Having photos or videos on an SD card become corrupted or deleted can be devastating. Often these files represent irreplaceable memories and moments that cannot be recreated. Fortunately, with the right software and techniques, it is often possible to recover deleted or corrupted files from an SD card.
What causes corruption or deletion of files on an SD card?
There are several common causes of file corruption or deletion on SD cards:
- Improperly removing the card from a camera or device while files are still being written
- Physical damage to the card from drops, bends, water, etc.
- Power outages or device crashes while writing files
- Accidental deletion of files by the user
- Formatting or initializing the card, which deletes all files
- Corruption of the file system from viruses, bugs, or errors
When any of these issues occur, the links between file names and data locations on the card can be broken. The files still exist in physical form on the card until they are overwritten, but the card cannot access them anymore.
Can the files be recovered?
In many cases, yes! As long as the original files have not been overwritten by new data, recovery software can find them and restore them to accessible status. Even if the file system is corrupted entirely, the raw data that makes up photos, videos, and other files can still be extracted.
The chances of recovery depend on:
- How much new data has been written to the card since deletion/corruption
- The quality and architecture of the SD card itself
- The techniques used for recovery and the software tools
The less new data written and the higher quality the card, the better the chances. Using professional recovery software gives the best results.
Steps for SD card photo/video recovery
Here are the basic steps to follow for recovering photos and videos from an SD card:
- Stop using the SD card immediately – As soon as you notice files are missing or corrupted, stop using the card. More writing can overwrite and destroy files.
- Try recovery software – Use professional recovery software that can scan the card and rebuild files. See recommendations below.
- Select a scan – Choose a “deep scan” or “full scan” option to comb through the raw data.
- Preview and recover – Preview found files, then recover all desired files to a safe storage device.
- Check backups – If any lost files remain, check backups on other devices.
Choosing File Recovery Software
Many data recovery programs are available. Look for software that:
- Specifically lists SD card recovery features
- Allows you to preview found files before recovery
- Has different scan modes from quick to deep
- Can restore both photos and videos
- Recovers from deleted, formatted, corrupted and raw volumes
- Has a high recovery success rate from user reviews
Examples of top-rated SD card recovery software include:
| Software | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Stellar Photo Recovery | – Ideal for JPG, PNG, video recovery – Works on Windows and Mac |
| Disk Drill | – Very quick scan and preview – Filters by file types |
| Recuva | – Free option available – Recovers variety of file types |
| R-Studio | – Advanced RAID recovery – Useful log details |
Steps for using recovery software
Once you have obtained a professional-grade photo recovery program, follow these steps:
- Connect the SD card – Use a card reader to connect the SD card to your computer, if it isn’t built-in.
- Select the card – Run the recovery software and select the SD card to scan.
- Choose scan type – Select a deep or full scan to comb through all data.
- Wait for scan – This may take a while depending on size of card and scan type.
- Preview files – After the scan, preview found files for the ones you want to recover.
- Select files to recover – Check files you want to restore, unchecking unimportant ones.
- Choose save location – Pick a safe location like your computer hard drive to save the recovered files.
- Complete recovery – Restore the files! Now they are accessible again.
Tips for Running a Scan
- Be patient – Deep scans can take hours to comb through all the data.
- Upgrade for faster scanning if an option.
- Save the scan if you need to resume it later.
- Avoid interruptions like pulling out the card during a scan.
- Preview BMP, JPG, PNG, and MP4 files if those are your main targets.
What if scanning finds nothing?
If an initial quick scan finds no files, don’t give up hope. Instead, try the following:
- Run a “deep scan” instead – This scans sector-by-sector.
- Try a different recovery tool – One program may find files another missed.
- Check for physical damage – Severe damage can make files unrecoverable.
- Send to a recovery lab – These can dismantle the card and read the chip directly.
Preventing File Loss in the Future
To avoid needing data recovery again in the future, be sure to:
- Safely eject the card before removing it
- Create backups of photos/videos on another device
- Avoid unnecessary deleting or formatting of cards
- Check cards occasionally for errors using built-in utility
- Store cards properly away from moisture, heat, force
- Handling carefully to avoid physical damage
Can Files Be Recovered After a Full Format?
A full format of an SD card erases all files and fully resets the file system. However, it is still possible for recovery software to restore lost files after a full format in many cases. This is because a full format does not actually overwrite the raw storage data where photos and videos reside.
The success rate depends on a number of factors:
- How much new data was written after format – More data decreases likelihood of recovery
- Speed of SD card – Faster cards make recovery more likely
- File system used – FAT32 recovers better than exFAT
- Software algorithms – Some recovery tools are better than others
So in summary – recovery after a full format is possible and sometimes successful. But it depends greatly on the situation. The sooner a recovery attempt is made, the better.
