use only.

JPEG-Repair helps you repair photos. JpegDigger recovers photos. Apart from the JPEG format the tools also support various types of repair and recovery for NEF (Nikon), CR2 (Canon), ORF (Olympus), RW2 (Panasonic-Lumix), ARW (Sony) and DNG (from a Leica Q2), Canon CR3 and Fuji RAF etc..

Use the trial version to determine if JPEG Repair Toolkit can repair or recover your photo(s) prior to purchasing.

Dealing with the Windows Defender SmartScreen. Every time I update software, Windows SmartScreen will treat it as unrecognized app. It will take a fair number of downloads for SmartScreen to trust an app. Click ‘More info’ > ‘Run anyway’.

Refund policy for this software: If the demo works for you and the full version doesn’t, then and only then we will issue a refund!

JPEG Repair toolkit features Features:

  • Repair corrupt and damaged JPEG files > If it can be fixed, JPEG-Repair will help you do it!
  • Fix corrupt JPEG header > Typical symptoms, no thumbnail, ‘damaged, corrupted, too large‘, ‘It appears we don’t support.’.
  • Repair Invalid JPEG markers > Common cause for half grey images
  • Repair damage due to bad sectors > Will result in minor distortions in image
  • Recover JPEG data from corrupt RAW photos such as CR2 and NEF > Often even if file shows no thumbnails
  • Does not re-encode JPEG image so original quality is preserved!
  • Preview of repaired file > Large on-screen preview based on actual image data
  • Does not alter original files > JPEG-Repair works on a copy of the corrupt file
  • No need to upload photos to remote servers > No privacy issues as everything stays on your own PC
  • Free version shows previews + saves low resolution examples
  • No hex editing skills required > JPEG-Repair hides all that from you
  • Includes an app for JPEG recovery > One of the most powerful apps, JpegDigger, to recover lost JPEGs from memory cards etc.!
  • Large YouTube video library with step-by-step examples and guides
  • Best tech support you can wish for, straight from the developer himself!
Thanks, I just tried it out and fixed over 200 files that were sitting corrupted on my computer for close to two years (lost after I dropped my laptop). Thanks again for giving me my vacation pictures back. I will definitely recommend. – Harry Beer @ GOTD
JPEG header damage. Typical symptom for corrupt headers, no image and no preview – for both JPEG and corrupt RAW photos (CR2, NEF, ARW etc.). Bit error, Invalid JPEG markers. Bit errors due to media damage can cause an image to distort or show a partial grey box. May require some additional touch-up using a photo editor. Severely corrupted JPEGs Severely corrupted JPEG data, can be removed and shifted data re-aligned. Requires time and patience and additional photo editing.
JPEG with damaged or corrupt header Bit corruption in JPEG data Severe bit corruption, multiple bit corruption in JPEG data

Click to see more stuff you can repair and fix using the JPEG Repair Toolkit.

Repair your corrupted photos

I have been offering a JPEG repair service for several years. Learning from that I have created a utility that addresses most common issues with corrupted and damaged JPEG files, JPEG-Repair Toolkit. JPEG-Repair Toolkit allows you to repair your corrupt photos yourself.

Currently JPEG-Repair supports following photo formats (to some degree*):

JPEG, NEF*, CR2*, CR3*, RAF*, CRW*, ORF*, ARW*, SRW*, PEF*, RW2*, DNG*, X3F, TIFF*

Repair corrupted JPEG headers

JPEG-Repair can repair corrupt JPEG headers using a reference or sample file. It is an easy alternative for replacing a corrupt header with an intact one using a hex editor. A typical symptom of a corrupt header is that the JPEG file can not be opened at all. Windows explorer does not show preview thumbnails and different viewers and photo editors may show different error messages:

  • Windows Photo Viewer can’t open this picture because the file appears to be damaged, corrupted or is too large
  • It appears we don’t support this file format

JPEG-Repair can do these repairs in batch.

Repair corrupted and distorted JPEG image data

Patch (edit) raw JPEG image data with visual feedback. Corrupt data in the actual JPEG image data can have many effects, ranging from an abrupt change in color or brightness, up to the image appearing to be suddenly cut-off. The latter often results in a grey block or a solid color block. Image data can also abruptly shift to the left or right causing different parts of the image to be misaligned. With help of JPEG-Repair it often possible to remove the bad data resulting in a dramatic improvement of the photo.

Repair distorted JPEG or even half grey images!

Start ——————-> End result

Patching also allows you to patch a header on a block of JPEG data so that even corruption that spans the header + part of the JPEG data can be addressed. As an example I have even been able to repair JPEGs that were victim of STOP Djvu ransomware using JPEG-Repair.

