SD Card Data Recovery: Recovery of lost or destroyed data from an SD card is called SD card data recovery. This can be accomplished by submitting the SD card to a reputable data recovery provider or utilizing specialized software.
Data loss from an SD card can occur for several reasons, including mistaken deletion, formatting, corruption, or physical damage. Depending on the reason for the data loss and the state of the SD card, it could be feasible to recover all or a portion of the lost data in some circumstances.
One of the many data recovery software tools that can recover data from an SD card. Typically, these tools scan the SD card for recoverable data and let you examine and retrieve the information. Experimenting with various data recovery solutions is an excellent idea to determine the most effective in your particular circumstance.
Can SD Card Data be Recovered for Free?
Can anyone help? Can I recover deleted files from SD cards and get back SD card photos and other data? “I lost all my beach vacation pictures due to carelessly formatting the SD card. I asked many people how to handle lost photos on the SD card. Also searched the internet, but still couldn’t fix it.”
The data is lost if an SD card is formatted or unavailable. All files are still on the card and retrievable using data recovery software. Data recovery is made possible by data recovery software, which can assist anyone with recovering data from deleted files, formatted drives, RAW files, and more.
SD Card, Data Recovery Software, features for 2023:
- Compatibility: The software should work with several SD card kinds, such as SDHC, SDXC, microSD, and others.
- File recovery: It ought should be able to retrieve a variety of items, including pictures, movies, documents, audio files, and more.
- Recovery from Accidental Deletion: The capacity to retrieve files from the SD card that were unintentionally deleted.
- Data recovery from a formatted SD card: The capacity to format or reformat an SD card.
- Corrupted File Recovery: Data recovery from a corrupted or damaged SD card.
- Lost Partition Recovery: The capacity to restore data from missing or erased partitions on an SD card.
- RAW Data Recovery: Some programs that use RAW file systems can retrieve data from SD cards.
- Preview Feature: The software often provides a preview of recoverable files before actual recovery.
- Selective Recovery: Instead of recovering everything, users can choose specific files for recovery.
- User-Friendly Interface: A simple and intuitive interface that new and seasoned users can use.
Pros and Cons SD Card Data Recovery Software’s:
Pros:
- Usability: Many SD card data recovery software choices have intuitive user interfaces, making them usable by people with varying levels of technical skill.
- Efficiency in time: Data recovery software can quickly scan an SD card and recover lost or deleted files.
- Cost-effective: Data recovery software frequently costs less than expert data recovery services.
- DIY Recovery: SD card data recovery software allows users to attempt data recovery independently without sending the card to a specialized service provider.
- Selective Recovery: Most software provides the option only to recover specific data, which can help you save time and space on your hard drive.
- Preview Feature: Software often previews recoverable files, allowing users to verify if the files they need are retrievable before proceeding with the recovery process.
Cons:
- Data Overwriting Risk: Data recovery software may unintentionally overwrite lost data, rendering it unrecoverable if the SD card is physically damaged or logically defective.
- Limited Success: Data recovery software can only sometimes recover some lost information, particularly if the files have been overwritten or the card is seriously damaged.
- Complex Cases: Some complex data loss circumstances, such as a damaged SD card controller, may require specialized knowledge and tools that data recovery software cannot provide.
- Data Security Risks: Using data recovery software from untrusted sources may pose security risks, as some software might be bundled with malware or other malicious elements.
- False Positives: The software might detect some recoverable files that are broken or unfinished, which could leave you disappointed when you try to open them.
- Technical Restrictions: Software may have restrictions based on the SD card’s file system or data loss, restricting its usefulness in some circumstances.
Top Best SD Card Recovery Software for Recovering Files & Data from Lost Memory Cards:
1. Disk Drill:
The sturdy SD card recovery capability of the flexible and well-known data recovery program Disc Drill. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, Disc Drill allows customers to recover mistakenly lost or deleted data from various SD cards, including SDHC, SDXC, microSD, and more. Disc Drill is capable of successfully recovering a variety of file kinds, including pictures, movies, documents, and audio files.
