{"id":25238,"date":"2020-04-07T00:48:50","date_gmt":"2020-04-07T00:48:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?p=25238"},"modified":"2026-06-10T15:48:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T15:48:13","slug":"recover-sd-card-pictures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-deleted-photos-sd-card.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Recover Deleted Photos from SD Card"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Accidentally deleted photos from your SD card? Good news: recovery is usually easier than you&#8217;d expect, and in most cases, you can do it yourself &#8211; it is actually not that hard to do. The same applies to most memory card photo loss scenarios.<\/p>\r\n<p>All the methods for recovering deleted photos from an SD card you\u2019ll see below were tested by our team, and we\u2019ll walk you through each one step by step, with screenshots and practical tips along the way.<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10  aligncenter wp-image-54191 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/file-deletion-from-sd-card.jpg\" alt=\"Deleting photos from an SD card on Windows 11.\" width=\"1811\" height=\"1139\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/file-deletion-from-sd-card.jpg 1811w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/file-deletion-from-sd-card-300x189.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/file-deletion-from-sd-card-500x314.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/file-deletion-from-sd-card-768x483.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/file-deletion-from-sd-card-1536x966.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1811px) 100vw, 1811px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\">\r\n<p>&#x2139;&#xfe0f; <b>Quick note before you do anything:<\/b> the less you use the SD card, the better your chances of recovery. When photos are deleted, the data usually stays on the card until something new overwrites it. If you keep using the card (taking photos, copying files, and so on), you risk losing those files. That doesn\u2019t mean one new photo will instantly wipe out every deleted file, but you can\u2019t control where new data gets written. (We\u2019ll explain this in more detail in the FAQ section.)\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<p>So pause, remove the card, and don\u2019t use it until you get to the recovery steps below.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"why_would_i_need_to_recover_deleted_photos_from_an_sd_card\"><\/span>Why Would I Need to Recover Deleted Photos from an SD Card?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>There are numerous reasons why you would need to recover photos from an SD card. All of those reasons are bad, but in this case, there are varying levels of <i>bad<\/i>. <b>Here are a few reasons why data loss can occur on a digital camera, phone, or other camera-equipped device:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>You might need to perform SD card photo recovery due to the <b>accidental deletion<\/b> of photos. If you delete photos on your phone directly, you may be able to recover photos from the SD card for free, as most phones have a \u2018Recently deleted\u2019 folder. Otherwise, if the photos were deleted on a PC or camera, the files will need to be recovered with data recovery software if a backup is not available.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Photo loss due to <b>formatting<\/b> results in the photos becoming deleted and, therefore, inaccessible. In most instances, this is because you\u2019ve mistakenly chosen the wrong card to format. Or, your phone displayed a message requesting you to format due to damage on the card. Either way, the files are recoverable with software so long as (a) they haven\u2019t been overwritten, and (b) it was a quick format (formatted in a camera without the SD_ERASE function; a full format or SD_ERASE-style operation is a much tougher case because it can actually wipe the data).<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Corruption<\/b> is a major culprit for data loss. When your SD card becomes corrupted, the file system it uses becomes unusable, and your data can no longer be found through traditional means. Sometimes the SD card doesn\u2019t show up at all. In this case, data recovery software is the best option, as attempting to <a href=\"\/howto\/fix-sd-card-not-showing-up.html\">fix an SD card that\u2019s not showing up<\/a> (or showing other signs of corruption) could cause further damage.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-secondary\" role=\"alert\">\r\n<p>If you need to recover permanently deleted photos from your memory card, follow these methods based on your OS:<\/p>\r\n<p>&#x1fa9f; <a href=\"#windows\">On Windows PC<\/a><br \/>\r\n&#x1f34e; <a href=\"#mac\">On macOS<\/a><br \/>\r\n&#x1f4f1; <a href=\"#android\">From the Android SD card<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_ways_to_recover_deleted_photos_from_an_sd_card\"><\/span>6 Ways to Recover Deleted Photos From an SD Card<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Depending on the operating system and device you\u2019re using, there are various ways to recover deleted photos from an SD card. We\u2019ve included a few methods below to give you some options that will work on all types of cards, including PNY, Lexar, Kingston, and SanDisk SD cards.<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"way_1_recover_photos_using_data_recovery_software\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Way 1:<\/span> Recover Photos Using Data Recovery Software<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>To recover deleted photos from your SD card, using a data recovery tool is one of the best options. More specifically, we recommend using <a href=\"\/memory-card-data-recovery.html\">Disk Drill SD Card Recovery<\/a> tool, as it uses several scanning methods to pull up as many photos as it can find. You also have the chance to preview your deleted photos and make sure they\u2019re still intact &#8211; a very valuable feature when it comes to recovering photos in bulk.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-success\" role=\"alert\">&#x2705; Cameras typically shoot in RAW image file formats, which are unprocessed files that preserve the original quality of your photos. Canon has CR2 and CR3, Nikon has NEF, Fujifilm has RAF &#8211; these are just some RAW formats. Another bonus of Disk Drill is that is has great support for RAW file formats from popular camera brands, giving you an excellent chance of getting the data back.<\/div>\r\n<p>Let\u2019s take a look at how easy it is to use this data recovery tool to recover deleted photos from an SD card.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" class=\"embed-responsive-item\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lxwqPsKaGmo\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h4 id=\"windows\">Steps to Recover Deleted Pictures from an SD Card on Windows<\/h4>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"\/download.