{"id":8361,"date":"2020-01-09T00:48:54","date_gmt":"2020-01-09T00:48:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?p=8361"},"modified":"2024-04-23T12:38:31","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T12:38:31","slug":"everything-need-know-damaged-sd-card-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-damaged-sd-card.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Recover Data from a Damaged SD Card"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Modern electronic devices, from smartphones to digital cameras, heavily rely on SD cards\u2014both full-sized SD cards and microSD cards\u2014to store important files. However, with frequent use comes the risk of damage, which can manifest in two main forms: logical and physical.<\/p>\r\n<p>Logical damage refers to issues with the file system or data deletion\/corruption, while physical damage involves the actual hardware of the memory card being compromised. This article is primarily focused on the recovery of logically damaged SD cards, but we will also outline our recommended approach for the recovery of physically damaged SD cards.<\/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\/T46o7amIFs4\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"signs_and_possible_causes_of_a_damagedbroken_sd_memory_card\"><\/span>Signs and Possible Causes of a Damaged\/Broken SD Memory Card<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<div class=\"table_wrapper table_heading\"><p><\/p>\r\n<table>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><b>Problem<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td><b>Solution<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><b>Files are missing<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#software\">Retrieve Data from a Damaged SD Card with Data Recovery Software<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><b>SD card not detected<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#service\">Use Data Recovery Service for Damaged SD Card Recovery<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#drive-letter\">Assign a New Drive Letter to the SD Card<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#different-device\">Access the SD Card Using a Different Device<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><b>Read\/write errors<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#chkdsk\">Scan the SD Card Using CHKDSK<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#error-checking\">Run Windows Error Checking Tool<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#drivers\">Reinstall SD Card Drivers<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><b>Wrong capacity<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#format\">Format the SD Card<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><b>Unknown files present<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#chkdsk\">Scan the SD Card Using CHKDSK<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#error-checking\">Run Windows Error Checking Tool<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><b>Visible physical damage<br \/>\r\n<\/b><\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#service\">Send the SD Card to a Professional Data Recovery Service<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<p><\/div>\r\n<p>When doctors diagnose their patients, they look for symptoms, which are clear signs that something is not right. Experienced doctors can recognize various symptoms so well that they can make the right diagnosis way before the lab results come in and confirm it.<\/p>\r\n<p>Just like the human body, storage devices typically show certain signs when there\u2019s something wrong with them. Here are some of the most common signs indicating that an SD memory card is corrupted:<\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"sd_card_not_detected\"><\/span>SD card not detected<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><img class=\"alignright wp-image-47325 size-full\" role=\"img\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/sd-card-not-detected.svg\" alt=\"SD card not detected\" width=\"80\" height=\"80\" \/><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Sign<\/b>: You insert your SD card into your camera\u2019s or computer\u2019s SD card, but the <a href=\"\/howto\/fix-sd-card-not-showing-up.html\">card doesn\u2019t show up<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Explanation:<\/b> This common sign of SD card damage can be caused by extensive file system corruption or an incompatible file system. The file system may have become damaged due to improper ejection, power loss, or other factors. Additionally, some devices may not recognize certain file systems used by the SD card.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"readwrite_errors\"><\/span>Read\/write errors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><img class=\"alignright wp-image-47326 size-full\" role=\"img\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/sd-card-write-errors.svg\" alt=\"damaged sd card recovery\" width=\"80\" height=\"80\" \/><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Sign<\/b>: You take a picture, but your camera displays an error message, telling you that it was unable to write the file to your SD card.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Explanation<\/b>: Errors like this may be a sign of a worn-out SD card with too many bad sectors. You can attempt to repair it using the methods below, but it might be best to get a new SD card instead\u2014just to be safe.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"wrong_capacity\"><\/span>Wrong capacity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><img class=\"alignright wp-image-47327 size-full\" role=\"img\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/sd-card-wrong-capacity.svg\" alt=\"physically broken sd card recovery\" width=\"80\" height=\"80\" \/><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Sign<\/b>: Your SD card is supposed to have a capacity of, let\u2019s say 64 GB, but your camera or computer sees less than that. \u00a0<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Explanation<\/b>: SD cards sometimes display the wrong capacity when they are formatted improperly or when the partition table, which is a table that describes how the storage device on which it\u2019s located is formatted, becomes damaged.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"files_missing\"><\/span>Files missing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><img class=\"alignright wp-image-47324 size-full\" role=\"img\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/sd-card-missing-files.svg\" alt=\"recover damaged sd card\" width=\"80\" height=\"80\" \/><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Sign<\/b>: You open the content of your SD card but discover that certain files that should be there are missing.