How to Check for Corrupted Files in Windows 11

Windows 11 and Windows 10 are robust operating systems, but like any complex software, they can encounter issues. One common problem users face is file corruption. Corrupted files, especially system files, can lead to instability, errors, system crashes, and poor computer performance. Regularly checking for and repairing these files is crucial for maintaining a healthy and efficient system.

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of why this is important and details several methods on how to check for corrupted files in Windows 11 and Windows 10, ensuring your computer runs smoothly. We will also explore what to do if you experience data loss due to corruption or other issues.

Why do you need to regularly check for corrupted files Windows 11?

Understanding the importance of checking for file corruption helps motivate proactive system maintenance. Corrupted files can manifest in various disruptive ways, significantly impacting your user experience and potentially leading to data loss.

File corruption isn't just a minor nuisance; it can be the root cause of significant system problems. When critical system files become damaged, Windows might fail to boot, applications may crash unexpectedly, or you might experience the infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD).

Data files (like documents, photos, or videos) can also become corrupted, rendering them unusable. Reasons for corruption include sudden power outages, hardware failures (especially failing hard drives or SSDs), software conflicts, malware infections, or errors during file-writing processes.

Regularly using tools to check for corrupted files in Windows 10 and 11 helps identify these issues early, often before they cause major disruptions, allowing for timely repairs and preventing potential data loss or system failure.

How to check for corrupted files Windows 11/10 computer

This section dives into the practical methods available within Windows itself to scan for and potentially fix corrupted files. We will cover four primary built-in utilities that address different aspects of file and system integrity.

Windows provides powerful command-line tools and graphical interfaces designed to maintain system health. Knowing how to utilize System File Checker (SFC), Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM), Windows Security, and Check Disk (CHKDSK) gives you a robust toolkit to tackle file corruption. Let's explore how to check Windows for corrupt files using each method.

Way 1. Using SFC (System File Checker)

System File Checker is your first line of defense for verifying the integrity of protected Windows system files. This tool scans these critical files and replaces any detected corrupted or missing versions with correct copies from the Windows component store.

Here’s how to check for corrupted files in Windows 10 and 11 using SFC:

Step 1. Search for "Command Prompt" or "cmd" in the Windows search bar, right-click the result, and select "Run as administrator. 

Step 2. Click "Yes" if prompted by User Account Control.

Step 3. Type the following command and press Enter: sfc /scannow

Step 4. The process will take some time as it scans all protected system files. Do not close the Command Prompt window until verification is 100% complete.

Step 5. Once finished, SFC will display one of the following messages:

• "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations." (No corrupted files found)
• "Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them." (Issues found and fixed)
• "Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them." (Issues found, but manual repair or DISM might be needed)
• "Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation." (You may need to run SFC in Safe Mode or use DISM)

Way 2. Using DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management)

If SFC fails to repair corrupted files or cannot run, the DISM tool can often help. DISM is a more powerful tool that can repair the Windows Component Store itself, which SFC relies on to get the correct file versions.

DISM can check the health of the system image, scan for corruption, and restore the health of the image, potentially fixing issues that SFC alone cannot resolve. Here’s how to check for corrupt files Windows 11 and 10 using DISM:

Step 1. Follow the same steps as for SFC (Search "cmd", right-click, "Run as administrator"). 

Step 2. Run this command first to quickly check if corruption is detected:

Check Image Health (Optional but Recommended): DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

Scan Image Health (More Thorough): If CheckHealth suggests issues or you want a more detailed scan, use:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

This scan takes longer than CheckHealth.

Restore Image Health: If either CheckHealth or ScanHealth reports problems, run the following command to scan and automatically repair the Windows image using Windows Update for the necessary files:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

This process can take a significant amount of time and requires an active internet connection.

Step 3. After DISM successfully repairs the component store, it's a good practice to run sfc /scannow again to ensure all system files are now correct.