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download<\/a> and install the Disk Drill onto your Windows computer. The free version allows you to preview recoverable files and actually recover up to 100 MB of data for free, without upgrading to the Pro version. This is usually enough to test the app and restore personal files.<div class=\"relative bottom download__block\">\r\n            <div class=\"d-flex align-center download__block__inner\">\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__image-wrapper\">\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__image\">\r\n                    <img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/sidebar-ban-96.png\" srcset=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/sidebar-ban-2x-1.png 2x\" alt=\"Disk Drill\" width=\"96\" height=\"96\">        \r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__announce\">\r\n                    <b>download-block-title<\/b><br>\r\n                    download-block-text\r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__action\">\r\n                    <a href=\"\/\/download.html\" data-href-mac=\/\/disk-drill-mac.html data-href-win=\/\/disk-drill-win.html class=\"button button-green btn-md osreplace\">\r\n<svg width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M11.9546 7.293C11.8736 7.114 11.6956 7 11.4996 7H9.49957V0.5C9.49957 0.224 9.27557 0 8.99957 0H6.99957C6.72357 0 6.49957 0.224 6.49957 0.5V7H4.49957C4.30357 7 4.12557 7.115 4.04457 7.293C3.96257 7.472 3.99457 7.681 4.12357 7.829L7.62357 11.829C7.71857 11.938 7.85557 12 7.99957 12C8.14357 12 8.28057 11.937 8.37557 11.829L11.8756 7.829C12.0056 7.682 12.0356 7.472 11.9546 7.293Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\r\n<path d=\"M13.5 11V14H2.5V11H0.5V15C0.5 15.553 0.948 16 1.5 16H14.5C15.053 16 15.5 15.553 15.5 15V11H13.5Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\r\n<\/svg>\r\ndownload-block-button-text\r\n<\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Connect the SD Card to your Windows PC using an SD card adapter, or the built-in SD card slot if your computer has one.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Launch Disk Drill and select your memory card from the list of available disks. Once you&#8217;ve selected the card, click on <b>Search for lost data<\/b>.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-56051 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/scan-sd-card.jpg\" alt=\"Scanning the SD card.\" width=\"1376\" height=\"801\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/scan-sd-card.jpg 1376w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/scan-sd-card-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/scan-sd-card-500x291.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/scan-sd-card-768x447.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1376px) 100vw, 1376px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Use <b>Universal Scan<\/b> first for photos. If you\u2019re recovering videos recorded on a camera, then try <b>Advanced Camera Recovery<\/b>. You can always rescan with a different mode later if needed.<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-56047 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/scan-types.jpg\" alt=\"Choosing a scan type.\" width=\"1380\" height=\"807\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/scan-types.jpg 1380w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/scan-types-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/scan-types-500x292.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/scan-types-768x449.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1380px) 100vw, 1380px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Wait for the scan process to complete, and then click <b>Review found items<\/b>.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-56050 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/review-data.jpg\" alt=\"Reviewing the files.\" width=\"1376\" height=\"803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/review-data.jpg 1376w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/review-data-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/review-data-500x292.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/review-data-768x448.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1376px) 100vw, 1376px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Browse the photos that Disk Drill found on the SD card once the scan has finished. Click on the Preview icon to look at the pictures before you choose to recover them. If a file opens in preview, it\u2019s a sure sign it will recover intact. (But don\u2019t treat a missing preview as a failure. Some file types, especially certain RAW formats like RAF, may not show a preview because your system doesn\u2019t have the right viewer installed to open them. So if the file looks relevant, it still makes sense to recover it and then check it in a compatible photo viewer or editor.)<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Check the files that you would like to recover. Make use of the filters to organize the data, either using the <b>Pictures<\/b> category on the left, or searching the file type (you can try \u201ccr2\u201d or \u201cjpg\u201d in the search box). You can also expand the Pictures section to see subcategories; it&#8217;s easier to find what you need that way.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>When ready, click the <b>Recover<\/b> button.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-56048 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/recover-files.jpg\" alt=\"Recovering the selected files.\" width=\"1376\" height=\"806\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/recover-files.jpg 1376w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/recover-files-300x176.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/recover-files-500x293.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/recover-files-768x450.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1376px) 100vw, 1376px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose a suitable recovery destination for the files on a separate storage device. You\u2019ll notice your SD card isn\u2019t listed here &#8211; that\u2019s intentional to prevent overwriting the data you\u2019re trying to recover. You can always copy the files back to the card later if you want.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-56049 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/recovering-files.jpg\" alt=\"Choosing a recovery location.\" width=\"1373\" height=\"801\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/recovering-files.jpg 1373w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/recovering-files-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/recovering-files-500x292.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/recovering-files-768x448.