The software’s deep scan feature allows it to explore severely corrupted or damaged SD cards, improving the likelihood of successful data recovery. Disc Drill furthermore frequently has a preview tool that enables customers to confirm the recoverable files before starting the recovery procedure. Users can choose specific files or folders for retrieval using selective recovery methods, saving time and storage space. Disc Drill’s versatility is beneficial when working with big memory cards or slower systems because it allows you to halt and continue the recovery operation. Disc Drill is a solid option for anyone looking for a quick and easy way to retrieve essential data from their SD cards.
Pros:
- Simple to use
- Excellent data recovery outcomes
- The best RAW photo/video scanner available
- Includes helpful disc tools
- Windows users can restore 500 MB for free.
- A Mac recovery bootable
Cons:
- Not compatible with Linux
2. Recuva:
The free data recovery software program Recuva was created by Piriform, which Avast purchased in 2017. It can be used to retrieve files lost due to formatting, corruption, or other issues and deleted or lost from your computer.
Recuva may be downloaded from the Piriform website and is compatible with Windows. Once installed, you can use it to check your computer for files that can be recovered and preview those files to determine if you wish to recover them. After that, you can decide where to recover your selected files.
Recuva is a strong program that can assist you in recovering deleted or lost files, but it’s vital to remember that not all deleted or lost files can be restored. The likelihood of a successful recovery is influenced by several variables, such as the state of the storage medium, the type of information being retrieved, and how long it has been since the item was deleted.
Pros:
- Obtainable in portable form
- The free version is offered
Cons:
- There is no assistance offered in the free version.
- Nothing new since 2016
- The user interface could be more intuitive.
3. Stellar Photo Recovery:
One of the most dependable and effective memory card recovery programs of 2020, Stellar Photo Recovery can recover data from memory cards without compromising the quality of the original files. Advanced capabilities, including RAW file recovery, turn-on/off preview, remote recovery, resume recovery, etc., are included in this recovery program. This is the main reason why many people now consider it to be the best option.
Data may be swiftly and efficiently recovered with Stellar Photo Recovery Tool in all situations, including formatting and deletion. It is speedy to download, install, and scan. Thanks to the ease of use of this data recovery program, you may recover media files even if you need to gain more technical knowledge. It saves lives by recovering lost or erased data from memory cards and other storage devices like MicroSD, SDHC, CF, etc.
Download this data recovery tool and check the results if you want an assured recovery.
Pros:
- Simple to use
- There is a preview option before the final recovery.
Cons:
- Recovering data takes time and effort.
- The program’s size needs to be increased.
4. PhotoRec:
Because it lacks a graphical user interface, PhotoRec is unique among the data recovery programs suggested in this article. However, if you use the graphical user interface, that is an optional part of the file bundle used to deploy PhotoRec as a portable application.
However, the alternative GUI needs to be more rudimentary and falls well short of Disc Drill regarding user exp
erience. However, if you only care a little about usability, PhotoRec should be extremely high on your favorites list because it is free and open-source. When recovering raw photo and video file formats, the application’s signature scanner works better than average and does an excellent job recovering documents and most other file formats.
PhotoRec can scan the images on raw SD cards byte-for-byte and does well with them. Its longer learning curve is worthwhile despite it due to these and other excellent characteristics.
Pros:
- Free in every way
- licensed as open-source
- All leading platforms are supported
- Requires no installation
Cons:
- Command-line applications
- The optional GUI is straightforward.
- Doesn’t frequently receive updates
5. R-Studio:
R-Studio is a thorough data recovery program that runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms, giving it a flexible option for users on many platforms. This robust program comes with a wide range of data recovery options, including the capacity to retrieve files from hard discs, SSDs, USB drives, memory cards, and SD cards, among other types of storage. Due to R-Studio’s cross-platform functionality, users can easily carry out data recovery activities on their preferred operating system.
