Having a corrupted micro SD card can be extremely frustrating. Your important photos, videos, documents, and other data become inaccessible, and you may not know how to recover your files. There are several signs that indicate your micro SD card may be corrupted, along with steps you can take to attempt to fix it or recover your data. This guide will provide an in-depth look at micro SD card corruption, the causes, how to tell if yours is corrupted, and your options for recovery.
What Causes Micro SD Card Corruption?
There are several potential causes of micro SD card corruption:
- Improperly removing the card – If you pull out the micro SD card from your device without properly ejecting it first, this can cause corruption.
- Power loss during a write/read – If your device loses power suddenly while writing or reading data from the card, this can corrupt files.
- File system errors – Errors during formatting or problems with the file system itself can lead to a corrupted card.
- Physical damage – Dropping or bending the card, or getting moisture inside the card can physically damage it and cause corruption.
- Malware/viruses – Malicious software that infects your device could infect and corrupt the files on the micro SD card.
The micro SD card becoming corrupted is most often due to sudden loss of power during a read/write process or improper physical removal of the card before it has finished accessing the data. The small size of micro SD cards also makes them more prone to physical damage from drops, moisture, etc. Physical damage can ruin the controller chip or storage components.
How Can I Tell if My Micro SD Card is Corrupted?
There are some clear signs that your micro SD card is corrupted or damaged:
- Your device won’t recognize the card
- You get error messages when trying to access the card
- Files and folders on the card appear empty or missing
- Data on the card is inaccessible or can’t be opened
- The card has a visible physical damage or bend
Some of the common error messages you may see if your micro SD card is corrupted include: “SD card error”, “Cannot open files on SD card”, “SD card blank or has unsupported file system”, and “SD card damaged”.
Trying to view files on the card through your computer’s file explorer can also indicate corruption – you may see very small file sizes for damaged files, filenames appear with strange characters or are changed entirely, and folder structures seem broken.
Can a Corrupted Micro SD Card Be Fixed?
It is sometimes possible to fix and recover data from a corrupted micro SD card yourself using free software tools. However, data recovery is never guaranteed. The ability to recover data depends on the severity and type of corruption.
Before attempting to fix a corrupted card, it’s important to stop using it immediately to avoid overwriting any recoverable data.
Try Removing and Reinserting the Card
As a first step, try removing the micro SD card from your device and firmly reinserting it. This can sometimes resolve minor software corruption if there was an improper read/write process. Reboot your device after reinserting the card to ensure the operating system properly recognizes it.
Check the Card on Another Device
Try the card on a different device like another phone, tablet, or laptop with a reader. If you can now view the files, it indicates a problem with the original device’s SD card reader rather than with the card itself.
Use Disk Repair Software
Specialized disk repair programs may be able to fix file system problems, reformatting issues, or software-based corruption on the card. Some free options include:
- H2testw (Windows/Mac) – scans card for errors and can full-format to correct issues.
- SD Memory Card Formatter (Windows/Mac) – wipes and reformats cards.
- GParted (Linux) – partitioning utility that can fix some file system errors.
- MiniTool Partition Wizard (Windows) – repairs corrupted cards and recovers data.
This software can potentially fix the card enough to recover data, but existing files may still be corrupted or damaged after using these tools.
Recovering Data from a Corrupted Card
If you have important photos, documents, or other media on the corrupted micro SD card, data recovery software provides your best chance of salvaging those files.
Recovering Data from Physical Damage
If the card is physically damaged from being bent or scratched, data recovery becomes much more difficult. You may need to utilize a professional data recovery service to attempt extracting data using specialized equipment if the controller chip or flash memory components have suffered physical damage.
Using Data Recovery Software
Various programs are designed specifically to scan corrupted media like memory cards and dig out recoverable data from them. Here are some top options:
| Software | Platform | Price |
|---|---|---|
| EaseUS Data Recovery | Windows/Mac | Free trial, $69.95 full license |
| Stellar Data Recovery | Windows/Mac | Free trial, $79.99 full license |
| Remo Recover | Windows/Mac | Free trial, $59.97 full license |
| Disk Drill | Windows/Mac | Free trial, $89 full license |
The free trials of these programs will allow you to scan your card and preview recoverable files. A full license is required to actually restore the files to your computer or another storage device.
Using the Scanner Software
To recover data using recovery software:
- Download and install the program on your Windows PC or Mac.
- Connect the micro SD card to your computer using a card reader.
- Open the recovery program and scan the connected device.
- Preview found files that can be recovered.
- Select the files to restore and pick a location to save them.
- Purchase a license and activate the software to complete the recovery process.
Advanced programs like EaseUS and Stellar Data Recovery also include features like corrupted video repair, partition recovery, formatted drive restores, and more – so they can recover data from many storage devices beyond just SD cards.
Tips to Avoid Corrupting Cards in the Future
Once you have secured your important data off a corrupted card, here are some ways to help avoid similar issues happening again in the future:
- Safely eject before removing – Always use the “Eject” option before taking out the card.
- Avoid moving/using during reads/writes – Don’t access data during transfers.
- Handle gently and store properly – Don’t bend, drop, or expose cards to moisture and debris.
- Reformat regularly – Full format your cards every so often to clear errors.
- Have a backup – Keep duplicates of your important photos and files on another device.
- Check for errors – Occasionally scan your card for bad sectors using H2testw or DiskCheck.
Micro SD cards are prone to corruption, but following these tips will help keep your data protected and minimize your risk of serious card failure down the road.
When to Replace a Card
If you’ve tried the steps above to repair your corrupted micro SD card but still cannot access your files or safely store new data, it may be time to replace it. Here are some signs indicating your card is beyond repair and needs to be replaced:
- Visible physical damage – Deep scratches, chips, bends, etc. show hardware components are damaged.
- Repeated corruption issues – Cards that keep becoming corrupted with normal use have reached end of life.
- Consistent error messages – If repair tools cannot fix errors like “SD card blank or unsupported”, replace the card.
- Unrecoverable data – You’ve exhausted data recovery options if files remain inaccessible.
- SD card lock is stuck – Tiny lock switch cannot be moved makes the card unusable.
- Older card – Cards over 5+ years old may have reached expected lifespan.
While micro SD cards have become more affordable over time, important photos and recordings saved to them remain priceless. If your card seems to have failed for good, it’s best to replace it and start fresh with a new one to secure your data.
Conclusion
A corrupted micro SD card can happen without warning, but there are ways to try recovering your data and getting the card working again. Just make sure to stop using the card right away after corruption and avoid doing anything that could overwrite your files. Disk repair programs, data recovery software, and professional recovery services can retrieve lost files in many cases. And you can help avoid future corruption by ejecting cards properly, handling them gently, reformatting them occasionally, and making file backups.
With the right tools and prevention habits, a corrupted SD card doesn’t have to be a data disaster. Just stay calm, stop using the card, and try your recovery options. And going forward, be extra careful when inserting, removing and storing your memory cards to reduce your risks. With the proper care, your irreplaceable photos, videos and documents can be kept safe.