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Explanation<\/b>: Files suddenly disappear from memory cards for two main reasons. First, they become so damaged that they start to become indistinguishable from empty storage space. Second, the files receive the hidden attribute, which causes them to appear deleted even though they are still in their original locations.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"unknown_files_present\"><\/span>Unknown files present<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><img class=\"alignright wp-image-47323 size-full\" role=\"img\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/sd-card-malware.svg\" alt=\"broken sd card recovery\" width=\"80\" height=\"80\" \/><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Sign<\/b>: You open the content of your SD card and discover unknown files that shouldn\u2019t be there. These files typically have strange names and sometimes lack file extensions. \u00a0<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Explanation<\/b>: Unknown files may appear on your SD card for several different reasons, including file system damage, malware attack, software bug, and user error. In many cases, you can simply delete them and move on. But if they appear again, then you need to investigate the issue more carefully.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"visible_physical_damage\"><\/span>Visible physical damage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><img class=\"alignright wp-image-49954 size-full\" role=\"img\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Visible-physical-damage.svg\" alt=\"Sd card with visible damage\" width=\"81\" height=\"80\" \/><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Sign:<\/b> Your SD card has visible physical damage, such as cracks, bends, or broken parts.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Explanation:<\/b> Physical damage to an SD card can occur due to various reasons, such as improper handling, accidental drops, or exposure to extreme conditions. When an SD card is physically broken, it may not function correctly, and data stored on it may become inaccessible. In some cases, the damage may be severe enough to render the card completely unusable. If you notice any physical damage to your SD card, you should stop using it immediately and seek professional data recovery services to retrieve your data.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"software\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_retrieve_data_from_a_damaged_sd_card_with_data_recovery_software\"><\/span>How to Retrieve Data from a Damaged SD Card with Data Recovery Software<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Whenever you lose important data due to logical SD card damage, your first step should be to back up and recover the broken SD card using <a href=\"\/howto\/best-sd-recovery-software.html\">SD card data recovery software<\/a>\u00a0designed specifically to locate fragments of files on a half-functioning or non-functioning storage medium and recover them back.<\/p>\r\n<p>One SD card data recovery software application that can be used to create a byte-to-byte backup of any logically damaged SD card and reliably recover data from it is Disk Drill.\u00a0 This tool allows you to attempt data recovery without further manipulating the original SD card, which might risk causing additional damage or data loss.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how simple it is to back up a damaged SD card with Disk Drill:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Step 1:<\/b>\u00a0<a href=\"\/download-disk-drill-windows.html\">Download<\/a> Disk Drill from its official website and install it on your computer.<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><img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-46353 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/install-disk-drill-5.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill install\" width=\"1891\" height=\"1178\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/install-disk-drill-5.jpg 1891w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/install-disk-drill-5-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/install-disk-drill-5-500x311.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/install-disk-drill-5-768x478.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/install-disk-drill-5-1536x957.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1891px) 100vw, 1891px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Step 2:<\/b> Connect the damaged SD card to your computer. Should you encounter prompts from Windows suggesting formatting the device to make it usable again, resist the urge to do so as it could lead to further data loss or, in the worst case, make data recovery completely impossible.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Step 3:<\/b> Launch Disk Drill and select the Drive Backup tool from the left pane.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Step 4:<\/b> Choose your damaged SD card and click the blue Byte-to-byte Backup button. <img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47777 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-sd-card-byte-to-byte-backup.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill sd card byte to byte backup\" width=\"1350\" height=\"763\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-sd-card-byte-to-byte-backup.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-sd-card-byte-to-byte-backup-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-sd-card-byte-to-byte-backup-500x283.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-sd-card-byte-to-byte-backup-768x434.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1350px) 100vw, 1350px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Step 5:<\/b> Tell Disk Drill where it should save the backup image and click OK. Depending on the size and speed of your SD card, it might take a while for the backup process to finish, so be patient and don&#8217;t interrupt it.\u00a0<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47778 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-sd-card-byte-to-byte-backup-destination.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill sd card byte to byte backup destination\" width=\"1361\" height=\"763\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-sd-card-byte-to-byte-backup-destination.jpg 1361w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-sd-card-byte-to-byte-backup-destination-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-sd-card-byte-to-byte-backup-destination-500x280.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-sd-card-byte-to-byte-backup-destination-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1361px) 100vw, 1361px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Now that your damaged SD card has been backed up into a convenient image file, you can safely store it someplace safe because you won&#8217;t need it for the next part, which is the recovery of your lost data from the backup image.