When you format an SD card, you erase all of the data and files that were previously stored on the card. Formatting completely resets the file system on the card and cleans it of any corruption, preparing it for new data to be written. While formatting is an essential maintenance task for SD cards, it does mean losing anything you had saved on the card up until that point.
Quick Answers
– Formatting an SD card erases all previously saved photos, videos, music, documents, apps, and any other files on the card.
– The only things that remain after formatting are the SD card’s firmware and file system structure.
– Formatting cleans the SD card of corruption and prepares it to reliably store new files.
– Unless you have backups elsewhere, formatting means you lose all your progress in games stored on the SD card.
– There is generally no way to recover lost data after formatting since it is completely overwritten.
What Exactly Gets Erased When You Format an SD Card?
When you format an SD card, the following data gets erased:
- Photos and videos – All photos and videos you’ve taken with your camera that are stored on the SD card are erased.
- Music – Any music files you may have transferred to the card, like MP3s or lossless audio files, are erased.
- Documents – Word documents, PDFs, spreadsheets, presentations, and any other documents on the card are wiped out.
- Apps and games – If you have apps or games stored on the SD card, all data related to them is erased during formatting.
- Settings and configuration files – Any program settings or configuration files on the card are erased.
- System files – OS system files on the SD card are wiped clean.
- Hidden temporary files – Temporary hidden files used by programs and the OS are removed.
- File system structure – The file system structure on the card is reset back to factory default.
In essence, everything on your SD card except for the card’s firmware goes away after a format. You are effectively left with a blank SD card in the same state as when it came out of the packaging.
What Remains on the SD Card After Formatting?
Only two components remain on an SD card after formatting:
- Firmware – The SD card’s firmware, an embedded software that controls the card’s functionality, remains intact through a format.
- File system – While reset, the base file system structure of folders like DCIM for photos and music for audio files remains on the card.
These two components allow the SD card to be readable by devices and have the basic file organization structure needed for storage once formatting is complete. But all user data is erased.
Why Should You Format an SD Card?
There are a few key reasons to format an SD card:
- Erase all data – Formatting completely erases all user data from the card when you want to free up its full storage capacity.
- Resolve corruption – If the card is acting buggy or files are corrupt, formatting can fix software errors.
- Prepare for new data – Wiping the card clean sets it up to reliably store new photos, videos, files, etc.
- Improve performance – Formatting optimizes the card for maximum storage speed and performance.
- Fix card errors – If you are getting read/write errors or crashes, formatting often resolves card issues.
- Install in new devices – When using the card in a new camera or device, formatting optimizes it for that device.
While formatting results in data loss, it remains an essential maintenance task for cleaning and preparing SD cards for ongoing reliable usage.
Can You Recover Data After Formatting an SD Card?
Unfortunately, when you format an SD card, the data is almost impossible to get back. This is because formatting completely erases files by overwriting the data on the card. However, there is a small chance of data recovery:
- If you formatted quickly, recovery apps may find fragments of old files that can be pieced together.
- If you did a “quick format”, some files may still remain until being overwritten.
- Data recovery services can attempt to reconstruct data, but this is expensive.
- If you immediately stopped using the card after formatting, more data has a chance of being recovered.
But these recovery options do not work in most cases. So it’s best to assume that formatting permanently erases all your photos, videos, files, and other data on the card.
How to Protect Yourself From Losing Data When Formatting
To avoid losing your photos, videos, and files when you format an SD card, follow these tips:
- Regularly backup your SD card data to your computer or external drives.
- Store your most important files on your device internal storage rather than the SD card.
- Only put files on your SD card that you have backups of or can redownload.
- Double check that you have backups before formatting the card.
- Use cloud backup services like Google Photos to sync your media.
Following best practices for backing up your data means you won’t lose anything important when you need to format your SD card.
What Happens When You Format vs Quick Format an SD Card?
There are two main formatting options for SD cards – a full format and a quick format. Here is what each option does:
Full Format
- Erases all data by overwriting the entire card with zeros.
- Checks for bad sectors and marks them to prevent using them.
- Fully resets file system structure and organization.
- May take longer based on card size and speed.
- Recommended when first using a new SD card.
Quick Format
- Erases file references without overwriting data.
- Does not scan card for bad sectors.
- Only resets key parts of file system.
- Much faster than full format.
- Old data remains recoverable until overwritten.
A full format is better for cleaning and optimizing a new SD card while a quick format is faster for routine maintenance formatting. But both result in data loss unless you have backups.
Does Formatting a Micro SD Card Delete Everything?
Yes, formatting a micro SD card deletes all user data on the card. Micro SD cards are tiny, removable flash memory cards used in smartphones, tablets, and devices like the Nintendo Switch. They can store photos, videos, music, apps, and other files.
But when you format a micro SD card, all of that data is erased. The format resets the file system and overwrites the existing files. So photos, videos, music, game data, and anything else stored on the micro SD is permanently deleted unless you have a backup.
The steps to format a micro SD card are the same as a standard SD card. You use the device’s settings menu or connect it to a computer. Then choose to format or erase the card. Once the formatting is complete, the micro SD returns to being an empty, blank card with no user files.