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1373px) 100vw, 1373px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-secondary\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f4ac; When it comes to data recovery, working on an image of the SD card is always better than the SD card itself. This backup acts as an unchanged version of the card at the time it was captured, protecting the data in case you make a mistake or the SD card is showing growing signs of damage. Disk Drill includes a free <a href=\"\/help\/dmg-iso-backup.html\">byte-to-byte backup<\/a> feature, just keep in mind that you will still need a Disk Drill PRO license to recover anything beyond 100 MB on Windows.<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\"><b>Interesting fact:<\/b> According to a recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.handyrecovery.com\/data-loss-statistics\/\">data loss survey<\/a> by Handy Recovery Advisor, <b>almost 80%<\/b> of respondents who used DIY software during data loss incidents were successful.<\/div>\r\n<h4 id=\"mac\">Steps to Recover Deleted Photos from an SD card on Mac<\/h4>\r\n<p>For Mac users, the recovery process is almost the same. You can download a free version of <a href=\"\/\">Disk Drill<\/a> that allows you to preview the files that it can recover before any financial investment is required. If the files you need are recoverable, you can opt to purchase the <a href=\"\/pro.html\">Pro version of Disk Drill<\/a> and perform the actual data recovery.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>This is how to recover photos from an SD card on Mac:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"\/download.html\">Download<\/a> and install Disk Drill onto your Mac. <div class=\"relative bottom download__block\">\r\n            <div class=\"d-flex align-center download__block__inner\">\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__image-wrapper\">\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__image\">\r\n                    <img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/sidebar-ban-96.png\" srcset=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/sidebar-ban-2x-1.png 2x\" alt=\"Disk Drill\" width=\"96\" height=\"96\">        \r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__announce\">\r\n                    <b>download-block-title<\/b><br>\r\n                    download-block-text\r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__action\">\r\n                    <a href=\"\/\/download.html\" data-href-mac=\/\/disk-drill-mac.html data-href-win=\/\/disk-drill-win.html class=\"button button-green btn-md osreplace\">\r\n<svg width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M11.9546 7.293C11.8736 7.114 11.6956 7 11.4996 7H9.49957V0.5C9.49957 0.224 9.27557 0 8.99957 0H6.99957C6.72357 0 6.49957 0.224 6.49957 0.5V7H4.49957C4.30357 7 4.12557 7.115 4.04457 7.293C3.96257 7.472 3.99457 7.681 4.12357 7.829L7.62357 11.829C7.71857 11.938 7.85557 12 7.99957 12C8.14357 12 8.28057 11.937 8.37557 11.829L11.8756 7.829C12.0056 7.682 12.0356 7.472 11.9546 7.293Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\r\n<path d=\"M13.5 11V14H2.5V11H0.5V15C0.5 15.553 0.948 16 1.5 16H14.5C15.053 16 15.5 15.553 15.5 15V11H13.5Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\r\n<\/svg>\r\ndownload-block-button-text\r\n<\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Connect the SD card that held the deleted photos to your Mac using an SD card reader or the built-in SD card slot, if your Mac has one.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select the SD card from the list of disks presented by Disk Drill. In this case, we&#8217;re going to select our SD card but it could be any storage device.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 alignnone wp-image-59350 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-1-2.jpg\" alt=\"Selecting the SD card in Disk Drill.\" width=\"2590\" height=\"1676\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-1-2.jpg 2590w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-1-2-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-1-2-500x324.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-1-2-768x497.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-1-2-1536x994.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-1-2-2048x1325.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2590px) 100vw, 2590px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose a scan type. <b>Universal Scan<\/b> is usually the best place to start &#8211; it covers the widest range. But if you\u2019re trying to recover video files from a camera, <b>Advanced Camera Recovery<\/b> can be a better option for those.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 alignnone wp-image-59351 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-2-2.jpg\" alt=\"Choosing a scan method in Disk Drill.\" width=\"2590\" height=\"1676\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-2-2.jpg 2590w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-2-2-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-2-2-500x324.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-2-2-768x497.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-2-2-1536x994.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-2-2-2048x1325.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2590px) 100vw, 2590px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Wait for the scan process to complete. This can take some time depending on the size of the SD card and the type of connection.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 alignnone wp-image-59352 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-3-2.jpg\" alt=\"Reviewing SD card scan results.\" width=\"2590\" height=\"1676\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-3-2.jpg 2590w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-3-2-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-3-2-500x324.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-3-2-768x497.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-3-2-1536x994.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-3-2-2048x1325.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2590px) 100vw, 2590px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Now that the scan is done, review the items that Disk Drill was able to recover from your SD card. You can browse your files, use the search box to find something, and also use the Preview function to check files before recovering them. As Disk Drill will point out, it\u2019s the most reliable way to confirm your files are intact. There\u2019s also a \u201cRecovery chances\u201d column with indicators, but previewing the file gives you a much clearer answer. (Just keep in mind that some formats may not preview on your system even if they\u2019re still recoverable, so don\u2019t automatically skip a file only because preview isn\u2019t available.)