How to Recover Formatted SD Card With/Without Software [2025]

Did you accidentally format your SD card and can’t locate your important files? So, is it possible to recover data from a formatted SD card? In many cases, yes. As long as you haven’t stored new data on the card, it’s likely that the old data is still there. In such cases, you can often use file retrieval software to recover files from a formatted SD card. If you prefer not to use any tool, we’ll also explain in this post how you might be able to recover your SD card data after formatting, though success can depend on certain conditions.

How to Recover Files From a Formatted SD Card With Software?

The most reliable method to recover data from a formatted SD card is by using recovery software. These tools scan the card’s raw data and can often restore files even if the file system has been erased. However, recovery works best when done soon after formatting and if no new files have been saved to the card. Many programs also offer the potential to recover data from corrupted or damaged cards that don’t open normally. Here are three recovery tools you could try:

Option A: Tenorshare 4DDiG Data Recovery

4DDiG Data Recovery is a strong option for recovering data from a formatted SD card on both Mac and Windows. It provides fairly fast scanning compared to other tools and can recover over 2000 types of files, including RAW files, images, audio, documents, archives, videos, and more. Additionally, this formatted SD card recovery tool supports various card formats like SD, SDHC, SDXC, microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC, and it allows you to selectively recover the files you need and preview them before recovery. Here’s what it offers:

• Allows you to export only the files you’ve chosen to recover to your computer or cloud drive.

• Can extract files lost due to system crashes, unbootable drives, missing partitions, virus attacks, and more.

• Supports numerous internal and external storage devices, including hard disks, USBs, digital cameras, drones, Recycle Bin, etc.

• Offers both quick and deep scan modes, an impressive recovery rate, and a user-friendly interface.

Here’s how you might use 4DDiG to recover data from a formatted SD card:

Step 1: Connect the formatted memory card to your computer. Then, launch the software.

Step 2: Select the SD card once it’s detected. Choose the file types you wish to recover, then click “Scan.” You can pause or stop the scan once the desired files appear.

Step 3: Apply filters if necessary, preview the files, and click “Recover” to export them to your computer or cloud drive.

Option B: SanDisk RescuePRO

RescuePro is a proprietary tool that comes bundled with some SanDisk memory cards when you purchase them. It offers a free license that may allow you to recover files from a formatted SD card. This tool can recover photos, videos, documents, emails, and more from formatted or damaged memory cards and supports a variety of file types and storage devices.

It also offers a file preview option before recovery and has both quick and deep scan features. However, it can become expensive once the trial period ends, doesn’t support hard disks, and is limited to SanDisk storage. Here’s how to recover data from a formatted SD card with RescuePRO:

Step 1: Connect your formatted SanDisk card to your computer. Install RescuePRO on the same PC or Mac.

Step 2: Launch the tool, select the file type to recover, and choose the connected SD card. Click “Start” to begin scanning.

Step 3: Recovered files will be saved automatically. Click “Output Folder” to view them.

Option C: Windows File Recovery

Windows File Recovery is a free command-line tool from Microsoft. It offers three modes: Default, Segment, and Signature, each designed to recover different types of files. You can search for specific file types, specify multiple searches for different formats, or list groups of file types to find. However, this tool does not offer a preview feature for recovered files. Here’s how to use Windows File Recovery in Segment Mode:

Step 1: Connect your formatted memory card to your computer. Download the Windows File Recovery tool from the Microsoft Store, then run it via “Command Prompt.”

Step 2: For instance, to search for formatted “.mp3” files, enter the following command:

winfr C: D: /r /n *.mp3 (This command searches for all formatted .mp3 files on drive C and saves them to drive D.)

How to Recover Files From a Formatted SD Card Without Software?

Earlier, we discussed using file recovery tools to retrieve data from a formatted SD card. But is it possible to recover files without any software? In some cases, you might have a chance using built-in utilities:

Method 1: Run the CHKDSK and ATTRIB Commands in CMD

CMD (Command Prompt) is a built-in tool in Windows that can help you recover hidden files using the ATTRIB command, or repair damaged sectors and file system issues with the CHKDSK command. Here’s how to attempt recovery using CMD:

Step 1: Type “cmd” in the Windows search bar and open “Command Prompt.”

Step 2: Type the following command and press “Enter”: attrib -h -r -s /s /d I:\ *.* (Here, I is the drive letter for the SD card.)

Step 3: Then, enter the following command to run CHKDSK and press “Enter”: CHKDSK I: /f /r

Method 2: Use Terminal

On a Mac, you can use PhotoRec through the Terminal to recover data from a formatted SD card. This free, open-source tool relies on data carving to locate formatted files by searching for their unique headers and footers instead of relying on file system metadata. Here’s how to use PhotoRec:

Step 1: Download PhotoRec from its official site and extract the files (e.g., to your desktop).

Step 2: Open the “Terminal” app and use the “cd” command to navigate to the extracted folder. Then, run “PhotoRec” with the command: sudo ./photorec

Use the arrow keys to select your SD card, then highlight “Proceed” and press “Enter.”

Step 3: If a partition is found, select it and press “Search.” If no partition is found, choose “No partition” to scan the entire card.

Step 4: Select the file system (usually, select “Other”). Opt for a “Free” scan to search for unused space.

Step 5: Choose a destination folder for the recovered files, then hit “C” to confirm.

Step 6: Let the scan complete. Once finished, PhotoRec will display a summary, and the recovered files will be saved in the selected folder.

Step 7: Press “Enter” to exit.

Method 3: Contact a Data Recovery Company

If none of the previous methods work, it’s possible that your files have been overwritten or the SD card may be physically damaged. In these cases, reaching out to a data recovery service could be a reasonable next step, as they may have more advanced tools and expertise to assist you.

Formatted SD Card Recovery FAQs

What should you do immediately if you accidentally format your SD card?

If you accidentally format your memory card, it’s advisable to stop using it right away. Avoid adding new files or reformatting the card again, and consider using trusted recovery software as soon as possible.

How do you recover data from a formatted SD card on Mac?

On a Mac, you can use PhotoRec via Terminal to retrieve files from a formatted card. Additionally, if you’ve backed up the card to iCloud or Time Machine, you may be able to recover your files from there.

Summary

If you’ve mistakenly formatted your SD card, it’s often possible to recover your files. As explained, the answer to “Can you recover a formatted SD card?” is generally yes, especially if new data has not been written to it. You can recover data from a formatted SD card either by using recovery software or by running commands in CMD or Terminal.

For a more reliable and potentially easier recovery, we suggest using 4DDiG Data Recovery, as it supports many file types, allows you to preview recovered files, and lets you refine your search with filters.