How to Format an SD Card on Windows
To format an SD card on Windows, follow these steps:
- Insert the SD card into your computer’s SD card reader.
- Open File Explorer and click on “This PC” in the left sidebar.
- Under devices, locate the SD card.
- Right click on the SD card and choose “Format”.
- In the format window, choose exFAT or FAT32 file system.
- Check “Quick Format” to format faster or uncheck for a full format.
- Click “Start” to begin formatting the SD card.
- Wait for the format to complete. The card will now be blank and empty.
The steps to format may vary slightly between different versions of Windows. But the general process remains the same – access the SD card, right click, choose format, select options, and begin.
How to Format an SD Card on Mac
To format an SD card on Mac OS, follow these steps:
- Insert the SD card into your Mac’s SD card slot or card reader.
- Open Finder and look for the SD card under Devices in the left sidebar.
- Right click on the SD card and select “Format…”.
- Enter a name for the card and select “MS-DOS (FAT)” format.
- Click “Erase” to immediately erase and format the card.
- Alternately, click “Format” to change security options before formatting.
- The SD card will now be formatted and ready to use again.
The process may be a bit different on older versions of Mac OS but generally follows the same format SD card steps through Finder.
How to Format an SD Card on Android
To format an SD card that is inserted or internal to an Android device, use these steps:
- Open the Settings app and tap “Storage”.
- Select your SD card from the list.
- Tap the three dot menu in the top right corner.
- Choose “Storage settings” from the menu.
- Tap “Format” and then “Format SD card”.
- Read the data loss warning and tap “Format SD card” again.
- The card will now be formatted, erasing all data.
Older versions of Android may have slightly different menus to navigate to format the SD card. But all versions will have the format option under the card’s settings.
How to Recover Photos After Accidentally Formatting an SD Card
If you accidentally formatted your SD card full of photos before you were able to back them up elsewhere, try these recovery steps:
- Stop using the card – Immediately stop saving new data to the card to avoid overwriting old files.
- Try recovery software – Use dedicated data recovery apps that may be able to find leftover fragments of photos.
- Send to a pro – For best results, ship to a professional data recovery service to attempt reconstructing lost files.
- Check your cloud backups – View cloud services like Google Photos to see if your lost photos were automatically backed up there.
- Learn from it – In the future, be diligent about manually backing up irreplaceable photos before formatting cards.
While accidentally formatting a photo-filled card is an easy mistake to make, try to regularly back up your SD card contents going forward.
Can You Format an SD Card on Chromebook?
Yes, formatting an SD card on a Chromebook is possible by following these steps:
- Insert the SD card into your Chromebook’s card slot.
- Open the Files app and select your SD card on the left.
- Click the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner.
- Select “Format Device” from the dropdown menu.
- Confirm you want to format the device to erase all data.
- Choose FAT, FAT32, or exFAT filesystem.
- Click “Format Device” to begin formatting your SD card.
The SD card will now be wiped clean and reformatted. This process works on Chromebooks running Chrome OS to format both microSD and regular SD cards.
Can You Format an SD Card on Android Without a Computer?
Fortunately, yes you can format an SD card that is inserted or internal to an Android device without needing a computer. Here’s how:
- Open your Android device’s Settings app.
- Navigate to the Storage or Storage & USB menu.
- Tap on your SD card’s name or selection.
- Choose Storage Settings or tap the menu icon.
- Select Format or Format as internal.
- Confirm that you want to format and erase all data.
- The card will now be formatted within your Android device.
This makes it easy to do a quick format of your SD card right on your phone or tablet. The process varies slightly across Android versions but generally follows the same menu path.
Should You Format SD Card Fat32 or exFAT?
FAT32 and exFAT are the two main file systems to choose from when formatting an SD card. Here are the key differences:
FAT32
- Compatible with all devices.
- Max 4GB file size limit.
- Supports cards up to 2TB.
- Slower max transfer speeds.
- Higher risk of corruption.
exFAT
- Newer high capacity system.
- No individual file size limit.
- Supports cards over 2TB.
- Faster write and transfer speeds.
- Lower corruption risk than FAT32.
For most users, exFAT is likely the better choice. It supports larger cards without file size limits. But if compatibility ever becomes an issue, FAT32 has wider device support.
Do You Have to Format a Brand New SD Card?
Formatting a new SD card before first use is recommended but not always required. Here are the key benefits to formatting a brand new SD card:
- Tests card integrity and marks bad sectors.
- Optimizes performance for your specific device.
- Reduces risk of initial errors or crashes.
- Improves storage speeds and reliability.
- Sets correct file system for your needs.
- Customizes card name and setup.
However, new SD cards come pre-formatted by the manufacturer and should work out of the box. So formatting isn’t strictly necessary. But taking the quick step to format unused cards can improve long-term performance.
Conclusion
Formatting an SD card erases all user data and resets the card to a blank state. This includes photos, videos, documents, music, apps, and any other files stored on the card. The only way to recover lost data is through data recovery software or services. To avoid losing anything important, regularly backup your SD cards before formatting them. While formatting results in data loss, it remains an essential task for cleaning and optimizing SD cards.