<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Look through the files that you want to recover from your SD card and then checkmark the box to select them for recovery. Now, click on the blue <b>Recover<\/b> button to recover the files and put them back onto your Mac.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 alignnone wp-image-59353 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-4-2.jpg\" alt=\"Selecting files for recovery in Disk Drill.\" width=\"2590\" height=\"1676\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-4-2.jpg 2590w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-4-2-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-4-2-500x324.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-4-2-768x497.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-4-2-1536x994.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/disk-drill-4-2-2048x1325.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2590px) 100vw, 2590px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose an appropriate location for recovery. You can select your Mac\u2019s internal drive or any other connected storage (recovering to the same SD card is a bad idea &#8211; it can overwrite the data). After the recovery is complete, you can copy the photos back to the SD card if needed.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"way_2_recover_pictures_using_an_android_data_recovery_app\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Way 2:<\/span> <span id=\"android\">Recover Pictures Using an Android Data Recovery App<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>If you need to recover deleted photos from an SD card that was used to expand the storage space of your Android smartphone or tablet, then you can use an Android data recovery app like <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.defianttech.diskdigger&amp;hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DiskDigger photo recovery<\/a>. It\u2019s free software, but a Pro version is also available.<\/p>\r\n<p>As DiskDigger allows you to recover photos from an SD card on Android and save it to internal memory, this is a very useful method for those who don\u2019t have access to a computer. However, In order to scan your SD card, DiskDigger will require root access. If your device is not rooted, it will only be able to recover files from caches and thumbnails. We\u2019ll explain why that happens and, in more detail, whether you should root your phone if it wasn&#8217;t already rooted in the FAQ section.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-success\" role=\"alert\">&#x2705; <b>Pro Tip:<\/b> You will get much better results if you recover photos from the SD card on a computer. If you do have access to a computer, remove the SD card, connect it to the computer, then scan it with data recovery software like Disk Drill.<\/div>\r\n<p><b>Here&#8217;s how to recover photos from an SD card with DiskDigger:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Download the app from the Play Store.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Launch it and scan your SD card. If your Android device isn\u2019t rooted, use Basic Photo Scan first. If the device is rooted, you can choose the SD card path instead, which usually appears as something like \/mnt\/sdcard or similar.<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-45321\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-sd-card-diskdigger.jpg\" alt=\"Selecting a storage device in DiskDigger.\" width=\"253\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-sd-card-diskdigger.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-sd-card-diskdigger-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-sd-card-diskdigger-281x500.jpg 281w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-sd-card-diskdigger-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-sd-card-diskdigger-864x1536.jpg 864w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Specify the file types you would like to search for and tap OK.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-45319\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-file-types.jpg\" alt=\"Selecting file types in DiskDigger.\" width=\"253\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-file-types.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-file-types-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-file-types-281x500.jpg 281w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-file-types-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-file-types-864x1536.jpg 864w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose the files you want to recover.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-45318\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-files-for-recover.jpg\" alt=\"Selecting files to recover in DiskDigger.\" width=\"253\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-files-for-recover.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-files-for-recover-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-files-for-recover-281x500.jpg 281w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-files-for-recover-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-files-for-recover-864x1536.jpg 864w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Tap the Recover button to save them to your device.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-45320\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-recovery-destination.jpg\" alt=\"Selecting a recovery destination in DiskDigger.\" width=\"253\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-recovery-destination.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-recovery-destination-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-recovery-destination-281x500.jpg 281w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-recovery-destination-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/select-recovery-destination-864x1536.jpg 864w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>For the best results, your device should be rooted, and you should use DiskDigger Pro instead of the free version. Still, don\u2019t expect to find as many deleted photos as with desktop data recovery software like Disk Drill.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-danger\" role=\"alert\">&#x274c; When installing the app, it\u2019s important that you don\u2019t install the app to the SD card. Doing so puts the data at major risk of being overwritten and becoming unrecoverable.<\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"way_3_restore_photos_from_a_backup\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Way 3:<\/span> Restore Photos from a Backup<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Backups can help if the photos from your SD card passed through your computer at some point. For example, if you copied photos from the card to a Windows PC or Mac, your backup tool may have saved them automatically, even if you never backed up the SD card itself.