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Four ways to recover formatted SD cards

Explore diverse solutions for recovering valuable data from a formatted SD card – from free options to expert strategies.

In this image, four methods are being presented for recovering data from a formatted SD card. Full Text: 4 Ways to Recover Formatted SD Card
Image: Tenorshare

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Accidentally formatted your SD card? Wondering that can data be recovered from a formatted SD card? If so, then you’ve come to the right place.

In today’s digital age, SD cards have become our digital companions, storing memories and information that we hold dear. Yet, there are moments when a simple slip of the finger can lead to the dreaded action of formatting your SD card.

The sinking feeling in your gut is all too familiar – the thought of losing cherished photos, vital documents, and irreplaceable files is enough to keep anyone up at night.

Fret not! In this guide, we will explore multiple methods to recover files from a formatted SD card. Stay with us, and you will find that formatted SD card recovery is achievable and simple.

Part 1: Can data be recovered from a formatted SD card?

A laptop with a keyboard, touchpad, USB3.0, SDXC, and other multimedia components indoors.

When people accidentally format an SD card, the first thought that comes to their mind is, “Can I recover files from a formatted SD card?”

Yes! It’s often possible to recover files from a formatted SD card. Formatting erases the file system and data pointers on the SD card, making it appear as though the data is gone.

However, the actual data might still be present on the card until new data is overwritten on top of it. Therefore, when you realize you’ve accidentally formatted the SD card, we recommend that you immediately stop using the card to prevent writing new data to it.

Part 2: 4 proven ways to recover formatted SD cards

Is there a way to recover a formatted sd card? Yes, there are four formatted SD card recovery methods worth a try.

Fix 1: Recover formatted SD cards using professional tools

The best-formatted sd card recovery has to be 4DDiG Data Recovery. Tenorshare 4DDiG is an advanced data recovery software designed to effortlessly retrieve formatted, deleted, or lost data from various sources like PCs, Macs, SD cards, external disks, and more.

Whether data loss stems from accidental deletions, malware attacks, or system crashes, Tenorshare 4DDiG has you covered. Here are some features of 4DDiG:

  • Supports recovering lost data from more than 2000 storage devices.
  • Support recovering over 2000 file types, including emails, videos, photos, audio, documents, etc.
  • Intuitive interface and simple operation process.
  • Suitable for all data loss scenarios, including accidental formatting, system crashes, file corruption, etc.
  • Impressive success rate and 100% safety.

Here is how to recover a formatted SD card in 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Begin by downloading and installing Tenorshare 4DDiG on your computer. Launch the software, connect your SD card to the computer, choose the SD card from the interface, and initiate the scanning process by clicking the “Scan” button.

The image is showing the user the different locations and file types available to scan for data recovery. Full Text: Tenorshare 4DDIG = - OX Select A Location to Start Data Recovery O Scan All File Types > 7 Unable to find your device? Click here to fix the issue. Data Recovery Fast and Safe Local Drives (2) Local Disk (C:) SSD Local Disk (D:) SSD Advanced Options 68.9 GB / 140.0 GB NTFS 260.5 GB / 336.5 GB NTFS Recover from Crash Computer External Drives (4) Photo Repair test-P (E:) USB Drive (F:) Lost Partition-1 84.6 GB / 104.6 GB EXFAT 3.0 GB 5.0 GB Video Repair Lost Partition-2 2.0 GB Common Location Desktop Recycle Bin Select Folder
Image: KnowTechie

Step 2: The software will scan the SD card meticulously to uncover lost data. A progress bar will indicate the extent of the scanning progress, and you can pause or stop the process whenever you wish.

The image is showing the results of a scan of a computer, which has found 128646 files and 68.89 GB of data. Full Text: Tenorshare 4DDIG - O × A Home All Files 7 Filter Search a Name Size Type Modified Date Path Tree View File View Photo Folder All Files 128646 Video Folder Photo 2964 Video 261 Document Folder Open Document 2998 Archive Folder Archive 227 Email Folder File Folder: Photo Email Webfile Folder Webfile 17122 Others Folder Others 58794 No Extens ... Folder No Extension 19580 > Fast Scanning Recover 35% 128646 files are found (68.89 GB) / Time remaining : 00:03:48 Selected: 0 file, O Byte
Image: KnowTechie

Step 3: When the scanning process is over, you can quickly find the files you need to recover through the tree view or file view. Select the files and click the “Recover” button to restore them easily.