Can You Recover Photos Without Software?
It is possible in some cases to restore photos and videos from an SD card without using data recovery software. Here are some potential DIY options:
- Recuva app – Free software with decent recovery capability for beginners
- TestDisk utility – Open source disk scanner usable on Windows/Linux
- Disk Drill app – Free basic version with limited functionality
- Photorec tool – Advanced freeware that extracts raw file signatures
However, specialized commercial recovery software usually produces the best results. They have advanced algorithms and scanning capabilities beyond free options. But free software can sometimes work for basic recovery, especially for deleted (not corrupted) files.
Tips for DIY Photo Recovery
- First try free software like Recuva, Disk Drill or Photorec
- Follow tutorials closely when using complex utilities
- Be prepared for lower success rates than paid software
- Have patience and run deep scans for best results
- If one tool finds nothing, try another completely different one
How Long Does SD Card Recovery Take?
The time required to recover photos and videos from an SD card can vary substantially based on several variables:
- Capacity of SD card – Higher capacity equals longer scans
- Scan type – Deep scan takes hours, quick scan minutes
- Software algorithm – Some tools are faster than others
- PC performance – CPU cores and RAM impact speed
- File system – FAT32 is simpler than exFAT or NTFS
As a very rough estimate, expect:
- 1-16 GB card = 30 min – 2 hours
- 32 GB card = 2 – 5 hours
- 64+ GB card = 5+ hours
The actual duration can be below or above these estimates based on other factors. Be patient and allow long scan times to comb through the card thoroughly in search of recoverable data.
Can You Recover Photos After Formatting SD Card?
In many cases, yes – photos and videos can be recovered even after formatting an SD card. This is possible because formatting does NOT actually erase the raw file data on the card – it only erases the “roadmap” to those files.
Recovery software scans the raw storage and attempts to reconstruct the files. Success depends on:
- How much new data was written after formatting
- Quality of the recovery software/algorithms
- Speed and architecture of the SD card
- Whether a quick or full format was performed
A full format has lower recovery chances than quick, but still possible in many cases if no major new data was written. So formatting does not condemn files – specialized software can still dig up photos and videos in surprising cases.
Can You Recover Photos After Factory Reset?
Recovering photos and videos after a factory reset of a smartphone or digital camera is often possible. This is because a factory reset typically erases user data but does not overwrite it at the lowest levels.
Recovery software can scan factory reset devices and restore deleted files in many cases. Success depends on:
- Whether internal memory or SD card files need recovery
- Amount of new data written after reset
- Depth of scanning algorithms
- Speed of internal storage hardware
Files that were on an installed SD card typically have higher recovery rates than internal storage files. But specialized mobile recovery tools can sometimes restore large amounts of “deleted” data from both locations if a reset was recent.
Can You Recover Photos Without Software or Formatting?
Recovering photos without software or formatting the SD card is very difficult. However, there are a few limited options that may work in specific situations:
- Scan card on another device – The card may show up normally on a different phone, camera, computer, etc.
- Extract the memory chip – A technician can remove and read the chip directly with special hardware.
- Freezer technique – Rarely, freezing a card can allow a brief image or file copy.
These methods are essentially last resorts when software cannot read the card at all. They have very low success rates compared to scanning intact cards with recovery programs. But in certain unique cases, they provide a slim chance when all else fails.
How Do Professionals Recover Photos?
Professional photo recovery services use specialized tools, clean room facilities, and expert technicians to recover images and videos. Common professional techniques include:
- Chip-off extraction – Carefully removing the memory chip to read it externally.
- Custom scanning software – Optimized programs with proprietary algorithms.
- Bypassing controllers – Hooking chips directly to scanning hardware.
- Microsoldering – Repairing physical damage at the circuit level.
- Forensic tools – Using technologies designed for investigations.
Professionals may recover data when consumer software fails. But costs range from $500 to over $1000. Weigh the value of lost files vs expenses. For affordable but still highly capable recovery, commercial software aimed at consumers can often extract files successfully without needing a lab.
Conclusion
Recovering lost photos and videos from an SD card is often possible with the right tools and techniques. The key steps are:
- Stop using the card immediately after data loss.
- Use professional recovery software, not basic methods.
- Run a deep scan for comprehensive file searching.
- Preview found files thoroughly before recovery.
- Choose an undamaged drive as destination for restored files.
Follow these guidelines, be patient, and avoid overwriting the card with new data. There is an excellent chance of saving precious images and recordings and being able to access them once again.