How to Repair a Cracked DVD

How to Repair a Cracked DVD
Published: Jan 29, 2009
Updated: Feb 23, 2021
2 minute read

Not all cracked DVDs can be repaired. Sometimes the best method is to contact the manufacturer and ask for a replacement DVD, or search for a used replacement disk through eBay or local second-hand stores. That said, if the crack is small, there are a few tricks that you can try to save the disk.

Got Jenna

Things You'll Need:

Things You Will Need

  • Super Glue
  • Toothpick
  • Disk Label
  • Study the damaged area of the DVD. A hairline crack might be repairable. A crack near the center hole of the disk that doesn't reach the data area may also be repairable.

    Hold the cracked DVD up to a bright light and examine the disk. If you can see damage in the foil layer of the disk (the part that stores the data), the disk is permanently damaged. Even a pin hole can render a disk unreadable.

    If the disk is completely cracked in pieces, it is not repairable. Contact the manufacturer for a replacement disk.

    Fill the crack with plastic-safe super glue. Use a toothpick to apply the glue directly to the crack. Allow to dry.

    Prevent further damage to the DVD by covering it with a fresh disk label. Make sure you apply the label to the non-readable side of the disk. A two-sided disk can not be covered with a label.

    Replace the storage case with a plain CD style jewel box that does not have a center "claw" for the hole of the DVD. Popping the disk in and out of the claw can stress the DVD and increase the damage.

    Denise Bertacchi

    Denise Bertacchi is a freelance writer with a degree in journalism from Southeast Missouri State University. She is a St. Louis suburbanite who has written for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Boys' Life, Wisconsin Trails, and Missouri Life.

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