Can I restore my SD card on my phone?

Table of Contents

Quick Answer

Yes, it is possible to restore an SD card on your Android phone in most cases. The steps to restore an SD card on an Android phone are:

Remove the SD card from your phone
Connect the SD card to a computer with a card reader

Download SD card data recovery software on the computer
Run the data recovery software and select the SD card to scan
Preview found files and select those you want to recover

Choose a location on the computer to save the recovered files
After the data is recovered, you can format the SD card to fix any errors
Finally, insert the SD card back into your Android phone

As long as the SD card is not physically damaged and you can connect it to a computer, this process should allow you to restore your lost or corrupted SD card data.

What causes an SD card to become corrupted on Android?

There are several potential causes of SD card corruption on Android phones:

Improperly removing the SD card – If you take out the SD card while files are still being written, this can cause file system corruption.

Power failure or reset – If your phone loses power or restarts unexpectedly while accessing the SD card, errors can occur.
Faulty SD card reader – A damaged SD card reader on your Android phone can also lead to SD card problems.
Incompatible file systems – If your SD card is formatted with an incompatible file system for Android, that can create issues.

Malware or rogue apps – Malicious apps that have infected your phone could potentially damage files on your SD card.
Exceeding storage limits – Writing more data to the SD card than its storage capacity can lead to corruption.
Poor quality SD cards – Low quality or counterfeit SD cards are more prone to errors and failures.

To minimize the chances of a corrupted SD card, always eject the card properly before removal, use high quality cards from reputable brands, and watch for any warning signs of SD card issues.

How to check for SD card errors on Android

If you suspect your Android phone’s SD card may be corrupted or damaged, there are some steps you can take to check for errors:

Open your phone’s Files app, navigate to the SD card storage, and check if you can open files normally.

Try viewing photos and videos from the SD card in your phone’s Gallery app.
Copy a file from your SD card to internal phone storage to see if the transfer works.
Use a file manager app and check the SD card’s properties for details on used/free space.

Open system settings, select Storage, and click on the SD card details to view its filesystem health.
Re-insert the SD card and see if your phone detects it properly and displays its total capacity.
Try a benchmark or speed test app for external storage to check your SD card’s performance.

If your phone has trouble detecting the card, accessing files, showing improper space usage, or very slow SD card speeds, these are clear signs of corruption or errors. Contacting the SD card manufacturer for a diagnostic tool may help further test for problems.

Removing and re-inserting the SD card

Before attempting to restore an SD card through data recovery tools on a computer, you should first try the simple steps of removing and re-inserting the card on your Android phone:

Open your phone’s Settings app and go to the Storage or Storage & USB menu.

Touch the SD card name or tap the Eject icon next to it.
Wait for the system to notify you it is safe to remove the card.
Physically remove the SD card from the card slot on your phone.

Check the card for any signs of damage to the contacts or surface.
Insert the SD card fully back into the phone’s card slot.
Allow your phone to scan and detect the re-inserted card.

Many times, the issue can be fixed by simply removing and reseating the SD card properly. However, if the phone still cannot read the card or files remain inaccessible, you will need to move on to data recovery methods.

Connecting SD card to a computer via card reader

After determining the SD card in your Android phone needs data restoration, the next step is to connect it to a computer equipped with a card reader. Here is the procedure:

Obtain a USB card reader that accepts your size SD card, whether microSD, SDHC, or SDXC.

Connect the card reader into an available USB port on your Windows PC or Mac computer.
Carefully insert the SD card from your Android phone into the card reader slot.
The computer should detect the connected SD card, often displaying its file storage in File/Windows Explorer or Finder.

Note the drive letter assigned to the removable media card when viewed on your computer.
With the SD card now displayed as an external drive, you can run data recovery software on it.

Having direct access to the SD card files on a computer allows more data recovery options compared to only using the phone. Just be sure to select the correct drive letter of the inserted card when restoring files.

Choosing an SD card recovery app

Once your Android phone’s SD card is attached to a computer, the next step is selecting an effective data recovery application. Here are some top options:

Recovery Software	Key Features
Disk Drill	Recovers 200+ file types, has quick and deep scan modes, easy to use interface, and has free trial option.
Recuva	Recovers permanently deleted files, deep scan capability, flexible custom scans, and is designed for SD card recovery.
EaseUS	Has customizable scan settings, easy file filtering and preview, recovers formatted and lost partitions, and supports Android SD cards.
Stellar	Deep scans memory cards, easy photo recovery, repairs corrupted cards, and has clone feature to duplicate cards.

These paid and free SD card recovery apps offer the ability to thoroughly scan the device and restore damaged, erased, or lost files due to corruption or deletion.