R-Studio’s support for numerous file systems enables it to operate efficiently with various formats, including NTFS, FAT, exFAT, HFS+, APFS, and more, which is one of its distinguishing features. Thanks to its comprehensive support, it is suitable for recovering data from various storage devices formatted with different file systems.
R-Studio’s sophisticated scanning algorithms and deep scan functionality improve its data recovery abilities, which allow it to recover files from severely corrupted or damaged storage devices. Users can choose which file types or directories to concentrate on throughout the recovery process using the software’s customized scan settings, which speed up and save time when looking for a particular piece of data.
Pros:
- Advanced capabilities
- Recuperation via a network
- Integrated hex editor
Cons:
- Focused on professionals
- Each platform requires a unique license.
6. Acronis Review:
One of the most excellent SD card data recovery services might be Acronis Review if only it allowed for the free recovery of erased files from SD cards. Unfortunately, it doesn’t, and its user-friendly wizard-style design can’t lift it to a better position on this list.
Users with different degrees of technical expertise can utilize Acronis Revive because of its simple and user-friendly interface. The software assists users in recovering mistakenly lost or deleted items from their Windows-based storage devices, … other types of data, such as images, movies, documents, etc.
The software uses Powerful scanning techniques to look for recoverable data on the chosen storage device. Acronis Revive is a valuable answer for frequent data loss circumstances, even though it might not be as sophisticated as specific specialized data recovery tools.
Pros:
- Low price
- The demo version is accessible.
- Data recovery procedure in three steps
Cons:
- It only operates on Windows
7. EaseUS Data Recovery tool:
The EaseUS Data Recovery utility is offered in free and premium editions, just like the other data recovery programs mentioned above. Standard rapid scan and deep scan features are available in EaseUS Data Recovery. You can use these capabilities to perform a more thorough check or look for recent files.
This SD card data recovery program also offers a free trial for those who want to test it before purchasing. The maximum amount of data that can be recovered during the trial is 500MB. However, before you scan the files for recovery, you must purchase a license to recover larger files.
This program occasionally performs slower scans than the finest free SD card data recovery tools. Nevertheless, it uses less energy than the system as a whole. If you can wait for the scan to be finished, EaseUS Data Recovery is a great choice.
Pros:
- It provides a primary interface
- Overall, recovery outcomes are positive.
Cons:
- Scan slowly
- The low video file recovery rate
8. MiniTool Power Data Recovery:
MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a dependable and feature-rich data recovery program for Windows and Mac operating systems. This adaptable utility, created by MiniTool, is intended to make it simple for users to recover lost or deleted files from various storage devices. MiniTool Power Data Recovery provides a variety of recovery modules to properly handle various data loss scenarios, including accidental deletion, formatted drives, damaged partitions, and lost partitions. The software is appropriate for data recovery because it supports various file types, including pictures, videos, documents, etc.
Anyone with technical experience can complete data recovery activities because of its user-friendly interface and simple navigation. Users can inspect the recoverable files using the software’s preview capability before starting the recovery procedure, ensuring they restore the correct data. In addition, MiniTool Power Data Recovery uses sophisticated scanning algorithms for deep scans, which improves the likelihood that data may be successfully recovered from corrupted or damaged drives. MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a valuable program in your data recovery toolbox, whether you use Windows or Mac.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Regular updates
Cons:
- Only a few preview options
- Mac users are only able to recover 1 MB for free.
9. iCare Data Recovery:
How can I overlook iCare Data Recovery when considering the best free SD card recovery software? The fact that this recovery tool uses iCare Data Recovery to recover 2GB of data for free is its most vital feature.
This data recovery application can recover 90% of the lost media files from various data loss scenarios. Scanning the erased files from the memory card takes time, though. Although Mac OS is incompatible with this utility, Windows is.