Recover JPEG data from corrupted RAW photos

JPEG-Repair can help you get the JPEG data from RAW files such as Canon CR2 and Nikon NEF files when ‘normal’ tools that are normally up to this job can not. Depending on the camera manufacturer those JPEGs are full resolution JPEG files.  Are RAW photos from you camera not supported? Send me a few samples and I’ll add support for those as quickly as possible! My aim is to support every RAW format out there!

JPEG Repair Toolkit extracts embedded JPEGs as they are. If embedded JPEGs are corrupt themselves then extracted JPEGs are too. In some cases JPEG-Repair Toolkit may be able to repair these JPEGs.

Thank you Joep for all the support you have given users here that have given you feed back. I am a professional photographer and had a few corrupted files from years ago. Worked like a champ! Will recommend to friends. – Amanda H @ GOTD

Introduction to JPEG photo repair and using JPEG-Repair

Most of the simpler repairs only require you to select the file(s) you need to repair and click ‘repair’. Some examples:

Repair JPEG header Extract JPEG from RAW photos Repair more extensive damage

Reference File

For repairing corrupted headers JPEG-Repair needs a ‘sample file’ or refrence file. The reference or sample file should be taken with the same camera as the corrupt image(s). Also, the settings (resolution, quality and orientation) of the sample file need to match the corrupt files. If unknown then you would need to experiment by taking different shots with different settings using the original camera (same brand and type).

*RAW file support!

Technically JPEG-Repair does not repair these files. Functionality is limited to extracting half or full sized JPEGs from these file types. However, JPEG-Repair is able to process RAW corrupt files while other tools able to extract JPEG from RAW often rely on the file to be intact.

Highly Recommended!!! Bought JPEG Repair earlier this afternoon. Borrowed a friend's Windows laptop instead of running Parallels in my Macbook. Recovery of 2,500+ files took less than 1 hour. 20GB+ of RAW files translated to 5GB+ of high resolution JPG files. After close to 4 years, I've finally got my pictures back. Very happy. Wouldn't have done this without Joep helping me patiently. I cannot express my appreciation enough. Thank you.

And that’s what I do it for!

Can my photo be repaired?

Of course this is the question I get asked most. The major contributing factor is of course, is if the actual image data present in the file. JPEG-Repair can’t make a photo out of thin air. So, a photo can be repaired if (a large portion) the image data is present. The easiest way to determine if data is present within a file, and if this data is compressed JPEG data is by looking at entropy. Entropy, in relation to our subject is the amount of chaos within the file data. JPEG-Repair displays this value in the left upper corner of the screen.

If entropy looks okay, then it is likely the photo can be repaired to at least some degree.

If entropy is too high or low then the data within the file is probably not JPEG data. One situation where I see this a lot is when examining JPEG photos that were recovered or undeleted. Although such a file probably can not be repaired it is sometimes possible the recovery can be improved. This is why I wrote JpegDigger and why your JPEG-Repair license works with that utility too.

Credits

The idea for this tool is not original and basic concept was ‘copied’ from Wim Vanmaele’s utility repair-jpeg. I can’t find the original source for this program but it can still be found here: http://directory.s2services.com/jpg-bmp.htm. I read this and tried this tool which I found to be incredibly difficult to use, which is why added this functionality to JPG-Repair:

“..During my testing, I discovered that by adding one byte at a certain position in the jpg file the corrupted picture was restored. So all we need is a tool that would add a byte at a user-defined position. JPEG-Repair, the program I wrote, will allow you to do this..”

To determine signatures I examined RAW files taken from: http://www.rawsamples.ch/index.php/en/canon.
And also: https://www.wesaturate.com/.

Support

If you have other issues then feel free to contact me. Send me your sample file + some corrupted files so I can examine them.

Refund policy for this software

If the demo works for you and the full version doesn’t, then and only then we will issue a refund provided you can provide us with an image that created the problem and that allows us to see that the demo and the full version don’t behave identically on this image.

131 thoughts on “JPEG-Repair Toolkit – Repair and Recover JPEG photos

  1. Bruce

    Hi the link for the trial version does not seem to work?

    Reply
    1. Joep Post author

      It works for me. How does it not work for you? What happens if you click it?

      Reply
  2. solomon

    What does a customer technician license mean?
    What should I do now
    Please explain
    How to get the program and how much it costs

    Reply
    1. Joep Post author

      Technician license : You’ll be repairing your organization’s or 3rd party photos”. Prices are displayed.

      Reply
  3. solomon

    Hi don’t be tired
    Every time the photo repair app update came
    We have to pay a new fee or have support from the site

    Reply
      1. solomon

        I mean, I developed the JPEG-Repair Toolkit
        The new app updates are free
        I want this app for business
        Which version is the best

        Reply
        1. Joep Post author

          If you want to use it to repair photos for your customers then you need the technician license.

