Having a corrupted SD card in your Android device can be very frustrating. The SD card may have important photos, videos, documents, or other files that become inaccessible when it gets corrupted. The good news is that in most cases, it is possible to fix corrupted SD cards in Android.
What causes SD card corruption in Android?
There are several potential causes of SD card corruption in Android devices:
- Improperly removing the SD card – If you remove the SD card from the device while it’s still writing data, the card can become corrupted.
- Power loss during a write operation – If the battery dies or the device loses power when writing data, it can corrupt the SD card.
- File system errors – The file system on the SD card can become corrupted due to errors.
- Physical damage to the card – Dropping or bending the SD card can physically damage it and lead to corruption.
- Malware infection – Viruses or other malware on the device can sometimes corrupt data on the SD card.
Can you fix SD card corruption in Android without formatting?
In some cases, it is possible to fix an SD card without formatting it. This allows you to try to recover the data before resorting to formatting the card. Some ways to try fixing corruption without formatting include:
- Restarting the Android device – A simple restart can sometimes clear up SD card errors.
- Remounting the SD card – Unmounting and remounting the card can often fix file system issues.
- Using disk checking tools – Android has built-in disk check tools that can scan for and repair errors.
- Using data recovery software – Specialized recovery software can sometimes repair corrupted cards and recover data.
However, if the corruption is severe, formatting the SD card may be necessary to fully fix the issues. But it’s worth trying the above steps first to avoid data loss.
How to fix corrupted SD card in Android using disk checking tools
Most Android devices have built-in disk checking utilities that can scan for errors and repair corrupted SD cards. Here are the steps to use these tools:
- Unmount the corrupted SD card – In Settings > Storage, tap the Eject button next to the card name.
- Insert the SD card into a card reader connected to a computer.
- Open My Computer and right-click on the card drive letter.
- Select Properties > Tools > Check.
- Check both boxes for Automatically fix file system errors and Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors.
- Click Start. This scans the drive and repairs any errors.
- When finished, close the window and safely eject the SD card.
- Reinsert the card into your Android device.
This should fix many corruption issues on SD cards in Android. The disk checking utilities can repair file system problems and bad sectors on the card.
How to recover data from a corrupted SD card
If your SD card is corrupted and you need to recover lost photos, files, or other data, follow these steps:
- Don’t save anything new to the card. Overwriting data makes it harder to recover.
- Try an undelete app. Apps like DiskDigger can recover recently deleted files.
- Insert the card into a computer and run data recovery software. Programs like Recuva can restore deleted data.
- Use data recovery services for complex cases. Services can recover data from highly corrupted cards.
- Once recovered, back up the data elsewhere before formatting the card.
With the right tools and techniques, it’s often possible to recover at least some data from corrupted Android SD cards before formatting them.
Should you format the SD card to fix corruption?
If other options don’t work, formatting the corrupted card may be necessary. Here are some cases when formatting is recommended:
- Disk checking tools can’t repair the file system errors.
- You’ve recovered any important data using recovery software.
- The card has bad sectors that cannot be fixed or mapped out.
- The card keeps getting re-corrupted after repairs.
- The corruption is so severe that the card is unusable.
To format the card on Android:
- Go to Settings > Storage.
- Tap the card name.
- Tap Format > Erase & Format.
- Enter your lock screen credentials if prompted.
- Confirm that you want to erase and format the card.
This will completely wipe and reformat the card, erasing any remaining corrupted data.
How to avoid SD card corruption on Android
You can take some steps to prevent SD card corruption from happening in the first place:
- Safely eject the card before removing it from your device.
- Be gentle with the card to avoid physical damage.
- Don’t expose the card to liquids, heat, or bending.
- Install anti-virus software to avoid malware.
- Always use the official SD card formatter app before first use.
- Avoid very frequent writes to the same sectors of the card.
Following these guidelines will help minimize your risk of dealing with a corrupted SD card in Android.
