{"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":"2026-09-30T14:51:37","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T14:51:37","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>SD cards and microSD cards travel with us everywhere we go because they are found in our mobile devices, cameras, and various electronic gadgets. As such, they are routinely exposed to handling, movement, and everyday mechanical wear. It\u2019s no wonder then that most people run into some kind of SD card problem sooner or later.<\/p>\r\n<p>The good news is that a card that looks broken and unreadable often isn&#8217;t. Many problems that feel like real damage can be fixed safely at home (no expensive recovery lab required). This guide shows you how to read the symptoms first, recover data from a damaged SD card when necessary, and then apply the fix that matches.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\"><b>Note:<\/b> When researching information for this article, we read through a couple of dozen Reddit threads about damaged SD cards and memory cards. About half of those discussions came down to logical issues, meaning problems in the file system rather than broken hardware. So in roughly one case out of two, a specialist recovery service isn&#8217;t needed. If the problem is logical, DIY recovery methods will most likely get your files back.<\/div>\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<p>SD card repair tools write to the card (typically by moving existing data around or by changing file attributes, and so on), and every write can overwrite files you still want back. That\u2019s why you should always start by recovering your files from the SD card while they are still readable. Once that\u2019s done, you can begin the repair process. So, if the files matter more to you than the card itself, <a href=\"#software\">jump to the data recovery steps<\/a>.<\/p>\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>Files are missing<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#software\">Recover your data first<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#attributes\">Fix File Attributes to Unhide Hidden Files<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#chkdsk\">Scan Using CHKDSK<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>The card can&#8217;t be opened or read<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#software\">Recover your data first<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#chkdsk\">Scan Using CHKDSK<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#error-checking\">Windows Error Checking Tool<\/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>The card isn&#8217;t recognized at all<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#different-device\">Access the SD Card Using a Different Device<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#drive-letter\">Assign a New Drive Letter<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#drivers\">Reinstall SD Card Drivers<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#software\">Recover your data as soon as the card shows up<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>The card shows the wrong capacity<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"#software\">Recover your data before you reformat<\/a><\/li>\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>The card is physically damaged<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Stop using the card, then <a href=\"#service\">send it to a 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=\"files_are_missing\"><\/span>Files are 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, file system directory catalogs can become corrupted, causing the system to treat the files as free space. Second, the files receive the hidden attribute, which causes them to appear deleted even though they are still in their original locations. Recover what you can first, then unhide the files or run a scan.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the_card_cant_be_opened_or_read\"><\/span>The card can&#8217;t be opened or read<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>: Your PC, phone, or camera sees the card, but it will not open. You may get an error asking you to format the card, or it may simply hang when you try to read it.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Explanation<\/b>: Usually, the file system is corrupted, or the card uses a file system your device cannot read. A worn-out card with too many bad sectors behaves the same way. Get your files off the card before you run any repair tool, because those tools write to it. If the card is just worn out, it might be best to buy a new one, just to be safe.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the_card_isnt_recognized_at_all\"><\/span>The card isn&#8217;t recognized at all<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 or computer, but the\u00a0<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. Once the card shows up again, recover your files before you try any repairs.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the_card_shows_the_wrong_capacity\"><\/span>The card shows the 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.<\/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. Formatting usually clears this up. It also erases the card, so copy your files off first.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the_card_is_physically_damaged\"><\/span>The card is physically damaged<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>Recovering data from a damaged SD or microSD card requires a tool capable of handling many kinds of data loss scenarios, and Disk Drill fits that description.<\/p>\r\n<p>As <a href=\"\/memory-card-data-recovery.html\">SD card data recovery software<\/a>, Disk Drill can scan memory cards in all sorts of damaged states. To do it safely, it lets you first create a disk image, which is a byte-to-byte backup of the card. Once you have it, you don\u2019t need to read the card again (great if it\u2019s on its last leg) since you can work exclusively from the image itself.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-secondary\" role=\"alert\"><b>Note:<\/b> We also have a <a href=\"\/howto\/best-sd-recovery-software.html\">list of the top memory card recovery software<\/a> if you want to compare more data recovery tools before you commit to Disk Drill.<\/div>\r\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how simple it is to back up a damaged SD card with Disk Drill:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Step 1:<\/b> <a href=\"\/download.html\">Download<\/a> Disk Drill from its official website and install it on your computer.<\/p>\r\n<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>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58248 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/disk-drill-installation.