Accidentally deleted your MLV video files? Don’t panic—this guide reviews the best MLV file recovery software designed to bring your Magic Lantern RAW footage back. Learn how to restore lost, deleted, or formatted MLV files with reliable tools and keep your video projects safe.
MLV (Magic Lantern Video) is a special RAW video format used by Magic Lantern firmware on Canon cameras. Unlike compressed video formats like MP4 or MOV, MLV files preserve a massive amount of data, allowing for higher image quality and more flexibility in post-production. MLV is to video what CR3 is to photos, which makes them popular among videographers who want professional-level editing freedom.
However, the large size and complexity of MLV files also make them vulnerable to data loss. Whether it’s accidental deletion, formatting the card, or corruption during transfer, losing MLV footage can be devastating. Knowing how to perform MLV file recovery can save hours of work and protect irreplaceable footage.
Understanding the causes of MLV video loss can help better prevent future data loss in the future and find recovery methods more quickly. Below are some of the most common causes:
🔔Accidental Deletion
Users may mistakenly delete MLV files while clearing storage space or removing unwanted footage.
📸Formatting the Storage Device
Intentionally or accidentally formatting memory cards or external drives used for video recording can wipe all stored MLV files.
💾Storage Device Failure
Bad sectors, physical damage, or logical errors on SD cards, SSDs, or HDDs can lead to inaccessible or corrupted MLV files.
✂️️File Transfer Interruptions
Disconnecting the camera, card reader, or storage drive during transfer can result in incomplete or corrupted video files.
🛠️️Software or Camera Malfunction
Bugs in Magic Lantern, sudden camera shutdowns, or firmware crashes may damage video recordings.
Fortunately, there are several ways to recover MLV files on a Windows PC. This section will present four methods to help you recover lost MLV files, including two built-in Windows tools and two professional data recovery software options. Let’s go through them step by step, starting from the simplest methods.
If you accidentally deleted your MLV files from the desktop or another folder, they may still be sitting in the Recycle Bin.
Step 1. Double click the Recycle Bin icon to open it.
Step 2. Browse through the deleted items and select the MLV file.
Step 3. Right click on it and choose "Restore" to return it.
If the deleted MLV file is too large for the Recycle Bin, it may pass by the Recycle Bin. Please try the other methods below.
File History is a Windows backup tool that saves previous versions of your files, allowing you to restore them when needed. If you have enabled File History on Windows before the MLV file was lost, follow the steps below to restore an earlier version.
Step 1. Locate the folder or disk where the deleted MLV file was stored in File Explorer.
Step 2. Right click on it and choose "Restore previous versions" from the context menu. Then a list of versions will be displayed.
Step 3. Choose the desired version and click "Restore" to recover it to its original location.
Windows File Recovery is a command-line recovery tool provided by Microsoft, which can recover permanently deleted data from local storage devices like USB drives, USB drives, SD cards, HDDs. But it requires some technical knowledge about command-line and it's only compatible with Windows 10 and later versions.
Step 1. Download and install Windows File Recovery from Microsoft official channel.
Step 2. Connect the camera memory card to your computer and note its drive letter.
Step 3. Open Windows File Recovery and run it as administrator.
Step 4. Type the command "winfr E: F: /regular /n *.mlv" and press "Enter". Replace the drive letters "E" and "F" with your actual drive letters.
Wait for the process to complete, then press "y" to check the recovered files in the destination folder path.
Although Windows File Recovery is an effective tool, it can be challenging for most non-professional users. Even a small mistake can cause MLV file recovery to fail. If it can't bring your footage back, a professional recovery tool like MyRecover offers the most reliable solution.
MyRecover offers a simple and intuitive interface, making it easy for even novice users to get started quickly. In addition to MLV, it supports the recovery of documents, videos, audio files, compressed archives, emails and more than 1000 file formats.
Let's explore the remarkable advantages of MyRecover.
✅Higher Success Rate – Advanced deep scan for NTFS/FAT32/exFAT drives.
✅Smart Filtering – Recover files by type, date, or size with precision.
✅500+ Devices Support – Recover files from all types of devices like SSD, HDD, USB flash drive, SD card, cameras, game console drives and more.
✅Handle 500+ Data Loss Scenarios – Recover from deleted partition, formatted hard drive, emptied Recycle Bin, system crash, virus attack, etc.
✅OS Compatibility – Work not only on Windows 11 /10, but also on Windows 8.1/ 8/ 7 and all Servers.
✅Smart scan modes – Choose from Quick Scan for recent deletions or Deep Scan for formatted/corrupted drives.
Step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer from Microsoft Store. Remove the camera memory card and connect it to your computer with a card reader.
Step 2. Run the program and select the SD card to scan for lost MLV files, then click "Scan".
Step 3. Choose the files you would like to recover from the recoverable lists and click "Recover".
The free version of MyRecover offers data recovery up to 500 MB. If your MLV files are too large, upgrade to MyRecover's Professional version to enjoy unlimited data recovery and file preview.
Step 4. Select a safe destination folder (not the original one) to save the recovered files.
When the process is completed, you'll see the message "Files have been recovered successfully". Then you can check the recovered files by clicking on the destination folder path or "Browse" button.
While MLV recovery tools can help retrieve lost files, prevention is always the best strategy. By adopting a few safe practices, you can greatly reduce the risk of losing valuable footage in the future:
⭐Regular Backups
Always back up your MLV recordings to multiple locations, such as an external hard drive and a cloud storage service.
⭐Use Reliable Storage Media
Invest in high-quality SD cards or SSDs from trusted brands, and replace aging or frequently used cards before they fail.
⭐Avoid Unnecessary Formatting
Format storage media only when absolutely necessary, and ensure you’ve backed up all important data beforehand.
Losing MLV files can feel like losing hours or even days of hard work. But with the right approach, you can often recover deleted MLV files successfully. Start with simple fixes like Recycle Bin and File History, and if those don’t work, a dedicated tool like MyRecover gives you the best chance of restoring your RAW video footage.
For professionals, MyRecover's Professional edition is especially valuable, supporting data recovery under system-crash scenarios. Your footage deserves a safety net. With the right recovery strategy and tools, even deleted MLV files don’t have to stay lost.