How to fix ERR Can't handle AOF file: corrupted in Redis

If Redis is attempting to restart, stop it completely:

redis-cli shutdown
# or
sudo systemctl stop redis-server

Before making any repairs, create a backup:

cp /var/lib/redis/appendonly.aof /var/lib/redis/appendonly.aof.backup

This preserves the original file in case you need to analyze it further or try alternative recovery methods.

Diagnose the extent of corruption:

redis-check-aof /var/lib/redis/appendonly.aof

This shows you where the corruption is detected without modifying the file. Note the byte offset reported.

Let redis-check-aof remove the corrupted portion:

redis-check-aof --fix /var/lib/redis/appendonly.aof

The tool will truncate the file at the last valid command, discarding everything after the corruption point. You may lose some recent data depending on when corruption occurred.

Ensure the fixed file is valid:

redis-check-aof /var/lib/redis/appendonly.aof
# Output should show: "AOF appears to be OK"

Now start Redis with the repaired AOF:

redis-server
# or
sudo systemctl start redis-server

Redis should now load successfully with data from the last valid point in the AOF.