How to Recover Data from SD Memory Card for Free

Whether in life or work, more and more scenarios use SD card, which stores a lot of valuable data for us. However, many users may accidentally delete SD card data or even format SD cards, which makes SD card data recovery an urgent problem.

Although losing data from your SD memory card can be frustrating, there is still a chance to get it back. Here, some effective ways will be provided to show you how to recover data from SD memory card.

Question - Can SD card data be recovered? 

Why recover data from SD card data loss?

There are many reasons that we need to recover data from SD memory cards, and we list some common ones as follows:

✦ Human error. This is one of the most common reasons. People may accidentally delete important files, photos, videos, or other data, or format the SD card incorrectly, resulting in data loss.

✦ Device malfunction. The SD card itself may have malfunction or problems, such as a damaged memory chip, faulty read/write head, etc. These malfunctions may lead to unreadable or lost data.

✦ Virus infection. If the SD card is infected with a virus, the virus may damage or tamper with the data stored in it, resulting in inaccessible or lost data.

✦ Accidental power failure or unplugging. During data transfer, if the device suddenly loses power or the SD card is accidentally unplugged, it may result in incomplete or corrupted data writing, thus requiring data recovery.

✦ Software error or system crash. Software error or system crash on the device may result in loss or inaccessibility of data on the SD card.

However, deletion does not mean that your files are completely gone, regardless of the reason. Next, we will perform deleted memory card recovery in 3 ways.

How to recover data from SD memory card on Windows 11, 10, 8, 7

Now, we’ll explore the solutions for easily recovering data from SD memory cards in 3 useful ways, including MyRecover, CMD, and Windows File Recovery.

▶ Way 1. Recover data from SD memory card with MyRecover

MyRecover, compatible with Windows 11/10/8/7 & Windows Server, allows you to recover more than 200 types of deleted files including media files, images, audio, videos, etc. from SD cards. It is also suitable for restoring files from formatted hard drives/partitions, computer crashes or virus attacks, and so on.

It supports quick and deep scanning modes to help you retrieve lost data completely and safely without missing any files. In addition, it offers to preview data before recovery. Let's install it on your computer and learn how to recover data from the SD memory card easily. Please make sure the SD card is connected to the computer.

Step 1. Select the SD card drive, and click Scan. It will scan all deleted files on this drive automatically.

Step 2. You can search or filter the files you want in the top-right corner.

✍Note: With no need to wait for the scan to complete, you can recover data directly during the scan.

Step 3. Select the files you want to recover and click the Recover x files to start SD card data recovery.

▶ Way 2. Find hidden SD card data using CMD

CMD is one of the most powerful features in Windows that can be used to solve many problems like recovering hidden files from a USB, external hard disk, SD card, etc. If you want to recover files from SD card with CMD, please follow the steps below.

Step 1. Connect the SD card that saves hidden files to your computer. Please ensure your PC recognizes this SD memory card.

Step 2. Type “cmd” in the Windows search box and select Run as administrator.

Step 3. Type in the command “attrib -h -r -s /s /d G:\*.*” and hit Enter.

✍Note: You can replace the letter G: with the drive letter of your SD card.

Step 4. After the CMD returns back to the original location. Then you can go to the destination place to check these files.

▶ Way 3. Restore files from SD card via Windows File Recovery

If SD card data is deleted, you can use a free data deletion recovery tool, Windows File Recovery, officially released by Microsoft, which supports recovering files from hard disks (local & external), SD cards, and other storage devices. Available for Windows 10 version 2004 and later, this tool NTFS, FAT, exFAT, and ReFS file systems, whether documents, photos, or videos can be restored with the winfr command.

It is noteworthy to mention that Windows File Recovery is a command-line tool, so novice users may find this option complicated to operate. Before learning how to restore data from an SD memory card with this tool, let's take a look at some basics of using it.

The general command line syntax to recover files via Windows File Recovery is: winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches].

You should check the SD memory card drive file system by clicking This PC > right-click the SD card drive > check the File System in Properties and choose the right mode.

Now, figure out how to recover deleted files from SD card without software but with Windows File Recovery.

Step 1. Find “Windows File Recovery” in the Microsoft Store and click Get to install it on your PC.

Step 2. After installation, search Windows File Recovery in the Windows search box and tap Run as administrator.

Step 3. Input the command line, for example, winfr D: E: /extensive /n *paper*. Then, click Y to continue.

Tip: There is another free Windows file tool called WinfrGUI, which can be used as a Windows File Recovery alternative with clickable buttons. This tool can help you to recover deleted files by getting rid of complicated commands.
Apart from recovering accidentally deleted files, it also supports you to recover data from corrupted micro SD memory cards and recover damaged hard drives. But it is only available on Windows 10 and 11.

Bonus - How to avoid accidental deletion of data on the SD card

既然Windows

Backup data:

- Perform regular backups of your SD card data to ensure that you have additional storage copies of important data. Optionally, you can store the data to a computer hard disk, cloud storage, or other external storage device.

Handle with care:

- Follow proper procedures when inserting or removing the SD card. For computers, it is best to “Safely Remove Hardware” before pulling out the SD card.

- Avoid forcibly shutting down or pulling out the SD card while it is being used by a device such as a camera or cell phone.

Use antivirus software:

- Regularly scan the SD card with antivirus software to prevent data loss or damage caused by malware or viruses.

Avoid physical damage:

- Store the SD card in a dry, dust-free environment and avoid exposure to extreme temperatures or humidity. Handle the SD card carefully to avoid bending, scratching, or excessive pressure.

Encrypting the SD card:

- Consider encrypting the SD card to protect the data from unauthorized access. This can be accomplished through the encryption feature of your phone or computer.

Confirm before formatting:

- Before formatting the SD card, make sure you no longer need the data on it, as formatting will delete all data on the SD card.

Conclusion

That’s all about how to recover data from SD memory card. The easiest method to get back lost data on an SD card is using the MyRecover software, which can perform data recovery in 3 steps.

If you want to completely avoid the risk of data loss, we believe that creating backups for your data is a foolproof method. You can use AOMEI Backupper to back up SD memory card, USB, and other storage devices without a hitch.