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Follow these steps to recover your data from the byte-to-byte backup image:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>Step 1:<\/b> Switch to the Storage Devices tab and click on &#8220;Attach disk image.&#8221;\u00a0<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47779 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-attach-disk-image.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill attach disk image\" width=\"1339\" height=\"761\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-attach-disk-image.jpg 1339w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-attach-disk-image-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-attach-disk-image-500x284.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-attach-disk-image-768x436.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1339px) 100vw, 1339px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Step 2:<\/b> Select the byte-to-byte backup image you&#8217;ve just created and click &#8220;Open.&#8221;<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47780 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-open-image.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill open image\" width=\"1348\" height=\"756\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-open-image.jpg 1348w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-open-image-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-open-image-500x280.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-open-image-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1348px) 100vw, 1348px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Step 3<\/b>: Choose the image you&#8217;ve just mounted from the list of available storage devices and click &#8220;Search for lost data.&#8221;<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47781 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-image-search-for-lost-data.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill image search for lost data\" width=\"1356\" height=\"767\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-image-search-for-lost-data.jpg 1356w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-image-search-for-lost-data-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-image-search-for-lost-data-500x283.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-image-search-for-lost-data-768x434.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1356px) 100vw, 1356px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Step 4<\/b>: Wait until Disk Drill completes the analysis of the image and then click on &#8220;Review found items&#8221; to see the results. If you don&#8217;t want to wait until the end of the scanning process, then you can choose to review found items sooner. Just know that the list of results won&#8217;t be complete.\u00a0\u00a0<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47782 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-review-found-items.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill review found items\" width=\"1339\" height=\"761\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-review-found-items.jpg 1339w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-review-found-items-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-review-found-items-500x284.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-review-found-items-768x436.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1339px) 100vw, 1339px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Step 5:<\/b> Select all data you want to recover. By default, Disk Drill displays Deleted, Reconstructed, as well as Existing files. If you&#8217;re looking only for files that have been, for example, deleted by mistake, then you can click the Show button and configure Disk Drill to display nothing but them. You can also take advantage of Disk Drill&#8217;s other filters, its search bar, and its preview feature to locate what you&#8217;re looking for.<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47783 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-scan-filters.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill scan filters\" width=\"1345\" height=\"764\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-scan-filters.jpg 1345w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-scan-filters-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-scan-filters-500x284.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-scan-filters-768x436.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1345px) 100vw, 1345px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Step 6<\/b>: Click the &#8220;Recover&#8221; button and then specify a location for your recovered data. Click &#8220;Next&#8221; to save your data to the specified location. <img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-49956 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/disk-drill-recover-button.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill recovery button\" width=\"1356\" height=\"761\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/disk-drill-recover-button.jpg 1356w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/disk-drill-recover-button-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/disk-drill-recover-button-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/disk-drill-recover-button-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1356px) 100vw, 1356px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Step 7<\/b>: Click the &#8220;Show recovered data in Explorer&#8221; option and check if your data has really all been successfully recovered (it almost certainly has).\u00a0<img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47785 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-show-data-in-explorer.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill show data in explorer\" width=\"1346\" height=\"772\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-show-data-in-explorer.jpg 1346w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-show-data-in-explorer-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-show-data-in-explorer-500x287.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-show-data-in-explorer-768x440.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1346px) 100vw, 1346px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Using sophisticated\u00a0<a href=\"\/data-recovery-software.html\">data recovery<\/a> algorithms and an extensive database of more than 400 file signatures, Disk Drill will recover all data that would otherwise be forever lost, and it will do so quickly, affordably, and on demand.