Can you still get VHS tapes played? Here's what's actually happening to old tape
VHS players are disappearing from high streets, and the tapes themselves are ageing. Here's the state of play in 2026.
5 min read
The last new VHS recorder rolled off a production line in 2016. Since then, the only VCRs on the market have been second-hand, and the pool of working ones is shrinking every year.
Why it's getting harder
The rubber belts inside a VCR perish over about 20 years. Most VCRs sitting in lofts today won't play a tape without a belt replacement first, and replacement parts are becoming scarce.
What's happening to the tapes themselves
Magnetic tape suffers from a condition called 'sticky-shed syndrome' — the binder holding the magnetic particles to the plastic backing breaks down and turns tacky. A sticky tape jams in a VCR and, in the worst cases, sheds oxide all over the heads. Once a tape is like that, you get one careful play, or none.
How to tell if your tape is at risk
Tapes stored in cool, dry places usually still play. Tapes from a damp garage or a warm loft are the ones that stick. If you smell anything vinegary when you open the case, the tape is degrading and needs professional handling.
The honest timeline
Most archivists think consumer-grade VHS will be effectively unplayable by the mid-2030s. If you have tapes, they don't need to be digitised tomorrow, but they shouldn't sit for another decade either.
Trusted with family archives
Umberdosh Restoration
We digitise family collections by hand from a home studio in Cambridgeshire — archival-grade scans, originals returned tracked and insured, and a fixed rate card so you know exactly what you're paying for.
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