<\/p>\r\n<p>So, check whether your backup tool already has a copy of the folder where those photos were stored. This won\u2019t help if the photos only ever existed on the SD card, but it can save a lot of time if you imported or transferred them before they disappeared.<\/p>\r\n<h4>Retrieve from a Backup on Windows<\/h4>\r\n<p>On Windows 10 and 11, you can use the native backup utility <a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/windows\/backup-and-restore-in-windows-352091d2-bb9d-3ea3-ed18-52ef2b88cbef\">File History<\/a> to back up your personal files. We\u2019re going to rely on the hope that you copied photos from the SD card to your computer at least once. If you did, and the folder which you stored the photos was included in the File History backup, you can then restore the deleted photos.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>This is how to recover deleted photos from an SD card:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Open <b>Start<\/b> and search <b>File History<\/b>. Open it.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10  aligncenter wp-image-48115 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/open-file-history.png\" alt=\"Opening File History.\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/open-file-history.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/open-file-history-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/open-file-history-500x281.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/open-file-history-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click <b>Restore personal file<\/b>.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10  aligncenter wp-image-48116 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/restore-personal-files.png\" alt=\"Restoring personal files.\" width=\"1243\" height=\"738\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/restore-personal-files.png 1243w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/restore-personal-files-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/restore-personal-files-500x297.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/restore-personal-files-768x456.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1243px) 100vw, 1243px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Navigate to the backed-up photos and select the ones you want to restore.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10  aligncenter wp-image-48113 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/selected-sd-card-photos.png\" alt=\"Selecting the SD card photos.\" width=\"1283\" height=\"763\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/selected-sd-card-photos.png 1283w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/selected-sd-card-photos-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/selected-sd-card-photos-500x297.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/selected-sd-card-photos-768x457.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1283px) 100vw, 1283px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Right-click the green <b>Restore<\/b> button and either click <b>Restore<\/b> to restore them to the original location, or <b>Restore to<\/b> in order to choose a custom destination.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10  aligncenter wp-image-48114 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/file-history-restore-options.png\" alt=\"Choosing how to restore the photos.\" width=\"1292\" height=\"775\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/file-history-restore-options.png 1292w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/file-history-restore-options-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/file-history-restore-options-500x300.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/file-history-restore-options-768x461.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1292px) 100vw, 1292px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>Alternatively, if you previously copied or moved the files from your SD card to your computer, try searching for the photos instead, as they may reside in a subfolder somewhere. Using File Explorer, you can enter the name of the photo or folder you\u2019re looking for into the search box. Or, you can pull all files by a specific type if you cannot remember the name.<\/p>\r\n<h4>Restore from a Backup on Mac<\/h4>\r\n<p>Time Machine is the primary backup feature for macOS. It can be used to automatically back up your personal data, allowing you to easily restore files that have become deleted, damaged, or otherwise inaccessible.<\/p>\r\n<p>You can recover photos that were deleted from your SD card using Time Machine. Like with File History, we\u2019re assuming you copied\/imported those photos to your Mac earlier, and Time Machine had a chance to save that folder in one of its backups.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-secondary\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f517; If you want to learn more about how to use Time Machine, Apple has a walkthrough that you can view <a href=\"https:\/\/support.apple.com\/en-us\/HT201250\">here<\/a>. We also have our own guide on how to use Time Machine to back up and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/restore-mac-from-time-machine.html\">restore your data<\/a>.<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f4a1; In cases of loss or theft of an SD card, a backup may be the only way that you can ever recover your photos. Most people think that data loss won&#8217;t happen to them, I would recommend that you start backing up sooner rather than later.<\/div>\r\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how to use Time Machine to restore SD photos:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Connect the drive that contains your Time Machine backup.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Open the folder where the photos used to be stored on your Mac.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and choose <b>Browse Time Machine Backups<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Use the timeline on the right to go back to a date when the photos were still there.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select the photos or the whole folder you want to restore.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 alignnone wp-image-59355 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/time-machine.jpg\" alt=\"Restoring files with a Time Machine backup.\" width=\"2880\" height=\"1800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/time-machine.jpg 2880w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/time-machine-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/time-machine-500x313.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/time-machine-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/time-machine-1536x960.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/time-machine-2048x1280.