          Reply
  4. Galnar

    I ran jpegrepair2875.zip through virustotal and it’s showing there is malware present. Just FYI.

    Reply
      1. Galnar

        Download the zip and then run it through as a file rather than as the URL

        Reply
          1. Giovanni

            I also downloaded the file and bitdefender warns me there is a trojan inside

  5. oleg

    I’ve had 3 very corrupted photos and Joep fixed all of them.
    It was very quick and I really didn’t expected that it will look so good afterwards
    Thanks for your help☺

    Reply
  6. Joseph

    Hi. I tried using the software but I keep getting the “No SOS detected” error. Also, entropy is 0.00 bits/byte. Help please. I can send you samples.

    Reply
    1. Joep Post author

      Entropy 0.00 bits/byte means the file contains no data at all. Nothing anyone or anything can do to repair those files.

      Reply
  7. Paul Haworth

    accidentally deleted files from a memory stick
    got software to recover. it did some but many others were corrupted JPEGs.
    could you see if they are recoverable? would appreciate it very much as they are family holiday pictures.

    Reply
  8. Raymond Bazant

    I wanted to know what software to use. I think its the JPEG header repair. Please let me know if I’m right.
    While in Europe I took 838 photos on a Samsung digital WF35B on a 16GB micro SD HC card. It’s capable of 64GB SD card.
    At photo 785 I got a message telling me my camera was full. I ignored it cause I had a 16GB SD card. Those pics 786-838
    are not readable on camera nor my Dell desktop computer using Windows 10 photo viewer. It tells me that file is not a JPG file
    or is corrupt. After that particular days events, I decided to change the SD card to another 16GB SD card. All those photos are
    viewable because I didn’t take that many pictures. Didn’t have same problem.
    Samsung support wasn’t any help except to take camera to Geek Squad at Best Buy store. Don’t think so!!!

    Reply
  9. Joep Post author

    For the trial you don’t. Simply click continue without entering anything. To save full JPEGs you need to purchase a license.

    Reply
  10. BRI

    hello, I’m hoping for some help.
    i shot a few photos at my best friends wedding.
    While i still have to core folder, i had an ” edited folder”… i didn’t get very far with it, only about 5 photos..but i had edited them first because i loved them.

    At some point over the next few days me desktop got messy with other projects and before i know it the folder was MIA. Im still not positive what happened but only think i can possibly conclude is i possibly threw the folder in the recycle bin and then wiped the recycle bin. { not even sure about this since its so unusual for me, but its the only thing i could think of)
    So i used a recovery program on the recycle bin and recalled the files, saved them to a different drive however i am so friggin confused as the recovered files start with
    $R and $I
    After a lot of research i have some understanding but not entirely what this means.
    anyways, it wont open these files because it says its not in readable format, but when i ran some other programs theres clearly some info in these files. it tells me how many mbs, dates etc etc. but will not open it.

    my NEXT step was ok, ill just recover the unedited file off the sd card { this sd card was giving me a ton of problems so i was going to throw it out, but still had it) ran 3 recovery programs on it, came up blank each time. so now THAT option is dead.

    i have an insane amount of recovered files from the recycle bin since it recovered everything, none of them will open as its says it looks like we dont support this file.
    they are all .JPG i have tried to convert them and nada. i have to go through over 1000 of these ( from god knows how many shoots ive done) .JPG files to find the 5 that are important
    you seem to have the MOST information and knowledge out of anything ive looked at in 4 days. i downloaded your program as a trial, to see what it can do before i purchase but it still says its a no go.

    i have pc not a mac
    my friend does not know about these 4 or 5 specific photos , so she wont lose sleep over them but i will and i have been.

    its a personal crisis for me because im a photographer, and i personally thought her photographer missed certain things so i was half working half being a maid of honor
    its only 5, but any input because ive already lost my mind

    Reply
    1. Joep Post author

      $omething.ext is typical for deleted files from recycle bin.
      What I’d so first is run an undelete tool and look for the files in the original folder (not the recycle bin). Recuva should be good enough for this. As a second opinion run ReclaiMe as well (https://www.disktuna.com/reclaime-file-recovery-software/).
      What format were the files you want back (JPEG or some RAW format)?
      With regards to the memory card: use this: https://www.datarescue.com/photorescue/v3/drdd.htm to create an image of the memory card now.
      It’s quicker to do this by email, so please email me the answers (joep@disktuna.com)

      Reply
  11. Joep Post author

    For the trial you do not need a license key, just click continue. If you want to save repaired files as full res JPEGs you need to purchase a license after which a key is emailed to you.

    Reply

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