This image is showing the results of a file recovery process, with the number of files found, the size of the data, and the time remaining for the process to complete. Full Text: Tenorshare 4DDIG = - OX 0 LA Home 1 All Files > Photo . PNG 7 Filter Search File Status V File Type V File Size Modified Time V File Tags 7 Reset Tree View File View All Files 185326 new new Addig-previ ... Addig-previ ... RAR Photo 37980 new (3).png new (S).png mount-sd-C ... PNG 27041 Preview JPG 7703 . ..... . ..... RECOVER WEBP 651 ddOfa818-d ... ddOfa818-d ... 1.mkv.png 1.mkv.png Group 109 ... Nano: SVG 724 rar.png -- Size: GIF 1150 4.69 KB Ps Ps BMP 228 RECOVER Path Group 109 ... user-say.png user-say.png PSD (1).png PSD (1).png D:Recycle Binrar.png ICO 105 Type: PSD 1 PNG 4DDIG RAW 142 FIX FIX RECOVER RECOVER Modified Date 2022/01/10 11:54:07 ERROR CODE DATA FROLLE DATA FROMLE Fast Scan done! Finding more lost data with Deep Scan ... Recover 10% 185326 files are found (111.29 GB) / Time remaining : 03:41:44 . Selected: 0 file, 0 Byte
Image: KnowTechie

Do you want to recover a formatted SD card for free? Just click the share button in 4DDiG free version and share the post to your social media; you can easily get up to 100MB data recovery. 

Fix 2: Recover formatted SD card by Backup and Restore

When it comes to how to recover a formatted sd card, “Backup and Restore” is an indispensable and effective tool that must be mentioned.

It is a built-in feature in the Windows operating system that allows users to create backups of their important files and recover their data in case of data loss, hardware failure, or other issues. Here is how to use it:

Step 1: Press the “Win+R” Key simultaneously and type “Control Panel” into the dialogue box.

The user is being prompted to open the Control Panel with administrative privileges in order to create a task. Full Text: Run X Type the name of a program, folder, document, or Internet resource, and Windows will open it for you. Open: control panel| V This task will be created with administrative privileges. OK Cancel Browse ... K
Image: KnowTechie

Step 2. Go to “System and Security” and then click on the “Backup and Restore (Windows 7)” option.

This image is showing the different options available in the Control Panel's System and Security section. Full Text: Control PanelSystem and Security - X 0 a > >>> Control Panel > System and Security Search Control Panel File Edit View Tools Control Panel Home Security and Maintenance . System and Security Review your computer's status and resolve issues Change User Account Control settings | Troubleshoot common computer problems Network and Internet Hardware and Sound Windows Defender Firewall Check firewall status | Allow an app through Windows Firewall Programs User Accounts System View amount of RAM and processor speed Allow remote access | Launch remote assistance | Appearance and See the name of this computer Personalization Clock and Region Power Options Ease of Access Change what the power buttons do | Change when the computer sleeps File History Save backup copies of your files with File History | Restore your files with File History Backup and Restore (Windows 7) Backup and Restore (Windows 7) | Restore files from backup BitLocker Drive Encryption Manage BitLocker Storage Spaces Manage Storage Spaces Work Folders Manage Work Folders Administrative Tools Free up disk space Defragment and optimize your drives 9 Create and format hard disk partitions View event logs Schedule tasks
Image: KnowTechie

Step 3: If you have ever backed up your files using this feature, simply click “Restore my files.”

The image shows the user performing a backup and restore of their files on Windows 7. Full Text: Backup and Restore (Windows 7) ( +1 Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7) v0 Search Control Panel Control Panel Home Back up or restore your files Turn off schedule Backup Create a system image Location: New Volume (F:) Back up now Create a system repair disc 58.27 GB free of 58.59 GB Backup size: 231.30 MB Manage space Next backup: 5/16/2021 7:00 PM Last backup: 5/14/2021 11:26 PM Contents: Files in libraries and personal folders for all users and selected folders Schedule: Every Sunday at 7:00 PM Change settings Restore You can restore your files that were backed up on the current location. Restore my files Restore all users' files K Select another backup to restore files from
Image: KnowTechie

Step 4: Browse through the backup to find the files you want to recover. Select the files you want to recover, and then click the “Next” button.