Way 3. Using Windows Security (Formerly Windows Defender)

While primarily an antivirus and anti-malware tool, Windows Security's scans can sometimes detect and quarantine malware that might be causing file corruption or system issues. Running a full system scan with Windows Security can help rule out malware as the cause of your problems and ensure your system's security components are intact. Although not a direct file corruption checker like SFC or DISM, it's a crucial part of system health checks.

Step 1.  Search for "Windows Security" in the Windows search bar and open the app.

Step 2. Click on this option in the left sidebar or main dashboard.

Step 3. Under the "Current threats" section, click on "Scan options."

Step 4. Select the "Full scan" option, and click the "Scan now" button. This checks all files and running programs on your hard disk and can take over an hour.

If threats are found, follow the recommendations provided by Windows Security to remove or quarantine them.

Way 4. Using CHKDSK (Check Disk)

CHKDSK is a utility designed to check the integrity of the file system on a hard disk volume and fix logical file system errors. It can also scan for and attempt to repair bad sectors on the drive. File system errors or bad sectors on the storage drive can manifest as file corruption or prevent Windows from accessing files correctly. Running CHKDSK is essential when you suspect disk-related problems. 

Step 1, Search for "cmd," right-click, and select "Run as administrator."

Step 2. Type the following command and press Enter. Replace e: with the letter of the drive you want to check.

chkdsk e: /f /r /x

/f tells CHKDSK to fix any errors it finds on the disk.
/r locates bad sectors and recovers readable information (implies /f).
/x forces the volume to dismount first, if necessary (implies /f).

Step 3. If you're checking the system drive (C:), CHKDSK usually can't run while Windows is active. It will ask if you want to schedule the scan to run the next time you restart your computer. Type Y and press Enter.

Step 4. Restart your PC. CHKDSK will run automatically before Windows loads. This process can take a considerable amount of time, depending on the size and speed of your drive and the number of errors found. Do not interrupt it.

Step 5. Once Windows boots up, you can check the results in the Event Viewer under Windows Logs > Application, looking for events with the source "Chkdsk" or "Wininit".

Further reading: What can you do when files are lost due to corrupted OS files?

This section addresses the unfortunate situation where essential files become lost or inaccessible, whether due to deletion, formatting, partition loss, or corruption beyond repair by standard tools. We'll introduce a powerful solution for data recovery.

AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery is a comprehensive data recovery toolkit designed for Windows 11, 10, 8,7, and Windows Server. It's specifically built to retrieve lost or deleted files from various storage devices, including HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, and SD cards. Whether files were lost due to accidental deletion, formatting, system crashes, virus attacks, or partition loss, this tool offers a high chance of recovery.

The software employs advanced scanning algorithms to thoroughly search the selected drive for recoverable files, supporting over 2000 file types, including photos, videos, documents, emails, audio files, and archives. Users can even preview recoverable files before committing to the recovery process, ensuring they retrieve the correct data. This capability makes it an invaluable asset when trying to check for corrupted files windows 11 turns into a data recovery mission.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data lost and click Scan.

Step 2. Then, the recovery tool start to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".

Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.

Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovering ends.

To sum up

Maintaining the health of your Windows 11 or 10 system requires vigilance against file corruption. Regularly using built-in tools like SFC, DISM, and CHKDSK helps you check for corrupted files in Windows 11 and 10, addressing system file issues and disk errors proactively. Supplementing these checks with scans from Windows Security ensures malware isn't compromising your files. By understanding how to check Windows for corrupt files, you can significantly reduce the risk of system instability and crashes.

However, should the unforeseen happen and you experience data loss—whether through deletion, formatting, or severe corruption—tools like AOMEI Partition Assistant for Recovery offer a powerful lifeline. Its dedicated data recovery feature provides a user-friendly way to scan your drives and restore lost documents, photos, and other vital files. By combining preventative checks with effective recovery solutions, you can keep your Windows system running smoothly and protect your valuable data.