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2880px) 100vw, 2880px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click <b>Restore<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>Again, your exact procedure will vary based on the type of backups that you perform. Whether you have backed up to the cloud or an external storage device, there is a secure feeling that comes with knowing that you can recover all of your precious memories at any time.<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"way_4_get_back_photos_from_a_cloud_backup\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Way 4:<\/span> Get Back Photos from a Cloud Backup<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Android users have it great because they can not only tell their smartphones to store photos on a removable SD card, but they can also take advantage of apps like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dropbox <\/a>or <a href=\"https:\/\/photos.google.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Photos<\/a> to back up everything to the cloud. So if you had backup active and are now trying to figure out how to recover deleted SD card photos, check your cloud before you assume the files are gone for good. This method can also help outside Android. Maybe you copied photos from the SD card to your computer, and that folder later synced to the cloud. Or uploaded the photos to it manually.<\/p>\r\n<p>Keep in mind, though, these services usually sync deletions. If you removed a photo while everything was connected and syncing, it\u2019s likely gone there too. But if the SD card deletion happened while it was outside the device, or sync didn\u2019t happen for some reason, the cloud copy might still be there.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-success\" role=\"alert\">&#x2705; <b>Pro Tip:<\/b> Even if you don\u2019t see your photos in the main folders, check the Trash or Recently Deleted section &#8211; most cloud services keep deleted files there for around 30 days. In some cases, you might also find older versions of files in services like Dropbox or OneDrive, but this is less common for photos.<\/div>\r\n<p>If that\u2019s your case, then you should be able to recover each and every deleted photo just by downloading it from your cloud storage service of choice. Best of all, you can do so from anywhere and on any device, so this method can save you even if your original device has become stolen or lost.<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 alignnone wp-image-59354 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/google-photos.jpg\" alt=\"Recovering photos from Google Photos.\" width=\"2474\" height=\"1524\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/google-photos.jpg 2474w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/google-photos-300x185.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/google-photos-500x308.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/google-photos-768x473.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/google-photos-1536x946.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/google-photos-2048x1262.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2474px) 100vw, 2474px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Use the following links to see official guides on how to download files from popular cloud storage services:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/download-files-from-onedrive-to-your-device-c81487ff-47e4-480e-98f8-7912f78b5246#:~:text=In%20the%20OneDrive%20app%2C%20open,List%20view%2C%20not%20as%20thumbnails.&amp;text=next%20to%20the%20file%20you%20want%20to%20save%20and%20then%20tap%20Save.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">OneDrive<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/help.dropbox.com\/sync\/download-entire-folders\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dropbox<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/photos\/answer\/7652919?hl=en&amp;co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Photos<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Do you use a different cloud backup app and are not sure how to download your deleted photos from it? Then we recommend you consult Google and look for a suitable guide.<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"way_5_retrieve_photos_from_your_devices_internal_memory_or_storage\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Way 5:<\/span> Retrieve Photos from Your Device\u2019s Internal Memory or Storage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Be sure to check your device\u2019s internal memory or temporary storage on Mac or Windows PC. When you delete a photo on your device, it is logically deleted and its storage space is marked as available, allowing new data to overwrite it at the same location. It is not immediately physically removed from your SD card.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x2757; For this reason, stop using your device as soon as you notice that you have deleted a photo that you want to recover. This will give you the best chance of recovery before the storage that contained the lost pictures is overwritten.<\/div>\r\n<p>Of course, you can also <a href=\"\/howto\/recover-deleted-photos.html\">restore the deleted photos<\/a> from apps that retained copies of them, such as Photos on macOS. The Photos app allows you to import photos from your SD card. In doing so, a copy of the photos will be moved to your Mac\u2019s storage disk. If they\u2019re deleted from within the app, you can then go to the Recently Deleted folder and quickly restore them.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f4a1; This is only possible if the SD card has been connected to your Mac and the photos have previously been imported. Deleted photos in the Recently Deleted folder will be retained for 30 days.<\/div>\r\n<p>A similar procedure can be performed using the various photo gallery apps found on Android devices.<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"way_6_recovering_photos_from_the_recycle_bin\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Way 6:<\/span> Recovering Photos From the Recycle Bin<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>In case you weren\u2019t aware, there is a place where files go before they\u2019re permanently deleted on Windows and macOS. On Windows, this is Recycle Bin. On Mac, it\u2019s Trash. The two work very similar to each other, with only slight differences.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">\r\n<p>&#x26a0;&#xfe0f; This method isn\u2019t always viable for those who need to know how to recover SD card photos. Cameras do not have a Recycle Bin equivalent of their own. Therefore, your only recovery option (short of restoring from a backup) is to recover the photos with data recovery software.<\/p>\r\n<p>We\u2019re including this mostly as a quick reminder &#8211; just in case the photos were copied to your computer first and deleted there. It takes just a few seconds to check<span style=\"font-size: 12px;\">.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h4>On Windows<\/h4>\r\n<p>Windows will send any file you delete to the Recycle Bin unless it\u2019s either permanently deleted or too large to be stored in the Recycle Bin.