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill installation\" width=\"1928\" height=\"1262\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/disk-drill-installation.jpg 1928w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/disk-drill-installation-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/disk-drill-installation-500x327.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/disk-drill-installation-768x503.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/disk-drill-installation-1536x1005.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1928px) 100vw, 1928px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p><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.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Step 3:<\/b> Launch Disk Drill and select the Byte-to-byte Backup tool from the left pane.<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-62808 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-byte-to-byte.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill windows byte to byte\" width=\"2722\" height=\"1570\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-byte-to-byte.jpg 2722w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-byte-to-byte-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-byte-to-byte-500x288.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-byte-to-byte-768x443.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-byte-to-byte-1536x886.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-byte-to-byte-2048x1181.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2722px) 100vw, 2722px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Step 4:<\/b> Choose your damaged SD card and click the blue Byte-to-byte Backup button.<\/p>\r\n<p><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.<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-62809 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-backup-location.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill windows byte to byte location\" width=\"2722\" height=\"1568\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-backup-location.jpg 2722w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-backup-location-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-backup-location-500x288.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-backup-location-768x442.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-backup-location-1536x885.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-backup-location-2048x1180.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2722px) 100vw, 2722px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p>Now that your damaged SD card has been backed up into a convenient image file, you can set the physical card aside. You won\u2019t need to read it again for the next part because you can recover your lost data directly from the backup image.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Follow these steps to recover your data from the byte-to-byte backup image:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Step 1:<\/b> Switch to the Storage Devices tab and click on &#8220;Attach disk image.&#8221;<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-62820 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/attach-disk-image-windows.jpg\" alt=\"attach disk image windows\" width=\"2722\" height=\"1546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/attach-disk-image-windows.jpg 2722w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/attach-disk-image-windows-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/attach-disk-image-windows-500x284.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/attach-disk-image-windows-768x436.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/attach-disk-image-windows-1536x872.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/attach-disk-image-windows-2048x1163.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2722px) 100vw, 2722px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Step 2:<\/b> Select the byte-to-byte backup image you&#8217;ve just created and click &#8220;Open.&#8221;<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-62821 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/backup-image-open.jpg\" alt=\"backup image open\" width=\"2708\" height=\"1612\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/backup-image-open.jpg 2708w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/backup-image-open-300x179.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/backup-image-open-500x298.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/backup-image-open-768x457.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/backup-image-open-1536x914.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/backup-image-open-2048x1219.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2708px) 100vw, 2708px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p><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; Disk Drill then asks which scan you want. Universal Scan is the right default for most damaged cards. Advanced Camera Recovery can do better when you mainly want photos and video from a camera or drone, since it rebuilds media files that got fragmented.<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-62823 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-universal-scan.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill windows universal scan\" width=\"2746\" height=\"1572\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-universal-scan.jpg 2746w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-universal-scan-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-universal-scan-500x286.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-universal-scan-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-universal-scan-1536x879.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-windows-universal-scan-2048x1172.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2746px) 100vw, 2746px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p><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 the found items sooner. Just know that the list of results won&#8217;t be complete.<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-62825 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/review-found-items-disk-drill.jpg\" alt=\"review found items disk drill\" width=\"2724\" height=\"1572\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/review-found-items-disk-drill.jpg 2724w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/review-found-items-disk-drill-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/review-found-items-disk-drill-500x289.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/review-found-items-disk-drill-768x443.