<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_fix_a_damaged_or_physically_broken_sd_card_with_and_without_formatting\"><\/span>How to Fix a Damaged or Physically Broken SD Card with and without Formatting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>For every problem, there\u2019s a solution; and for every damaged SD card, there are several.<\/p>\r\n<p>Some ways\u00a0of recovering data from a damaged SD card don\u2019t require formatting, while others do. You can read our <a href=\"\/howto\/fix-corrupted-sd-card.html\">comprehensive overview of 11 solutions<\/a> on how to fix a corrupted SD card and repair logical damage to familiarize yourself with the most available methods before you commit to any specific one.<\/p>\r\n<p>But if you\u2019re short on time and are interested only in the most effective methods, you can simply read the following quick summary of multiple major solutions on how to fix a damaged SD card (with and without a computer):<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_1_scan_the_sd_card_using_chkdsk\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 1:<\/span>  <span id=\"chkdsk\">Scan the SD Card Using CHKDSK<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>CHKDSK is a file system repair utility in Windows, and you can use it to recover a damaged SD card with one simple command.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\"><b>Note:<\/b> When CHKDSK encounters bad blocks, it should copy the data stored in them before excluding them from use. However, this doesn&#8217;t always happen successfully. Therefore, it\u2019s advisable to first recover and save files from the SD card or at least create a backup to protect against data loss.<\/div>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Open the Command Prompt by typing \u201ccmd\u201d in the search box on the taskbar.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Enter the following command and press Enter: chkdsk X: \/r (replace X with the letter assigned to your SD card).<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47866 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/chkdsk-command-on-sd-card.jpg\" alt=\"physically broken sd card recovery cmd\" width=\"2183\" height=\"1312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/chkdsk-command-on-sd-card.jpg 2183w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/chkdsk-command-on-sd-card-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/chkdsk-command-on-sd-card-500x301.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/chkdsk-command-on-sd-card-768x462.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/chkdsk-command-on-sd-card-1536x923.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/chkdsk-command-on-sd-card-2048x1231.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2183px) 100vw, 2183px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Wait for CHKDSK to finish.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_2_access_the_sd_card_using_a_different_device\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 2:<\/span>  <span id=\"different-device\">Access the SD Card Using a Different Device<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>While not exactly a fix, this method is often all it takes to access an unreadable SD card and copy all data from it to a safe location. Best of all, you don\u2019t even need another computer since most Android smartphones, smart TVs, and video game consoles can read SD cards.<\/p>\r\n<p>If you don&#8217;t have another device with an SD card slot, then at least buy a cheap external memory card reader to rule out the possibility of your current memory card reader (internal or external) being the cause of your issues.<\/p>\r\n<p>More tech-savvy users can create a live USB drive with a Linux distribution that supports a wide range of file systems, like <a href=\"https:\/\/ubuntu.com\/tutorials\/create-a-usb-stick-on-ubuntu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ubuntu<\/a>, and use it to access the files stored on the SD card. This approach allows you to bypass potential compatibility issues with file systems that Windows doesn\u2019t recognize.<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_3_fix_file_attributes_to_unhide_hidden_files\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 3:<\/span>  <span  id=\"attributes\">Fix File Attributes to Unhide Hidden Files<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Your files have various attributes that specify how they can be displayed and manipulated. When file attributes become messed up, bad things can happen, such as you losing the ability to access them.<\/p>\r\n<p>The good news is that you can fix file attributes to unhide hidden files with a single command.<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Open the Start menu, type \u201cTerminal\u201d in the search box, and launch the Terminal app as administrator.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Enter the following command and press Enter: ATTRIB -H -R -S \/S \/D X:*.*<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47872 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/use-attrib-command-on-sd-card.jpg\" alt=\"attrib command powershell\" width=\"1815\" height=\"668\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/use-attrib-command-on-sd-card.jpg 1815w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/use-attrib-command-on-sd-card-300x110.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/use-attrib-command-on-sd-card-500x184.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/use-attrib-command-on-sd-card-768x283.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/use-attrib-command-on-sd-card-1536x565.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1815px) 100vw, 1815px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_4_run_windows_error_checking_tool\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 4:<\/span>  <span id=\"error-checking\">Run Windows Error Checking Tool<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>In addition to the CHKDSK file system repair utility, Windows comes with a graphical error checking tool that does basically the same thing but differently.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">As mentioned in the CHKDSK method, it&#8217;s advisable to protect your data first before running this utility. Even though this tool is designed to repair file system errors, there is still a risk of potential data loss or file corruption, especially in cases where the SD card has bad sectors.<\/div>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Launch File Explorer.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select This PC from the left pane.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Right-click your SD card.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select the Properties option.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Go to the Tools tab.