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x2757; Files deleted from an external storage device that typically uses FAT32 (USB flash drive, SD cards, etc.) will not go to the Recycle Bin. Instead, you must use data recovery software to get such files back.<\/div>\r\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how you can restore files from the Recycle Bin on Windows 10 and 11:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Open <b>Recycle Bin<\/b> on your Desktop.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10  border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47957 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/open-recycle-bin.png\" alt=\"Opening Recycle Bin.\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/open-recycle-bin.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/open-recycle-bin-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/open-recycle-bin-500x281.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/open-recycle-bin-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select the data you want to restore, then click <b>Restore the selected items<\/b>.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10  border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47958 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/restore-selected-items.png\" alt=\"Restoring the selected files.\" width=\"1249\" height=\"755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/restore-selected-items.png 1249w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/restore-selected-items-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/restore-selected-items-500x302.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/restore-selected-items-768x464.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1249px) 100vw, 1249px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>This will restore the items back to their original location. If you want to restore them elsewhere, simply drag and drop them out of Recycle Bin and into another folder.<\/p>\r\n<h4>On Mac<\/h4>\r\n<p>The process of restoring data is similar on macOS.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>You need to simply:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Open <b>Trash<\/b> using <b>Finder<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Drag and drop the files to a safe location.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 alignnone wp-image-59356 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/trash.jpg\" alt=\"Dragging files from Trash on macOS.\" width=\"2474\" height=\"1524\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/trash.jpg 2474w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/trash-300x185.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/trash-500x308.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/trash-768x473.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/trash-1536x946.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/trash-2048x1262.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2474px) 100vw, 2474px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><b>One more thing:<\/b> files in Recycle Bin or Trash aren\u2019t always stored on your computer\u2019s main drive. For external devices, the deleted files sit in a hidden system folder on that same device. So if you deleted photos from an external storage, connect that device first, then check Recycle Bin or Trash. Otherwise, those deleted files may not appear there at all.<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"wrapping_up_sd_card_photo_recovery\"><\/span>Wrapping Up SD Card Photo Recovery<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>What\u2019s important when you\u2019re trying to <a href=\"\/howto\/recover-data-sd-card-mac.html\">recover SD card photos from an SD card on Mac<\/a>, Windows, or even Android, is that you act quickly. Photos that have been deleted can still be recovered, whether they were deleted by accident or became missing due to some form of SD card corruption.<\/p>\r\n<p>Much of the time, you can recover the data yourself using <a href=\"\/data-recovery-software.html\">data recovery software<\/a>\u00a0like Disk Drill. It\u2019s pretty straightforward: connect the SD card to your computer, open the app, run a scan, review what it finds, and recover the files to a safe location. In many cases, that\u2019s all it takes.<\/p>\r\n<p>However, in cases where the SD card is no longer detected at all or shows signs of physical damage, you should consult a <a href=\"\/data-recovery-center.html\">data recovery service<\/a> instead. But thankfully, most situations aren\u2019t that severe, so a DIY approach is usually enough.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f4a1; Once your photos have been recovered, consider implementing a backup strategy that protects your data against accidental deletion, formatting, and corruption of the card. The simplest way of doing this is to copy the photos to another storage medium after each shoot, which should ideally have its own backup schedule.<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"related_posts\"><div class=\"related_posts__inner\"><div class=\"h4\">Read also<\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/phone.png\" alt=\"phone\" width=\"144\" height=\"144\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/recover-deleted-photos-iphone.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">Ways to Recover Lost Photos from iPhone<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/apple.png\" alt=\"apple mac\" width=\"144\" height=\"144\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/recover-deleted-photos-mac.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">Recover Permanently Deleted Photos on Mac<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Frame-56.png\" alt=\"android\" width=\"140\" height=\"160\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/recover-deleted-photos-android.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">Recover Permanently Deleted Photos From Android<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/top-rating-icon.svg\" alt=\"\" width=\"306\" height=\"306\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/photo-recovery-software.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">Best Photo Recovery Software Tools<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"faq\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<div><section itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 0px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"headingfaq1\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-faq1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-faq1\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_can_i_recover_deleted_photos_from_my_sd_card_for_free\"><\/span>How can I recover deleted photos from my SD card for free?