Can a corrupted SD card damage your phone?
In most cases, a corrupted SD card will not directly damage your Android phone or tablet. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- The corruption is limited to the card itself – it does not spread to the device’s internal storage.
- Your device data and software will generally not be affected or corrupted.
- At worst, a damaged SD card might freeze or crash the device if trying to access it.
- Physically damaged cards can get stuck in the card slot, requiring removal.
- Severely corrupted cards could overwrite a small amount of connected device storage.
So while corrupted cards can certainly cause problems, in most cases they will not directly damage the Android device itself. The issues stay isolated to the removable SD card.
Can you fix corrupted SD card without formatting Android?
It is sometimes possible to fix a corrupted SD card in Android without formatting, using methods like:
- Restarting the device.
- Remounting the SD card.
- Using the device’s built-in disk check utilities.
- Connecting the card to a PC and running disk checking programs.
- Using data recovery software to repair file system errors.
These techniques can often resolve the corruption without a full format and data wipe. But if the card is severely damaged, a format may be unavoidable to get it functioning again.
What causes my SD card to keep getting corrupted?
If your Android SD card keeps getting re-corrupted, here are some potential causes:
- A faulty or failing SD card that is worn out – All cards have a limited lifespan.
- Frequent improper ejections before removing the card.
- Unstable power supply to the device causing unexpected shutdowns.
- A buggy app that is overwriting card data incorrectly.
- Severe malware infection that keeps re-infecting the card.
- Physical damage to the card reader or SD card slots.
- Using very low quality, fake or unsuitable SD cards.
If the card keeps getting corrupted even after formatting, you likely need to replace it with a new high quality card.
Is it safe to keep using a corrupted SD card?
It is generally not recommended to keep using an SD card that has become corrupted. Here are some risks of continuing to use a corrupted card:
- Data loss – Newly written files may keep getting lost or damaged.
- Performance issues – The device may run slowly or freeze when accessing the card.
- Failure to read/write – The card could stop being readable or writable.
- Card failure – Continued use may cause complete card failure.
- Data corruption – It may corrupt new data written to the device storage.
While you can try to recover data from a corrupted card, it’s best to retire it from active duty. Replace corrupted cards to avoid ongoing issues.
Can third party apps fix SD card corruption?
Some third party Android apps claim to be able to fix corrupted SD cards. Examples include:
- Remo Recover – Recovery and repair tool for Android external storage.
- iCare Data Recovery – Finds and restores lost files from SD cards.
- DiskDigger – Undelete utility to recover lost photos and documents.
- FonePaw Android Data Recovery – Retrieves deleted files from SD cards.
However, the effectiveness of these apps can vary widely. While some may be able to recover data, they often cannot fully repair the corruption itself. First party disk utilities directly from Android, your device manufacturer, or your SD card maker are most likely to successfully fix corruption issues.
Should you insert a corrupted SD card into a computer?
Inserting your corrupted Android SD card into a computer can sometimes allow you to repair it and recover data, but there are risks to consider:
- Scanning with antivirus – Make sure to scan for and remove any malware first.
- Read-only access – Only open the card folder in read-only mode at first.
- Don’t save to card – Avoid writing anything new to the card before recovery.
- Check for hardware issues – The computer slot could fail to read the card.
- Repair in place – Use the computer to run disk repair utilities on the card.
So it can be beneficial to connect a corrupted card to a PC, but proper precautions are necessary to avoid new issues. Perform repairs and recover data without writing new files if possible.
Conclusion
Having a corrupted SD card can certainly create headaches, but in most cases the issues can be resolved. Try built-in Android disk utilities first, along with data recovery software if needed. Formatting the card may be unavoidable if repairs don’t work, so be sure to backup important data off the card if possible. Avoiding corruption in the first place is also key, by ejecting the card properly and handling it with care. With the right tools and techniques, recovering lost files and restoring full functionality to a corrupted SD card is usually achievable.