SD cards are removable storage drives used in a wide variety of devices. Their compact size, weight, and high storage capacity make them popular for portable devices, including phones and cameras. But, even a high-functioning device which is regularly used to transfer files from one device to another or to save files and data, is also bound to experience issues, one of them being data loss.
While transferring files, the users might accidentally empty their SD card or delete all the files inside. If you seem to have accidentally or intentionally deleted your files from your SD card. Follow the instructions explained here and you will be able to rescue deleted files from the SD card in no time.
Before, you go ahead with the SD card deleted file recovery process. You first need to ensure a couple of things.
- Immediately stop using your SD card. This helps ensure that no new files or data save to the location of your deleted files. Thereby, preventing data overwriting, as well as, improving the chances of successful data recovery.
- Examine your SD card for any signs of damage or wear and tear.
Now that you have taken the basic steps. Let’s not waste any more time and jump right into recovering SD card files.
How To Recover Deleted Files from SD Card?
SD card recovery deleted files can be done using professional SD card recovery software. If you are someone who wants to recover files from SD cards for free, you can try the Microsoft Windows File Recovery Tool. If you have taken a backup of the deleted files or data, you can skip the earlier solutions and restore the backup copies of data.
Method 1: Recover Deleted Files From SD card using the SFWare Data Recovery Tool
SFWare Data Recovery Software is a specialized tool to help Windows or Mac users recover deleted SD card files of more than 500 formats including photos and video file formats that were shot on any digital cameras or smartphones, that were deleted, lost, missing, or formatted.
SFWare’s user-friendly interface, along with its powerful algorithms makes data recovery effortless.
Hit the download button and start recovering your deleted data.
Steps to Retrieve Deleted Files from SD Card Using SFWare Data Recovery Tool
1: Download, Install, and Launch SFWare Data Recovery Software.
2: Select the SD card drive from which you would like to recover your deleted files from and click on “Start Scan”.
3: You can view the recovered files during the scan.
4: After the scan is complete, locate, preview, select all the files that you would like to recover, and click on “Save”.
Note: SFWare can also recover data from corrupted SD card as well as formatted SD cards.
The next solution you can use to undelete files from an SD card is to use the Windows File Recovery tool.
Method 2: Recover Deleted Files From SD card using Windows File Recovery
Windows File Recovery is a command-line program that helps recover personal data and files from any internal or external storage devices including SD or Memory cards. The tool can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. You can use it to recover files that were deleted, lost, or missing.
Steps to Get Deleted SD Card Files Back
1: Connect your SD card to your Windows system using a card reader, and make sure it’s correctly recognized by the system.
2: Search for Windows File Recovery and select the Run as administrator option.
3: A command Prompt screen will open up in your system. You need to run the following command in the application.
winfr <Source Drive>: <Destination Drive>: /mode /n <file type or file path>
winfr D: E: /x /y:*.*
Where;
Source Drive – This is your SD card’s drive letter.
Destination Drive – The location where you want to save the files you deleted earlier from the SD card.
Choose different modes among the following modes – Default, Segment, and Signature.
/x – Specifies Signature Mode.
/y:*.* – Recovers all file types.
4: Upon completion of the recovery process. Navigate to the destination folder and view the recovered files you deleted earlier.
Preserving Data in SD cards
To prevent data loss, we must first understand the purpose of SD cards. People use SD cards for their portability and their ability to transfer data regularly between different types of devices.
According to the SD Card Association, SD cards can last for around 10 years if the conditions are favorable. The lifespan of an SD card can vary depending on the card’s quality, how frequently and how it is used, and the environment in which you store it.
Manufacturers design SD cards to store only small amounts of data for short periods. They are also fragile and susceptible to physical damage. If you wish to store huge amounts of high-quality data, make use of an external hard disk or SSD, which is more durable. SD cards are also susceptible to Bit rot.
If you are a professional who frequently uses an SD card, consider changing your card every few years to avoid data loss.
Additional Tips to preserve data in SD cards-
- Create and Maintain a backup: Always back up your SD card data. Not only will it create space but also eliminates any risk of losing your media files.
- Avoid Maxing out the storage capacity: Never fill your SD card, maxing out the storage capacity could lead to data corruption or data loss.
- Storage: Always keep your SD card clean and dry. Store your SD card in a solid card case to protect it from physical damage.
- Avoid harmful environmental factors: avoid exposing your SD card to extreme temperatures and strong magnetic fields.
- Reformating is better than deleting: the best way to empty an SD card is to first copy all the files onto your laptop or storage drive, then proceed to format the entire SD card instead of individually deleting each picture.
- Use Write-protect: use the Physical switch on the SD card to turn on Write-protect to prevent accidental deletion.
Conclusion
Recovering deleted files from an SD card is possible if you act quickly and use the right tools. Avoid adding new data to your SD card, as this can overwrite deleted files and reduce the chances of recovery. With reliable data recovery software, you can efficiently retrieve lost photos, videos, and documents from your SD card. Whether you accidentally deleted files or encountered data loss due to formatting or corruption, taking the right steps can help you get your files back and protect your valuable memories and data.
Frequently Asked Questions on How to Restore Deleted Files from SD Card
Q1: How can I find deleted files on my SD card?
Deleted files still remain on the SD card, but the system marks their storage locations as available and will overwrite them when storing new data. Use professional data recovery software to recover these deleted files from your SD card.
Q2: Can I recover from my SD card after dropping it?
When it comes to Physical damage, always approach a professional data recovery service that has the expertise in dealing with such advanced cases. If the problem is logical, you can recover the data yourself using data recovery software.
Q3: Why should I avoid using my SD card after experiencing data loss?
Deleted files still remain on your SD card, but new data will overwrite them. Once new data overwrites these deleted files, the chances of recovery drop significantly. The best way to avoid this from happening is to avoid using your SD card until you have recovered your deleted files.
