How To Recover Formatted SD Card [2026 Updated]

Accidentally formatting your SD card on Windows and Mac, and losing all those photos, videos, or important files, would feel like a gut punch. Now, you just want to recover formatted SD card, right now, without spending big bucks to do it.

But the first thing is whether can you recover formatted SD card? To know the answer to this, alongside 4 solutions, read this article below!

Part 1: Is It Possible to Recover Data From Formatted SD Card?

Whether can you recover formatted SD card depends on how you’ve formatted the card. A quick format will only remove the file system, not the actual data. The files are hidden but still there, so you can recover files from formatted SD card on Mac and Windows with a specialized memory card recovery software.

However, if it’s an SSD instead of an HDD, the TRIM feature can reduce the chances of recovery. On the other hand, a full format will overwrite the data, and this will permanently erase it. So you won’t be able to recover data from formatted SD card in this case.

Part 2: Tips for Successful Formatted SD Card Recovery

You’ll definitely want to know how to recover files from SD card after formatting. But before we share the solutions, you might want to learn about some tips. Without them, you’ll lose your best chance at a successful retrieval. Here they are:

Remove the SD card from your camera or phone right away and keep it safe to prevent damage.
Don’t add new data to the card, as this can overwrite your old files.
Employ a trustworthy formatted SD card recovery or contact a professional data recovery service.
Act quickly, as the sooner you try, the better your chances will be at recovery.

Part 3: How to Recover Data From Formatted SD Card With Software?

Here’s how to recover files from SD card after formatting with 4 free specialized formatted SD card recovery tools:

Option A: 4DDiG Data Recovery

4DDiG Data Recovery is a professional tool to recover files from formatted SD card on Mac and Windows. It offers up to 2GB of free formatted SD card recovery for Windows users, and can also retrieve corrupted, hidden, and erased files. The tool has an easy-to-use but intuitive interface, and can retrieve data from numerous internal/external storage media.

Moreover, it can extract 2000+ file types, including audio, RAW files, images, documents, videos, and more. 4DDiG offers a Quick and Deep Scan Mode, a free preview of extracted files, and selective file recovery. Here’s how to recover files from SD card after formatting with 4DDiG Data Recovery:

Step 1: Attach your formatted memory card to your computer. Then, execute the SD card recovery tool on the same PC or Mac.

Step 2: Pick the SD card from the interface. Choose the file types you wish to retrieve. Hit “Scan.” You can pause or stop the scan once you find your desired files.

Step 3: Adjust filters and input keywords in the search bar to find the exact matches. Preview the recovered memory card files. Hit “Recover” to export them to your computer or cloud drive.

Option B: RescuePro

SanDisk RescuePRO is a data recovery tool designed only for flash storage devices. Its free version lets you scan and preview files, while the paid version allows you to save them. The tool can recover data from formatted SD cards, USB drives, and CompactFlash cards. Moreover, it supports hundreds of file types such as photos, videos, audio, documents, and archives.

Its Deluxe version also adds support for more RAW image formats and fragmented videos from professional cameras. However, RescuPro cannot recover data from internal or external hard drives, and has an outdated interface compared to newer recovery tools. Here’s how to recover photos from formatted SD card or other files using RescuePro:

Step 1: Attach your formatted SD card to your computer. Install and execute RescuePro on the same PC.

Step 2: Choose what you want to recover: Photos, Video/Audio, or All Files. Then, pick your SD card from the drive list. Hit “Start.”

Step 3: After the scan, preview the list of recovered files. They’ll be automatically saved to your computer. Click the “Output Folder” to find them.

Option C: Recuva

Recuva is a Windows-only free data recovery tool that lets you scan and recover data from formatted SD card at no cost or file size limitations. It offers both a fast Quick Scan and a deeper Deep Scan, allows previewing some files like common images, and includes a secure file deletion feature. However, it lacks support for many modern file formats, including newer RAW photos and videos.

The tool also faces issues with formatted or corrupted drives and often cannot detect SD cards that Windows cannot read. Its color-coded recovery status (green/yellow/red) is frequently inaccurate, preview and customer support are limited, and advanced features like pausing scans are missing. Here’s how to recover photos from formatted SD card and other files with Recuva:

Step 1: Attach your formatted SD card to your computer. Then, execute Recuva. When the Wizard appears, click “Next” to begin.

Step 2: Select the type of files you want to recover (for example, Pictures). Hit “Next.”

Step 3: Choose “On my media card or iPod.” Hit “Next.” Check “Enable Deep Scan.” Hit “Start.” This is required to recover formatted SD card.

Step 4: Let the scan finish, preview files if available, and select the ones you want to recover. Hit “Recover” and save the files to your computer’s hard drive.

Option D: Windows File Recovery

Windows File Recovery is a free data retrieval tool made by Microsoft for recovering lost files from internal drives, external drives, USB devices, and SD cards. It uses a command-line interface and supports different scan modes (/regular and /extensive) based on the file system, such as NTFS, FAT32, and exFAT.

The tool allows filtering by file type, like .jpg or .docx, and functions well for recovering recently formatted files. However, it is difficult for non-technical users, offers no preview, and can be unstable when scanning exFAT drives used by SD cards. Besides, it often cannot restore the original file names or folders after formatting. Here’s how to recover photos from formatted SD card or other files with Windows File Recovery:

Step 1: Attach your formatted memory card to a computer. Download the Windows File Recovery tool from the Microsoft Store. Execute it with “Command Prompt.”

Step 2: For example, to find formatted “.mp3” files in your SD card, type the following command:

winfr C: D: /r /n *.mp3. (This will find all formatted .mp3 files in drive C and export them in drive D). You can replace the letter C with your memory card’s number and letter D with your computer’s hard drive, where you wish to save the recovered “.mp3” files.

Part 4: Why It’s Hard to Recover Formatted SD Card Files from Backups?

Recovering formatted SD card files from backups is quite difficult. This is because most built-in backup tools, like File History in Windows, and Time Machine in macOS, by default, do not automatically back up external storage media such as SD cards.

Though you can include the SD card’s backup manually, the card must be connected during the backup, which many users don’t realize. Even when a backup exists, it is often incomplete. New photos, videos, or files on the SD card may not have been backed up yet, so the most important data is often missing, making it difficult to recover files from formatted SD card on Mac or Windows.

Final Words

Whether can you recover formatted SD card depends on whether you’ve performed a quick format or a full one. However, acting quickly, avoiding new data, and using the right tools improve your chances at retrieving SD card files. Free tools like RescuePRO, Recuva, and Windows File Recovery can help recover formatted SD card, but have limits like outdated interfaces, missing previews, or weaker results on corrupted cards.

For a highly successful recovery, 4DDiG Data Recovery is an excellent option to recover files from formatted SD card on Mac and Windows. It provides up to 2GB of free recovery on Windows, supports 2,000+ file types, offers Quick and Deep scans, allows file previews, and selective file recovery. Besides formatting, 4DDiG can also extract data from numerous other data loss scenarios.

4 Reliable Tools To Recover Formatted SD Card [Free & Paid]