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/review-found-items-disk-drill-1536x886.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/review-found-items-disk-drill-2048x1182.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2724px) 100vw, 2724px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Step 5:<\/b> Select all the 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.<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-62827 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-found-files.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill found files\" width=\"2736\" height=\"1574\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-found-files.jpg 2736w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-found-files-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-found-files-500x288.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-found-files-768x442.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-found-files-1536x884.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-found-files-2048x1178.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2736px) 100vw, 2736px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p><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.<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-62828 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-recover-selected.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill recover selected\" width=\"2722\" height=\"1564\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-recover-selected.jpg 2722w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-recover-selected-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-recover-selected-500x287.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-recover-selected-768x441.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-recover-selected-1536x883.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-recover-selected-2048x1177.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2722px) 100vw, 2722px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Step 7<\/b>: Click the &#8220;Show recovered data in Explorer&#8221; option and verify that the files you expected were recovered successfully.<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-62829 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-show-in-explorer.jpg\" alt=\"disk drill show in explorer\" width=\"2732\" height=\"1582\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-show-in-explorer.jpg 2732w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-show-in-explorer-300x174.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-show-in-explorer-500x290.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-show-in-explorer-768x445.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-show-in-explorer-1536x889.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/disk-drill-show-in-explorer-2048x1186.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2732px) 100vw, 2732px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p>Disk Drill can scan a damaged memory card and work around read errors. It supports all popular memory card file systems and even handles RAW cards that show up as unformatted. Its signature scan capabilities can find hundreds of file types, including RAW photos and video file formats used by many makes and models, so the <a href=\"\/data-recovery-software.html\">data recovery<\/a> process can be successful even when the card looks like a lost cause.<\/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 of 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. The list below runs from the safest checks to the riskiest fixes, with formatting as the last resort.<\/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_access_the_sd_card_using_a_different_device\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 1:<\/span>  <span id=\"different-device\">Access the SD Card Using a Different Device<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\"><b>Important:<\/b> If you already got your files back and your computer sees the card fine, this step won&#8217;t add much. It&#8217;s aimed at cards that don&#8217;t show up at all, or at real trouble between a card and a device. A card that shows up but won&#8217;t open likely has a corrupted file system, and the later methods deal with that.<\/div>\r\n<p>You should start by trying the card in at least one other device that can read it because it can tell you whether the card is the problem or your main device is (you don&#8217;t need a second computer for this, since most Android phones, smart TVs, and game consoles read SD cards).<\/p>\r\n<p>A second device rules out a lot in one go. It covers a dead card slot, a bad adapter or reader, a worn cable, and size limits on the device you started with. Driver and OS quirks show up this way too. If you don&#8217;t have another device with a card slot, buy a cheap external card reader and test with that. Do this early, because the result changes which fix makes sense next.<\/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_2_fix_file_attributes_to_unhide_hidden_files\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 2:<\/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. Damage to the card itself doesn&#8217;t usually change these attributes, but issues with them can make files vanish from view, and that looks a lot like a card that&#8217;s dying.<\/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:*.* (replace X with the drive letter assigned to your SD card).<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_3_assign_a_new_drive_letter_to_the_sd_card\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 3:<\/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.<\/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_4_reinstall_sd_card_drivers\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 4:<\/span>  <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_5_scan_the_sd_card_using_chkdsk\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 5:<\/span>  <span id=\"chkdsk\">Scan the SD Card Using CHKDSK<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\"><b>Important:<\/b> This method and the two after it make changes to the card as they repair it, so get your files back first.<\/div>\r\n<p>CHKDSK is a file system repair utility in Windows, and you can use it to fix file system errors on an SD card with one simple command.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\"><b>Note:<\/b> Modern SD cards use an internal controller to manage bad blocks and remap data to spare blocks, so there\u2019s little reason to use CHKDSK\u2019s \/r option here. Instead, we\u2019ll use \/f to fix file system errors only.<\/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: \/f (replace X with the drive letter assigned to your SD card).