This image is showing a user interface for restoring files from a backup, allowing the user to browse or search for files and folders to restore, as well as choose a different date for the restore. Full Text: X 1 > Contro Search 20 Restore Files (Advanced) Panel Home Browse or search your backup for files and folders to restore schedule system image All files will be restored to their latest version. system repair disc Choose a different date Name In Folder Date modified Search ... New Bitmap Ima ... E:Image 5/14/2021 10:52 PM Browse for files New Bitmap Ima ... E:Image 5/14/2021 10:52 PM New Bitmap Ima ... E:Image 5/14/2021 10:52 PM Browse for folders New Bitmap Ima ... E:mage 5/14/2021 10:52 PM New Compresse ... Elmage 5/14/2021 10:53 PM New Compresse ... E:Image 5/14/2021 10:53 PM New Compresse ... E:Image 5/14/2021 10:53 PM New Compresse ... E:Image 5/14/2021 10:53 PM New Rich Text D ... E:Image 5/14/2021 10:52 PM Remove V > Remove all K and Maintenance Ned Cancel ory
Image: KnowTechie

Step 5: Choose the destination where you want to restore the files. This should not be the same location as where the original data was lost to avoid overwriting.

Bonus tip: Use Time Machine to recover a formatted SD card on Mac

If you have backed up your SD card with Time Machine before, Time Machine can also help you recover files from formatted SD cards easily. Here’s how to recover a formatted sd card on Mac using Time Machine:

Step 1: Connect Time Machine backup drive to your Mac.

Step 2: Click on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen, then choose “Enter Time Machine.”

Step 3: Use the timeline on the right side of the screen to navigate to a date and time before the SD card was formatted. Once you’ve selected a snapshot, browse through your files to locate the ones you want to recover.

Step 4: Select files and click the “Restore” button to copy them to your current location.

Fix 3: Recover formatted SD card via CMD command

As a Windows user, you have the option to recover files from formatted sd cards using the command line. Here is how:

Step 1: Launch a Command Prompt on your PC by entering “cmd” in the Windows search bar. Remember to choose “Run as administrator.” 

A user is accessing the Command Prompt application from the Windows Start menu and is preparing to run it as an administrator. Full Text: All Apps Documents Settings Photos Web More Feedback ... Best match Command Prompt App Search the web Command Prompt O cmd - See web results > App Settings (1) D' Open Run as administrator Open file location Pin to Start - Pin to taskbar İK cmd| 0
Image: KnowTechie

Step 2: Input the following command: chkdsk E: /f/x/r. Replace “E” with the actual drive letter of the formatted SD card. 

The command prompt is running a disk check on the drive E: to find and repair any errors. Full Text: C:. Administrator: Command Prompt - × Microsoft Windows [Version 10. 0. 19044. 1586] A (c) 2019 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. C: Users Administrator >chkdsk E:/f/x/r V
Image: KnowTechie

Step 3: Chkdsk will start scanning the SD card for errors and attempt to recover any readable data. Follow the on-screen instructions if any errors are found.

Please note that this method might not be able to recover all data, especially if the card has been extensively formatted or damaged.

If the data is crucial and the chkdsk approach doesn’t yield satisfactory results, you might want to consider using specialized data recovery software or services to recover your formatted SD card.

Fix 4: Recover formatted SD card by data recovery services

If none of the above methods can recover data from a formatted SD card, you can seek help from data recovery services. These services employ advanced techniques and tools to locate and restore data that might seem inaccessible to regular users.

They can assess the situation, determine the extent of data that can be recovered, and apply the most suitable methods to retrieve the maximum amount of data.

However, professional data recovery services can be expensive, especially if the data loss is extensive or requires advanced techniques.

In addition, recovering a formatted SD card with data recovery services can take several days, which can be inconvenient if you need your data urgently.

A LEGO figure is assembling a hard disc amidst a variety of electronics in an indoor setting.

Part 4: How to prevent data loss in the future?

If you don’t want to recover files from your formatted SD card again, backup is a necessary preventive measure. Here are some useful tips to prevent data loss in the future:

  • Regular Backups: Ensure you back up your data on a regular basis. For important files, consider daily or weekly backups.
  • Cloud Backup: Use cloud storage services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc., to create backups. These services offer convenient automatic backup features, ensuring data is securely stored in the cloud.
  • Multiple Backup Locations: In addition to backing up files to cloud storage, you can back up files to an external hard drive or SSD.
  • Test Recovery Process: Regularly test the recovery process to ensure that backups are reliable and that you can easily restore data when needed.

Now, you can bid farewell to any worries about how to recover data from a formatted SD card!

Final words about formatted SD card recovery

In conclusion, whether data loss stems from accidental actions or other factors that lead to SD card formatting, there’s no need for despair.

Whether you’re pondering over how to recover a formatted SD card for free or questioning the possibility of data recovery from a formatted SD card, we’ve offered various solutions to assist you in reclaiming valuable information.

Most importantly, stay calm and stop using the SD card immediately to avoid further data overwriting.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. However, our opinions, reviews, and other editorial content are not influenced by the sponsorship and remain objective.

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