AOMEI FastRecovery
Best Tool for Deep Scan SD Card Recovery (2025)
This article describes the best free SD software for deep scan SD card recovery AOMEI FastRecovery and how to use it to find more data. It also includes 6 ways to fix a corrupted SD card. Scroll down to learn more.
By Ivy / Updated on April 8, 2025
Ever get desperate when your SD card suddenly shows up as blank, corrupted or asks to be formatted? Yeah… not fun. However, you don't have to worry too much anymore, your data may not be lost, just hidden. That’s where deep scan SD card recovery comes to the rescue.
Unlike Quick Scan that only peeks at accessible file paths, Deep Scan digs into the raw sectors of the SD card. It meticulously crawls through the entire storage structure, searching for buried or deleted data pieces.
Whether your SD card got corrupted, accidentally formatted, or just stopped working outta nowhere, deep scan is your best bet to recover lost data.
Is It Possible to Recover Files from SD Card?
“I deleted some video files off an SD card before moving them onto my external hard drive like an idiot. I've found two applications that have recovered the files (It showed me previews of the lost videos) but to actually recover them back, I'd have to pay what seems like an absurd amount of money (50$ and 80$ respectively) for a license to use the program completely.
Does anyone know of a free or at least cheaper service that can do that same thing? Those prices seem absolutely insane to me but I've never looked for this kind of service before so I may be out of touch. Thank you!”
In short, the answer is yes, but it depends on how quickly you act and the tool you use.
⚠️Common Reasons for SD Card Data Loss
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Cause |
Description |
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Accidental deletion |
Oops, you deleted some photos or videos without realizing it. |
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Formatting |
You press the Format option by mistake or when prompted to format the disk before you can use it. |
|
Disk Corruption |
Power cuts, bad sectors, or virus infections can cause corrupted SD cards. |
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File system errors |
Especially common if the SD card is ejected improperly. |
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Physical damage |
Bent, broken, or water-damaged cards are hard to salvage. |
💡 Pro Tips for Increasing Success
After losing SD card data, any write operation may overwrite delete, or lost data, making recovery more difficult. It’s wise to avoid those operations. Also, there are some useful tips below:
- Stop using the SD card immediately.
- Skip formatting, even if prompted, unless you’ve tried SD card data recovery.
- Use a trusted SD card data recovery software.
- Use Deep Scan, not Quick Scan as it digs deeper and finds more.
- Recover to a different card or drive to avoid data overwriting.
Download Deep Scan SD Card Recovery Software (FREE)
AOMEI FastRecovery is one of the most powerful yet easy-to-use free SD card recovery software on the market, which integrates Deep Scan to comb through SD card's raw data and recover deleted or lost files from healthy/formatted/corrupted SD cards in 3 simple steps. It has a free edition that can recover data up to 500MB.
AOMEI FastRecovery- With a user-friendly interface, all users can use it easily and quickly.
- Recover deleted or lost documents (e.g. recover deleted Word files), photos, videos, compressed files, etc.
- Search, filter, preview, and recover files while scanning, greatly saving your precious time.
- Recover specific files or folders instead of all.
- Supports all SD card types, including SD, SDHC, SDXC, microSD, and more.
- Compatible with different SD card brands, such as Samsung, Seagate, Lexar, SanDisk, Transcend, PNY, etc.
- Work perfectly with NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS file systems.
- Recover data in any scenarios, such as accidental deletion, formatting, lost partition, corrupted disk, etc.
100% Secure🛠️Steps to Deep Scan SD Card for Recovery
Ready to roll up your sleeves and save your lost files? Here's a stepwise guide to deep scan SD card for recovery. Please download deep scan SD card recovery software -AOMEI FastRecovery and install it on a working computer. It supports Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, etc., and servers.
Step 1. Select the SD card to scan
Connect the SD card to your computer using a card reader. Open AOMEI FastRecovery after installing. Then switch to the USB/SD Card Recovery section, hover your mouse over the SD card, and click the Scan button.
Step 2. Scan for recoverable data
It will automatically start Deep Scan to scan every sector of the SD card to find files buried deeper in the file system. In contrast, this mode takes a long time, just be patient.
- 🔎 Search box: Type the file name or extension in the search box. It's the fastest and easiest method to search for specific files and folders.
- 🔽 Filter: Click the funnel-shaped button to specify the data types, e.g. documents, images, videos, compressed files, etc., and the size to narrow your search.
- 📂Sidebar directories: Expand the directories on the left panel until you find the original location where the files are located.
Step 3: Start deep scan SD card recovery
Once found, double-click the files to preview and confirm. Then, select the desired data and click the Recover button to recover data from SD card. Please choose a different location to save the recovered file, ensuring you don't overwrite any important files.
Try it if you lose data on the SD card!