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the Check button under Error checking.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47873 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/run-error-check-on-sd-card-1.jpg\" alt=\"check sd card windows explorer - annotated\" width=\"1682\" height=\"1075\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/run-error-check-on-sd-card-1.jpg 1682w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/run-error-check-on-sd-card-1-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/run-error-check-on-sd-card-1-500x320.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/run-error-check-on-sd-card-1-768x491.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/run-error-check-on-sd-card-1-1536x982.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1682px) 100vw, 1682px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Wait for the tool to check your SD card for file system errors.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_5_assign_a_new_drive_letter_to_the_sd_card\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 5:<\/span>  <span  id=\"drive-letter\">Assign a New Drive Letter to the SD Card<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Is your SD card detected by Windows but impossible to access because it&#8217;s not listed as an available storage device? Then it&#8217;s possible that it doesn&#8217;t have a drive letter assigned to it. And if the SD card has a drive letter, but you can\u2019t access its contents, changing the drive letter might help resolve the issue by forcing the system to reinitialize the card.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<p>Follow these steps to assign a new drive letter:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Press Win + X and select Disk Management.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Right-click your SD card and select the Change Drive Letter and Paths option.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47865 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/change-drive-letter.jpg\" alt=\"disk management drive letter change highlight\" width=\"1867\" height=\"1236\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/change-drive-letter.jpg 1867w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/change-drive-letter-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/change-drive-letter-500x331.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/change-drive-letter-768x508.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/change-drive-letter-1536x1017.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1867px) 100vw, 1867px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the Add button to assign a new drive letter to the SD card.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47870 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/select-new-drive-letter.jpg\" alt=\"drive letter change confirm highlight\" width=\"1867\" height=\"1236\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/select-new-drive-letter.jpg 1867w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/select-new-drive-letter-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/select-new-drive-letter-500x331.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/select-new-drive-letter-768x508.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/select-new-drive-letter-1536x1017.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1867px) 100vw, 1867px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>You can also use the Disk Management utility to change an existing drive letter by selecting the Change option instead of the Add option.<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_6_reinstall_sd_card_drivers\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 6:<\/span>  \u00a0<span id=\"drivers\">Reinstall SD Card Drivers<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Your SD card communicates with your operating system and all software running on it with the help of system drivers. A faulty operating system update or poorly thought-out tinkering attempt can damage system drivers and make it impossible to access the content of your SD card. To fix this problem, you need to reinstall SD card drivers.<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Press Win + X and select Device Manager.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Expand the portable devices section.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Right-click your SD card and choose the Uninstall device option.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47871 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/uninstall-device-in-device-manger.jpg\" alt=\"uninstall driver windows\" width=\"1626\" height=\"1034\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/uninstall-device-in-device-manger.jpg 1626w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/uninstall-device-in-device-manger-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/uninstall-device-in-device-manger-500x318.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/uninstall-device-in-device-manger-768x488.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/uninstall-device-in-device-manger-1536x977.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1626px) 100vw, 1626px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Disconnect the SD card from your computer.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Restart your computer and connect your SD card. Windows will automatically install the correct drivers.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\"><b>Tip:<\/b> If the above steps don\u2019t help, you can try finding and installing the latest SD card drivers manually from the manufacturer&#8217;s website. For example, Sony distributes their SD card drivers on this support page.<\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_7_format_the_sd_card\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 7:<\/span>  <span  id=\"format\">Format the SD Card<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Yes, we understand that you want to avoid formatting, but if your SD card is triggering all kinds of error messages or refusing to cooperate at all, then it might really be best to format it and start from scratch.<\/p>\r\n<p>Formatting isn&#8217;t actually as destructive as it seems (at least when the Quick format method is used). What happens when you format an SD card or any other storage device is that all storage space is marked as empty, allowing new data to be stored in its place. Until that happens, the original data is still exactly where it was, and you can restore it using data recovery software by following the instructions provided earlier in this article.