How to fix vhs tape tracking?

But imagine this: You’re at another family gathering, and someone shouts, “Bring out the home movies!” right after your second helping of dessert. Your uncle starts setting up the rusty old VCR, and he pushes the tape in – after rewinding it, of course. The movie starts playing, but something’s off. The tape doesn’t have the same quality it once did, and the sound is muffled. Maybe the scenes are a little jumpier than normal.

If this has happened to you, then you’re not alone. You’ve got what we call a “fuzzy” VHS tape syndrome. Over time, tapes will inevitably malfunction. They can fall victim to many of the same threats that time hurls at aged items. Mold, dust, grime, overuse, and underuse are just some of the common causes of the fuzziness and skipping that can occur with your tapes. Depending on how long you’ve had the tape and the location in which it was stored can all add up to do a number on your recorded memories.

How Can I Fix the Fuzz?

The good news is that this fuzziness is not necessarily a death sentence for your tapes, especially if the damage is caught early on. If you have a fuzzy tape, here’s how to take care of it.

A VHS tape is a relatively simple device, but it still has all sorts of mechanics to it. Some of the bits that help your tape run are called “heads” - audio, control, and erase heads to be specific. If you have a fuzzy tape, chances are that one or all of these heads is clogged or gunked up. Solve the problem using cotton swabs with a little bit of rubbing alcohol to get built up grime out of the heads.

If you have a skipping tape, it's likely that the tracking is messed up. Some VCRs have an automatic tracking feature and will fix any skipping in the tape as it plays. If your tape plays and skips and your VCR does not correct the issue on its own or doesn’t have manual tracking knobs, try rewinding and fast-forwarding your tape a few times in a row. This can help smooth out any bumps or ridges on the tape which would cause skipping.

Sometimes the tape strip itself can become dirty, which can cause blurry picture quality. Using a cotton swab, you can carefully wipe away dust from the strip and fix the problem. Just make sure the swab isn’t wet at all, because moisture can make the dust particles stick to the tape and create mold. If mold grows on your tape, it can be difficult to salvage.

Nothing could be more annoying and frustrating when you’re faced with a VHS tape tracking problem.

When you play the tape, the picture starts rolling. Or you see tracking lines on the video or snow on the top or bottom half of the picture.

There could only be two reasons for this. Either it’s a tape problem or a VCR problem.

Let’s look at how to fix VHS tape tracking.

If the tape is physically damaged, there’s very little you can do about it. Age and repeated playing in the past may result in poor physical tape condition.

You may want to check with a professional tape repair service if you can rescue the tape.

Use the tracking function on your VCR to try fixing the VHS tape tracking problem. Usually, you’ll find the tracking button on your remote control. If it’s not there, it may be on the VCR itself.

If you can’t find it, get hold of your VCR manual to help locate it. You’re likely to find a PDF version of the VCR model online. Search with the brand name and model number + PDF.

Also, try a newer VCR that comes with the auto-tracking feature to see if the problem can be fixed.

Try playing another tape on the VCR. Switch between new tapes and older ones. Do they play fine?

If yes, you can safely rule out the tracking mechanism problem in the VCR.

Tapes recorded at slower speeds, either in LP (Long Play) or EP (Extended Play) mode are known to cause tape tracking problems,

A tape-recorded at these slower speeds on one VCR may not play well in another VCR model.

In this instance, try playing the tape on the VCR used to record the tape. If you don’t have it, then try it on another VCR, ideally a newer model.

Try completely rewinding and fastforwarding the tape to see if the tracking problem goes off.

Usually, the start portion of the tape is susceptible to a tracking problem as it’s the one exposed and affected most when your VCR threads the tape.

That’s why some tapes come with color bars at the start of the tape to prevent this issue.

The longer you hold on to tape with a tracking problem, the worse things are going to be.

This video is one of your all-time favorites. It’s the only visual you have of Great Grandma Jean, and it’s one of few documented moments of Dad as a teenager, from his days of coming-of-age rebellion. Those two minutes of 8mm film hilarity make you feel nostalgic, even though they were captured decades before you came along. Watching those few minutes stir laughter, tears and a warmth in your chest you can’t quite describe. There’s just something severely special about it.

But, when you go to watch it, things just aren’t the same. The VHS seems fuzzy. The sound is glazed over, and the scenes jolt around a bit.

Well, friend, your VHS is a victim of time.

VHS tapes deteriorate over time from infrequent or overuse. Neglect means mold and dirt, while overuse can lead to scratches and technical difficulties. This is why old VHS tapes inevitably experience malfunctions after a long period of time. Usually anywhere between 10 to 25+ years.

The most common reasons your VHS tape is fuzzy include clogged heads, dirty pictures, and VHS tracking issues and dirty VCR heads.

There are audio heads, control heads and erase heads in your VHS tapes. If these get clogged with dust or grime, they might cause that infamous fuzziness on your films. They can be cleaned with cotton swabs and rubbing alcohol. You’ll want to use an easy step-by-step tutorial to do this before shipping your films to us for digitization.

If the magnetic tape inside your VHS gets filthy, clarity goes unclear. To make sure there aren’t smudge marks or dust piles on your pictures, you’ll want to open up your VHS and remove any build-up with a cotton swab. Avoid blowing off dust, as trapped moisture from your breath can lead to mold.

If pictures jerk around, scenes skip or randomly jump, then tracking needs to be adjusted.

Try this by placing the video tape in your VCR and letting it play for a few seconds. When you see the film skip, wait to see if your VCR has an automatic tracking feature. If so, the issue will be resolved on its own. Also, check to see if your remote control has a tracking button on there.

Push the button several times to see if it helps at all. If you don’t have these options, you can always try to rewind and fast-forward your tape a few times to see if this smooths any misalignment with the tape heads.

Whatever you do, don’t try taking the reel out or fixing this manually. There are far too many things that could go wrong and result in irreparable damage. If these ideas don’t help, you might need to see a professional.

Assuming you are using an old video cassette player or combo DVD/VCR, the playback heads could be dirty. You can use a video head cleaner solution or a cleaning tape to fix the issue. The fluid clears dust from the VCR heads allowing the tape to play correctly.

Thankfully, Legacybox can help preserve your VHS videos before it’s too late. Send your old tapes to us, and we’ll convert those 8mm gems into a digital format so you can keep your movies on a USB or DVD. Don’t waste another minute — Dad’s roller skate fiasco awaits!

Some VCRs have an automatic tracking feature and will fix any skipping in the tape as it plays. If your tape plays and skips and your VCR does not correct the issue on its own or doesn't have manual tracking knobs, try rewinding and fast-forwarding your tape a few times in a row.