Scanning your SD card for recoverable data

Once you have selected and installed data recovery software on your computer, the next phase is to initiate a scan on your Android phone’s SD card. The steps may vary somewhat between programs, but generally involve:

Open the recovery program on your computer with the SD card connected.
Select the external removable disk device that matches your inserted SD card.
Click on a scan button or option to start analyzing the card for recoverable data.

Let the deep scan fully complete, which could take some time depending on storage size.
Some tools may allow choosing between quick, deep, or custom scans as needed.

Key factors are picking the correct SD card drive and letting the scan run fully before trying to recover files, as interrupted scans can lose data. Multiple scan passes may be required for cards with serious corruption issues.

Selecting files and folders to recover

Once the data recovery tool has finished scanning your Android phone’s SD card, you can then begin selecting files and folders to restore to your computer:

The software will display categories of recoverable data, like photos, documents, messages, etc.
Browse the folder tree and click boxes next to files you want to recover.

Some tools let you preview photos, music and documents before recovery.
Choose whether to recover selected files, full original folders, or entire categories.
Be selective in your recovery choices to avoid cluttering your computer with unneeded recovered data.

The deeper the scan conducted on the SD card, the more data will likely be found across various folders. Carefully pick the specific files you need to avoid overflowing your computer’s available storage when restoring the data.

Choosing where to save the recovered files

As you select which files and folders to recover from your damaged Android SD card, you will also need to specify where to copy the chosen data on the computer you are using. Follow these guidelines when picking a restore location:

Select a folder on your computer with ample free disk space.

Create a new folder to contain the recovered data for easy organization.
Use your Documents folder, external HDD, or cloud sync folders if backing up data.
Avoid saving to the same drive letter as your SD card to prevent overwriting.

Have a typical save location preselected in the tool to save time.

Choosing the wrong restore location can lead to files being lost again or overwritten. Store recovered data on a different physical or cloud drive than your SD card when possible.

Starting and monitoring the file recovery process

Once you have selected the files or folders to restore and chosen a save location on your computer, now you are ready to actually recover data from the corrupted SD card. Follow these tips when performing the recovery:

Double check your selected files and destination location before starting.
Click the Recover, Restore, or similar button to initiate copying files.
Track the progress bar displayed for status on larger recoveries.

Allow ample time for transfers of large files like photos and videos.
Scan any warnings on validity of recovered files after completion.
Never interrupt the recovery process as it could corrupt the destination data.

Patience is key, as some damaged SD card data may take longer to fully recover based on scan depth. Wait for the process to signal complete rather than guessing on time.

Verifying successful file recovery

Once the data recovery tool indicates it has finished restoring your selected files from the Android SD card to your computer, some verification steps are recommended:

Open the folder where files were saved on your computer.

Spot check some various file types to confirm they open properly.
View restored image and video files in a media app.
Check that file sizes and details appear accurate.

Verify folder structures seem intact as expected.
Sample files from different time periods if possible.

While most data should recover correctly, most recovery tools disclaim some files may not restore properly from severely corrupted media. Take samples across the restored data to confirm quality.

Safely formatting your SD card

After you have successfully recovered your files using data recovery software, it is highly recommended to reformat your Android phone’s SD card before continuing use. This avoids any lingering filesystem errors.

Use your computer to backup any files you want to keep from the card.
Open Windows Explorer or Mac Finder and right-click on SD card drive.

Select Format from the menu and pick file system type.
Accept the warning prompt to erase data and start format.
Wait for the quick format process to finish.

Your SD card will now have clean storage ready to reinsert in your Android phone. Copy back any needed files after formatting.

Inserting the SD card back into your phone

The final step after completing SD card recovery and re-formatting the device on your computer is to reinsert it back into your Android phone:

Locate the SD card slot on your phone, often along the edge.

Orient the card properly with contacts facing down and angled corner first.
Insert fully until the card clicks softly into place.
Open phone Settings and Storage to confirm detection.

Check that total capacity looks correct after adoption.
Copy restored files like photos back onto the card as needed.

With the corrupt card now restored and reformatted, it should now function normally again in your Android phone. Take care to properly eject it going forward.

Conclusion

While a corrupted SD card in your Android phone can be frustrating, in most cases the data is recoverable by carefully removing the card, connecting it to a computer, scanning it with data recovery software, restoring needed files, reformatting the card, and finally reinserting the card back into your phone. This method allows you to fully restore your valuable photos, videos, music, and other SD card contents without resorting to expensive professional recovery services. Just be sure to properly eject the card going forward to avoid corruption issues.