<\/p>\r\n<p>Of course, formatting is still an inherently risky thing to do when dealing with a damaged SD card as it could potentially further the card\u2019s damage, so we recommend creating a full SD card backup as a precautionary measure. Once the backup is ready, you can follow these steps:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Press Win + X and select Disk Management.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Right-click your SD card and select the Format option.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Uncheck the Perform a quick format option, choose your file system (FAT32 is a good choice if you\u2019re not sure), and click OK.<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-47867 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/format-sd-card.jpg\" alt=\"sd card is damaged try reformatting it in windows\" width=\"1586\" height=\"968\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/format-sd-card.jpg 1586w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/format-sd-card-300x183.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/format-sd-card-500x305.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/format-sd-card-768x469.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/format-sd-card-1536x937.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1586px) 100vw, 1586px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h2 id=\"service\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"use_data_recovery_service_for_damaged_sd_card_recovery\"><\/span>Use Data Recovery Service for\u00a0Damaged SD Card Recovery<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-30123 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/data-recovery-center.jpg\" alt=\"professional damaged sd card recovery\" width=\"864\" height=\"481\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/data-recovery-center.jpg 864w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/data-recovery-center-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/data-recovery-center-500x278.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/data-recovery-center-768x428.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p>It\u2019s true that SD card data recovery software like Disk Drill can quickly and reliably recover lost data from most corrupted memory cards, but it can\u2019t retrieve data from physically broken SD cards that no longer function properly.<\/p>\r\n<p>Instead of attempting to perform a DIY repair of the broken SD card (something that rarely has a successful ending), you should instead send the SD card to a <a href=\"\/data-recovery-center.html\">professional data recovery center<\/a> and let it recover your data for you.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how most professional data recovery centers work:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>You initiate your data recovery request by providing as much detail about the affected medium, the circumstances surrounding the data loss, and the lost data.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>You pack and ship your storage device using a provided address label that you can simply print and attach to your package.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>A data recovery professional will examine the storage device and get back to you with a free failure report and a guaranteed price quote.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>You approve the quote and wait for your data.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>The data recovery center will ship your data back to you on a DVD, flash, or external hard drive.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_prevent_an_sd_card_from_getting_corrupted\"><\/span>How to Prevent an SD Card from Getting Corrupted<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Usually, SD card corruption can be solved using the tools and techniques described in this article\u2014but not always. To avoid losing important data, you should learn how to prevent your SD card from getting corrupted in the first place, and you can start by familiarizing yourself with the following tips and tricks:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>&#x23cf;&#xfe0f;\u00a0<b>Always safely eject<\/b>: Don\u2019t be lazy and always click the eject button before you yank out your SD card from your SD card reader. The eject button will ensure that all read\/write operations have finished, preventing logical damage, especially corruption.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f6e1;&#xfe0f;\u00a0<b>Use a protective case<\/b>: SD cards are fragile, and the teensy-weensy plastic case that protects the flash memory chip just doesn\u2019t do it in harsher conditions. A protective case doesn\u2019t cost much, but it can go a long way in helping your SD card survive close encounters with water and other elements.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>1&#xfe0f;&#x20e3; <b>One card per device<\/b>: It\u2019s always a good idea to dedicate each SD card to a specific device. Some devices don\u2019t like to share storage space with others, and they may corrupt important data stored by other devices.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f939;&#x200d;&#x2642;&#xfe0f; <b>More is merrier<\/b>: Instead of putting all your eggs in one basket, you should buy multiple SD cards and switch between them. That way, you will still have at least some of your data even if one of your SD cards becomes irreparably damaged.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f4b0; <b>Spend extra, worry less<\/b>: Brand-name SD cards are more reliable than their no-name counterparts\u2014that\u2019s an indisputable fact. By spending a few extra dollars when buying a new SD card, you can save yourself a lot of trouble later.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\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\/05\/sd-card-icon.png\" alt=\"microSD card recovery\" width=\"512\" height=\"512\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">How to Recover Files from a Corrupted SD Card<\/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\/sd-card.png\" alt=\"sd card recovery\" width=\"144\" height=\"144\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/recover-formatted-sd.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">Recover Formatted SD Card<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Just because your SD card has become damaged doesn&#8217;t necessarily mean that the files stored on it are gone for good. In this article, we&#8217;ve described multiple methods that you can use to fix the damage and recover your files. We hope that at least one method will produce the desired results and help you avoid a data loss disaster.<\/p>\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=\"can_a_damaged_sd_card_be_recovered\"><\/span>Can a damaged SD card be recovered?