Buzz
Have you accidentally deleted some files from your SD card or lost data due to a card error? If you stop using the card immediately and act quickly, there's still a chance to restore those files using data recovery software. There are free options available for each operating system, as well as user-friendly paid programs.
Steps
Using PhotoRec (All Operating Systems)
Stop accessing the SD card. If the files were recently deleted, the data might still be there, just waiting to be overwritten by new data. Avoiding access to the SD card will help minimize the risk of overwriting.
- It’s best to remove the SD card from the device until you’re ready to recover the files.
Download PhotoRec. PhotoRec is a free, open-source file recovery software available for Windows, OS X, and Linux.
Extract the program. PhotoRec does not require installation. Simply extract the photorec_os file from the ZIP archive, where os corresponds to your operating system. For example, the Windows version will be photorec_win.
Connect the memory card. You can connect the SD card to your computer using a card reader or insert the card into a camera and connect the camera to the computer via a USB cable.
Launch PhotoRec. PhotoRec operates through a command-line interface. Use the arrow keys to navigate within the program.
Select the drive. Choose the SD card from the list of available drives and press ↵ Enter.
Select the partition. SD cards typically have only one partition. Use the arrow keys to make your selection.
Choose the File Opt menu. This menu option is located along the bottom edge of the window.
Deselect unnecessary file types. You can significantly speed up the search process by limiting the types of files to recover. If you're restoring photos, uncheck all options except JPG, JPEG, RAW, CR2, PNG, TIFF, GIF, BMP, SR2, and DNG.
Select the Search menu option to proceed. The file system menu will open.
Choose the file system type. If you're recovering files from an SD card, select Other.
Select the space to be scanned. If you're recovering deleted files, choose Free. If you're restoring data from a corrupted memory card, select Whole.
Choose a folder to save the recovered files. It's recommended to create a new folder for easier access.
Wait for the data to be recovered. This process may take some time. The number of files being recovered will update in real-time.
Browse through the recovered files. File names may be corrupted, so you'll need to manually search through the recovered files to find what you're looking for. If the desired photos aren't found, you can try another recovery option.
Using ZAR (Windows)
Stop accessing the SD card. If files were recently deleted, the data might still be present, waiting to be overwritten by new data. Avoiding access to the SD card minimizes the risk of overwriting.
- It’s best to remove the SD card from the device until you’re ready to recover the files.
Download and install ZAR (Zero Assumption Recovery). The full version of ZAR requires payment, while the demo version allows only image recovery. Note: Only download ZAR from the developer’s official website.
- On the ZAR website, click the "image recovery" link near the bottom of the page. This will allow you to install the demo version for photo recovery.
Connect the memory card. You can connect the SD card to your computer using a card reader or insert it into a camera and connect the camera via a USB cable.
- Your computer might prompt you to format the card or indicate that it’s unreadable. Do not format the card, as this could overwrite the location where your photos are stored.
Open the Image Recovery tool in ZAR. Launch ZAR and click Image Recovery (Free). For other programs, look for a similar task button. Some programs may skip this step entirely.
Select the memory card. Under "Disks and partitions," choose your SD card. Click Next to start the recovery process.
Select the files you want to recover. You’ll see a list of images the software has found on the SD card. You can choose specific photos to recover or select all to restore all lost images. Preview may not be available, and file names might be lost.
Choose where to save the recovered photos. If the SD card is damaged, avoid saving files back to it. Instead, select or create a folder on your computer to store the recovered images. This ensures the photos remain safe if the SD card fails again.
the files. Click Start copying the selected files to begin the recovery process. The selected files will be saved to your specified location.
- Some images may not recover fully. Even if the thumbnail appears intact, the photo might be partially or entirely corrupted.
Using Data Rescue 3 (Mac)
Stop accessing the SD card. If files were recently deleted, the data might still be present, waiting to be overwritten by new data. Avoiding access to the SD card minimizes the risk of overwriting.
- It’s best to remove the SD card from the device until you’re ready to recover the files.
Download and install Data Rescue 3. While it requires payment, Data Rescue 3 is one of the most powerful data recovery tools available for OS X. You can purchase Data Rescue 3 from the official website or through the Mac App Store.
- If you prefer a free option, consider using PhotoRec instead.
Connect the SD card. Insert the SD card into your Mac. If your Mac doesn’t have a card slot, use an external card reader connected via USB or insert the SD card into a camera and connect the camera to your computer.
Launch Data Rescue 3. You can find the program in the "Applications" folder. Then, select "Start New Scan" from the main menu.
Select the SD card. A list of drives will appear in the Data Rescue window. Choose your memory card from this list.
- The program may prompt you to select a partition. Most memory cards have only one partition, but if there are multiple, select the entire SD card.
Choose the scan method. For the first scan, select "Deleted Files Scan." This will scan the free space on the card for deleted files. If this method doesn’t work, try again with "Quick Scan" followed by "Deep Scan." Click Start after selecting the scan type.
Wait for the scan to complete. This process may take some time, especially if you’ve chosen Deep Scan. If you need to pause, click the Suspend button.
Select the files you want to recover. Once the scan is complete, you’ll see a list of recoverable files. Check the box next to each file or folder you wish to restore.
- If you performed a Quick or Deep Scan, the results will be under "Found Files."
- If you chose Deleted Files or Deep Scan, the results will be under "Reconstructed Files." File names are often lost in this case.
- You can preview files by selecting them from the list and clicking "Preview." However, not all files can be previewed.
Recover the files. After making your selections, click Recover and choose a location on your computer to save the files. Once you’ve selected the destination, click Open.
Warning
- Not all lost photos can be recovered. You may not be able to restore photos if the memory card is severely damaged, has been reformatted, or if deleted images have been overwritten by new data.