Its major drawback is that this solution does not support JPEG file recovery.
Pros:
- Works well in all data loss scenarios
- The device is simple to use.
Cons:
- Only working with the Windows platform
- The scanning procedure is sluggish.
10. TestDisk:
Powerful open-source data recovery software, TestDisk, is accessible on Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. TestDisk is a go-to option for consumers looking to recover lost or deleted files and resolve disk-related issues because it was developed with a significant focus on data recovery and disc partition restoration. Regardless of the user’s operating system, it is a viable option thanks to its cross-platform interoperability.
TestDisk is made to function with various storage gadgets, including optical media, USB drives, memory cards (such as SD cards), hard drives, SSDs, and USB drives. It supports several different file systems, including FAT, exFAT, NTFS, ext, HFS+, and others, making it possible to recover data from various storage media.
TestDisk’s capability to manage intricate data loss scenarios, such as unintentional partition deletion, corrupted partition tables, and deleted boot sectors, is one of its standout characteristics. The software performs thorough disc scans using complex algorithms that enable it to recognize and restore missing or damaged partitions, improving the possibility of data recovery.
Pros:
- Can repair SD card corruption effectively
- By the same group that created PhotoRec, multi-
Cons:
- To use it, documentation is necessary.
List of Best top 25 FREE SD Card Data Recovery Software
I am providing you with a list of some popular and reputable free SD card data recovery software that were well-regarded at that time. Please note that the popularity and effectiveness of these tools might have changed since then, so it’s advisable to check for the latest information and reviews before using any of them:
Recuva
PhotoRec
TestDisk
MiniTool Power Data Recovery Free
Stellar Data Recovery Free Edition
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free
Disk Drill
Puran File Recovery
Glary Undelete
Wise Data Recovery
UndeleteMyFiles Pro
Pandora Recovery
TOKIWA DataRecovery
Free Any Data Recovery
ADRC Data Recovery Software Tools
iCare Data Recovery Free
SoftPerfect File Recovery
Exif Untrasher
Orion File Recovery Software
Avira UnErase Personal
PC Inspector File Recovery
Lazesoft Mac Data Recovery
DMDE Free Edition
M3 Data Recovery Free
DiskGenius Free
Please ensure you download recovery software from official and reputable sources to avoid potential security risks and to ensure you get the most reliable version of the software. Always back up your important data regularly to prevent permanent loss in case of unexpected data disasters.
FAQs:
How can a corrupted SD card be fixed?
You can use software that is included with Windows and Mac to fix SD card corruption. This tool is CHKDSK on Windows, and its command-line equivalent is chkdsk c: /r (where “c” stands for the letter given to your SD card). Users of macOS can use Disc Utility’s First Aid function.
Will SD Card data recovery software aid in my data recovery?
The response to this query largely relies on how long it has been since you erased the files. You should have little issue recovering them if you recently erased them. On the other hand, if you deleted them a long time ago and have been using the SD card up to this point, you will likely not recover them. This is because deleted data stay on the SD card until fresh files replace them. You may be sure that all deleted files previously stored on a 32 GB SD card are no longer retrievable if you write 32 GB of new data.
Does Linux support SD card recovery software?
Absolutely! The principal Linux distributions are compatible with PhotoRec, our go-to free SD card recovery software. R-Studio is also available in a Linux version, which performs just as well as its Windows and Mac counterparts. Remember that an R-Studio for Linux-specific registration key is required to access all functionality.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, those looking to recover data from corrupted or formatted SD cards could consider any of the ten software programs mentioned above. Depending on your needs and preferences for data recovery, each solution—from open-source choices like PhotoRec to more user-friendly programs like Disc Drill—offers advantages.
Given the potentially disastrous effects of losing vital files that could be contained on an SD card, it’s imperative to consider all your options carefully. To avoid disasters, it is also crucial to learn how to protect data saved on SD cards in the first place.