<img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-59998\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CMD-CHKDSK-F-Command.png\" alt=\"Running chkdsk \/f command on the D drive\" width=\"630\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CMD-CHKDSK-F-Command.png 630w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CMD-CHKDSK-F-Command-300x190.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CMD-CHKDSK-F-Command-500x317.png 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\" \/><\/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_6_run_windows_error_checking_tool\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 6:<\/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. Like CHKDSK, it makes repairs by writing to the card.<\/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_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>Keep the Perform a quick format option checked, 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 Damaged 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 drive, 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>Most of the time the methods above will get your files back, but it\u2019s, of course, best if your card never becomes corrupted in the first place. Fortunately, there are a few habits that can help with that:<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Cut out the human error factor.<\/b> Most corruption is caused by bad user habits, so getting rid of them should be your top priority:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Wait for the camera to finish writing before you remove the card from the reader. If the access light is blinking or something on your screen indicates that writing is in progress, leave the card alone.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Don&#8217;t let your battery reach its last bar when writing data to an SD card. Low power in the middle of an active write is one way to interrupt a write process and introduce data corruption.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Use a decent card reader and a port that doesn&#8217;t wobble. Loose USB hubs and cheap adapters can drop the connection at the worst possible moment and interrupt write operations before they can finish properly.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Eject the card in your operating system before you remove it physically. Yanking it out while data is being written to it is <a href=\"https:\/\/forums.tomsguide.com\/threads\/sd-card-problem-wants-to-format-now-back-in-camera-wont-recognize-photos-help.108857\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">how stories like this one<\/a> start, and it&#8217;s the fastest way to turn a working card into a RAW one.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><b>Keep up with a little maintenance.<\/b> The following habits keep the file system stable and your devices in agreement over months of use:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Always format your SD card in the device it\u2019s intended for (so that the device automatically applies the best formatting settings). When formatting on a computer, you can use SD Association&#8217;s official <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sdcard.org\/downloads\/formatter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SD Memory Card Formatter<\/a>, but don\u2019t forget to format again before using the SD card in a camera, smartphone, or other similar device.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Try not to shuffle one card between multiple devices, such as a camera, a drone, a phone, and a dashcam. Each device has its own preferred way of storing data on the SD card, and they are not guaranteed to be mutually compatible. If you do need to move a card to another device, back up its contents first and then format it in the next device before you start using it there.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>If the same card keeps glitching, stop trusting it with anything you care about. Random disconnects, card errors that come back, files that show up as 0 KB, slow write warnings are all signs that something isn\u2019t right. A pattern of them usually means the card is degrading. ProGrade&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/progradedigital.com\/a-guide-to-maintaining-and-extending-the-life-of-your-memory-card\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">guide to memory card care<\/a> covers the same warning signs and when to swap a card out. A fresh card costs a lot less than a lost shoot.<\/p>\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=\"tldr\"><\/span>TL;DR<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Here&#8217;s the short version:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Unless the card is snapped into pieces or otherwise severely damaged, you can usually handle the recovery yourself, and software like Disk Drill does most of the work.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Plug the card into your PC and see if the software finds it. If it does, make a byte-to-byte image of the card and scan that image.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>If the software can&#8217;t see the card at all, check the connection first. Try another device, another card reader, another port.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>If none of that works, a professional data recovery service is the next step we recommend.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\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 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>If your SD card is logically damaged, first use Disk Drill to recover your files to another storage device. Once you&#8217;ve safely recovered your data, format the SD card to restore its file system and return it to a clean, usable state. Physical damage is much more difficult to deal with and typically requires 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, not 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 starts 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":"SD cards and microSD cards travel with us everywhere we go because they are found in our mobile devices, cameras, and various electronic gadgets. As such, they are routinely exposed to handling, movement, and everyday mechanical wear. It\u2019s no wonder&#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 (2026)<\/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 (2026)\" \/>\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 (2026)\" \/>\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=\"23 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Recover Deleted Files from a Damaged SD Card (2026)","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 (2026)","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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