How to Fix a Corrupted SD Card (After Recovery)
It's just as important to fix the card itself if you want to keep using it. Here’s a bunch of tricks to help.
Method 1: Try a Different Card Reader or USB Port
Sometimes it’s not the card, but the reader. Before troubleshooting the SD card itself, rule out a faulty USB port or card reader. You’d be surprised how often this solves the problem.
Step 1. Remove the SD card safely from your current card reader or adapter.
Step 2. Plug it into a different USB port.
Step 3. Still not working? Try another card reader entirely, preferably one that supports the same SD card format (SDHC, SDXC, etc.).
Method 2: Repair File System Errors using CHKDSK
Errors like "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable" indicate that the SD card has file system errors. CHKDSK is a built-in command line utility that checks for and fixes file system errors on different drives. The same applies to SD cards.
Step 1. Plug your SD card into the PC via a card reader. Press Win + S to open the Windows Search box. Then type cmd and select Command Prompt > Run as administrator.
Step 2. In the Command Prompt window, type chkdsk X: /f /r and press Enter to let Windows scan and fix any found errors.
This might take a few minutes. Once done, check if the SD card is now accessible.
Method 3: Assign Drive Letter to the SD Card
SD card plugged in but not showing up in File Explorer? You can check if it’s missing a drive letter in Disk Management. If so, assign it to a new one.
Step 1. Press Win + X and choose Disk Management. Then, Locate the SD card and check if it has a drive letter.
Step 2. If not, right-click on it and select Change Drive Letter and Paths.
Step 3. Click the Add button.
Step 4. Choose a new drive letter that isn’t already in use and click OK.
Method 4: Reinstall the SD Card Drivers
If the SD card isn't recognized or appears as an Unknown device, it could be the driver issue. You can try to reinstall the SD card drivers.
Step 1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
Step 2. Expand Disk drives or Universal Serial Bus controllers, find your SD card or card reader, right-click it, and choose Uninstall device.
Step 3. Disconnect the SD card and restart your computer.
Step 4. Connect the SD card to your computer again. Windows should reinstall the correct drivers automatically.
Method 5: Format the SD Card (Only After Recovery)
Tried everything else and it’s still corrupted? Time to format the SD card. Note this operation will delete all the data on the SD card. It’s advisable to recover data from corrupted SD card first.
Step1. Insert your SD card into your PC. Open File Explorer, right-click the SD card and select Format.
Step2. In the Format window, select a compatible file system and click the Start button. By default, Windows will use the Quick Format method. Usually, FAT32 is for SD cards under 32GB while exFAT is for 64GB or larger.
Method 6: Clean SD Card Using DiskPart Tool (for Technicians)
In addition, you can use DiskPart, a built-in command line utility, to clean SD card and create a new partition. Use this "only" after you're 100% sure your data is backed up or recovered.
Step 1. Press Win + R, type diskpart, and press Enter to open the DiskPart tool.
Step 2. In the Command Prompt window, type list disk, and press Enter to display all available drives.
Step 3. Identify your SD card by its size. Then, type the following command to select and clean it. Replace X with your SD card’s disk number.
- select disk X
- clean
- create partition primary
- format fs=fat32 quick
- assign
- exit
How to Prevent Losing Data on SD Card (Next Time)
They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that’s painfully true here. Here are some do’s and don’ts you can follow:
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✅ Do’s
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❌ Don’ts
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Conclusion
Losing your data sucks, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. With the help of a solid deep scan SD card recovery software like AOMEI FastRecovery, you can recover deleted or lost files without breaking a sweat.
Deep scan SD card recovery does a big deal when you want to recover vacation photos, important work files, or your favorite MP3/MP4, etc., whether it’s a healthy/formatted/corrupted drive. Just remember to act fast, avoid overwriting, and always have copies of files.
FAQs About Deep Scan SD Card Recovery
1. Is Deep Scan better than Quick Scan for SD cards?
If you want to find more data, the answer is yes! Deep scans explore every corner of the storage device, including unused or hidden sectors, making them far more thorough. However, it will take longer.
2. Can I recover formatted SD cards using deep scan?
Yes, as long as the data has not been overwritten. Deep Scan can usually retrieve files from the disk thoroughly, especially for more serious data loss scenarios like formatted SD cards.
3. How long does a deep scan usually take?
It depends on several factors, such as its capacity, interface speed, health, data amount, etc. To scan the entire disk thoroughly, it may take about 10 minutes to several hours. Using a USB 3.0/3.0 reader will be faster than built-in SD slots.
4. What should I do if my SD card is physically damaged?
If the card is cracked or warped, the software might not help. For severe physical damage, Try professional data recovery services like DriveSavers, Ontrack, SalvageData, Geek Squad, etc.
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