Erased Memory Card Recovery Tutorial [FREE]

Losing important data from a memory card can be frustrating and stressful. Whether it's cherished photos, essential documents, or valuable videos, accidental deletion or formatting can happen to anyone. Fortunately, erased memory card recovery is possible in most cases. In this guide, we’ll explore step-by-step solutions for recovering data from an erased memory card.

Can erased memory card data be recovered?

Yes, you can. When a memory card is erased, the data doesn’t immediately vanish. Instead, the file remains in the storage but is marked as "free space" for new data to overwrite. This means that as long as new data hasn’t replaced the deleted file, there’s a high chance of recovery.

Common causes of erased memory card

Understanding how and why data gets erased from memory cards can help prevent future losses. Some of the most common reasons include:

✦Formatting: Formatting erases all data, but recovery is still possible if no new data has been written.

✦Accidental Deletion: Deleting files unintentionally while managing data.

✦Corrupted File System: A corrupted file system can make data inaccessible.

✦Virus Attacks: Malware can delete or encrypt files.

✦Physical Damage: If the card is physically damaged, professional recovery services may be required.

If you have lost data on your memory card due to these or other reasons, don't panic. Please keep scrolling down.

How to recover memory card data for free

First of all, stop using the SD card as soon as you realize your files are missing! This is the key to ensuring that deleted data is not overwritten by new files. The less you use it, the better your chances of recovery. Next, refer to the following solutions for memory card data recovery.

▶ Solution 1. SD/memory card recovery on Windows 11/10/8/7

Although you may have read elsewhere that there are many ways to recover erased memory cards, they are more or less limited, either by paid software or by a relatively complicated process.

Here, AOMEI FastRecovery will bring you a new experience. This free memory card recovery tool can recover erased/wiped SD memory cards in simple clicks with a high recovery rate.

AOMEI FastRecovery

Erased Memory Card Recovery 

• Recover over 1000 file types, including images, videos, documents, pdf, word, ppt, excel, etc.
• Support different SD/memory cards, such as SanDisk, Sony, Lexar, Kingston, Toshiba, Samsung, etc.
• Precise targeting: Search, filter, and preview files before recovery.
• Widely compatible: It is compatible with different file systems, NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, ReFS, etc.
• Top algorithms - Automatically run Quick Scan and Deep Scan to search for all recoverable files.

Download Freeware
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 & servers

100% Secure

Download and install AOMEI FastRecovery first. Then, connect your memory card to the PC.

Step 1. Find the memory card on the main menu, and click Scan.

Step 2. Then, it will quickly scan the memory card automatically. In addition, you can search or filter the target files quickly. If you want to find more missing files from the memory card, you can click Deep Scan.

Step 3. Check out the files, and click Recover to restore these files to a new path.

▶ Solution 2. Erased memory card recovery on Mac

PhotoRec is a command-line data recovery software that allows Mac users to recover deleted files from memory cards. It supports the recovery of 400+ types of files, from photos, videos, and archives to documents.

Step 1. Insert your SD card with deleted files. Download and install PhotoRec on your Mac. Then, launch it with Terminal. It requires you to enter the Mac password.

Step 2. Select the SD card where you want to recover deleted files and press Enter.

Step 3. Then, you will be asked to select partition type and file system. Remember to Press Enter each time.

Step 4. Select the output folder to save the recovered files from the SD card. Then, press C to recover deleted files from the memory card on the Mac.

Step 5. Navigate to the output folder and check if all the deleted files are recovered successfully.

Conclusion

Recovering data from deleted memory cards is possible if you act quickly and use the right tools. Whether you use AOMEI FastRecovery or PhotoRec, or try other recovery options, the key is to avoid overwriting lost files. For critical data, a professional recovery service should still be the last resort. By taking preventative measures, you can protect valuable files and prevent future data loss.