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-faq1\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p>You can use a free SD card recovery application. Here are three popular options:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Disk Drill (100 MB for free with Windows version)<\/li>\r\n\t<li>PhotoRec (Windows, Mac, and Linux)<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Windows File Recovery (Windows)<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>Disk Drill has an easy-to-use graphical user interface, while PhotoRec and Windows File Recovery are command-line utilities with some notable limitations. Even though they can recover photos from an SD card for free, Windows File Recovery\u2019s recovery engine is very limited, and PhotoRec relies on signature-based scanning only, which means it doesn\u2019t preserve original file names, folder structure, or metadata.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 0px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"headingfaq2\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-faq2\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-faq2\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_recover_deleted_photos_from_a_memory_card_without_software\"><\/span>How to recover deleted photos from a memory card without software?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-faq2\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq2\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p>Unfortunately, it\u2019s not possible to recover deleted photos from a memory card without software. You can, however, go through your backups and look for them there. Some digital cameras automatically create backup copies and store them in the internal memory, so make sure to look there as well.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 0px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"headingfaq3\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-faq3\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-faq3\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"can_you_recover_deleted_photos_from_an_sd_card_if_you_used_it_afterward\"><\/span>Can you recover deleted photos from an SD card if you used it afterward?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-faq3\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq3\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p>You can, but your chances drop the more you use it. When you delete photos, the data stays on the card until something new writes over it. If you kept taking photos, some of that space may be replaced.<\/p>\r\n<p>You might recover everything, only part of it, or nothing at all; it depends on how much new data was written. The only way to know for sure is to scan the card with recovery software and see what\u2019s still there.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 0px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"headingfaq4\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-faq4\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-faq4\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_recover_deleted_photos_from_an_sd_card_on_an_android_phone\"><\/span>How to recover deleted photos from an SD card on an Android phone?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-faq4\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq4\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p>Android users can download an SD card recovery app called DiskDigger directly from the Google Play Store and use it to recover deleted photos with a few simple taps. But there\u2019s a catch &#8211; without root access, results are usually limited (often just thumbnails or cached versions).<\/p>\r\n<p>That doesn\u2019t mean you should rush to root your phone. Yes, rooting won\u2019t affect the SD card itself (unless the card was used as internal\/system storage), but the process will wipe the phone\u2019s internal memory and may also cause problems with certain apps afterward. For most, it\u2019s simply not worth the risk just for photo recovery.<\/p>\r\n<p>For better results, it\u2019s smarter to remove the SD card, connect it to a computer with a card reader, and scan it using desktop recovery software. That gives you a much deeper scan and a higher chance of getting full-quality photos back.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 01px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"headingfaq5\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-faq5\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-faq5\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"can_you_recover_photos_from_a_formatted_sd_card\"><\/span>Can you recover photos from a formatted SD card?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-faq5\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq5\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p>If your <a href=\"\/howto\/recover-formatted-sd.html\">SD card has been formatted<\/a>, then we will want to use a third-party recovery software to recover the files from the storage device. Keep in mind a formatted SD card doesn&#8217;t have the highest chance for data recovery, especially after a full format, but it&#8217;s worth trying. The good news is that if the card was formatted in a camera, it was most likely a quick format, which doesn\u2019t immediately erase the actual data. (Although some cameras can send an SD_ERASE command during formatting. Think of it as a TRIM-like operation for SD cards &#8211; it can permanently clear deleted data and make recovery impossible.)<\/p>\r\n<p>Use data recovery software of your choice and scan the SD card before you do anything else with it. We recommend starting with Disk Drill.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Accidentally deleted photos from your SD card? Good news: recovery is usually easier than you&#8217;d expect, and in most cases, you can do it yourself &#8211; it is actually not that hard to do. The same applies to most memory&#8230;","protected":false},"author":7884,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2634],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-25238","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sd-card-flash-drive-recovery-tips"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Recover Deleted SD Card Photos (2026)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Accidentally deleted or lost SD card photos? Follow our guide with 6 tested recovery methods for Windows, Mac &amp; Android.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-deleted-photos-sd-card.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Recover Deleted SD Card Photos (2026)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Accidentally deleted or lost SD card photos? Follow our guide with 6 tested recovery methods for Windows, Mac &amp; Android.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-deleted-photos-sd-card.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Data recovery tips. 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