<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>Yes, most damaged SD cards can be recovered, either using professional data recovery software or data recovery services. To ensure successful recovery, you need to stop using the SD card as soon as possible because you could otherwise overwrite your lost files and make them unrecoverable.<\/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_data_from_a_damaged_sd_card\"><\/span>How to recover data from a damaged 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-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>To recover data from a damaged SD card, you need to:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Download, install and launch Disk Drill data recovery application.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Connect the physically damaged SD card to your computer.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Scan the damaged SD card.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Preview the files that can be recovered.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Recover your files to a safe location.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><\/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=\"what_happens_if_your_sd_card_is_damaged\"><\/span>What happens if your SD card is damaged?<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>That depends on whether we\u2019re talking about physical or logical damage. Physical damage may cause the actual flash memory chip on which data is stored to stop working, while logical damage may cause files to disappear.<\/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_do_you_fix_a_damaged_sd_card_without_losing_data\"><\/span>How do you fix a damaged SD card without losing data?<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>When it comes to logical damage, your best bet is SD card recovery software, which can be used to undelete lost files with a few simple clicks. Physical damage is much more difficult to deal with, typically requiring the services of a professional data recovery center.<\/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=\"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=\"how_to_repair_a_damaged_sd_card_without_formatting\"><\/span>How to repair a damaged SD card without formatting?<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>Modern operating systems come with utilities that make it possible to repair logical damage without formatting. Windows has a command-line tool called CHKDSK, while macOS has the First Aid feature in Disk Utility.<\/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=\"headingfaq6\">\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-faq6\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-faq6\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"can_you_recover_pictures_from_a_broken_sd_card\"><\/span>Can you recover pictures from a broken 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-faq6\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq6\" 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 the SD card has been physically broken, and the flash memory chip isn\u2019t in one piece anymore, then it\u2019s likely that you won\u2019t be able to recover your pictures\u2014not even with the help of professional data recovery services.<\/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=\"headingfaq7\">\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-faq7\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-faq7\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_do_i_know_if_my_microsd_card_is_damaged\"><\/span>How do I know if my microSD card is damaged?<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-faq7\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"headingfaq7\" 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 tell that your microSD card is damaged if it start to show one or more signs of SD card damage, which we describe in detail in this article.<\/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":"Modern electronic devices, from smartphones to digital cameras, heavily rely on SD cards\u2014both full-sized SD cards and microSD cards\u2014to store important files. However, with frequent use comes the risk of damage, which can manifest in two main forms: logical and&#8230;","protected":false},"author":7868,"featured_media":47785,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2634],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8361","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"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 Files from a Damaged SD Card (2024)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In some cases, deleted files can be recovered even from damaged SD cards, and we explain how in this article, providing step-by-step instructions.\" \/>\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-damaged-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 Files from a Damaged SD Card (2024)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In some cases, deleted files can be recovered even from damaged SD cards, and we explain how in this article, providing step-by-step instructions.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-damaged-sd-card.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Data recovery tips. Recover deleted files on Mac, Windows.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-show-data-in-explorer.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1346\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"772\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"David Morelo\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"How to Recover Deleted Files from a Damaged SD Card (2024)\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"In some cases, deleted files can be recovered even from damaged SD cards, and we explain how in this article, providing step-by-step instructions.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/disk-drill-show-data-in-explorer.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@MoreloWrites\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Cleverfiles\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"David Morelo\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"20 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Recover Deleted Files from a Damaged SD Card (2024)","description":"In some cases, deleted files can be recovered even from damaged SD cards, and we explain how in this article, providing step-by-step instructions.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-damaged-sd-card.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Recover Deleted Files from a Damaged SD Card (2024)","og_description":"In some cases, deleted files can be recovered even from damaged SD cards, and we explain how in this article, providing step-by-step instructions.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-damaged-sd-card.html","og_site_name":"Data recovery tips. 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