How to Restore an SD Card

SD cards are very small and prone to damage.

SD cards are small memory chips that fit inside digital cameras and cell phones. They store a few megabytes (or gigabytes) of data such as photos, ringtones, mp3s, and other types of files. If you accidentally delete some files from an SD card or realize that the card is corrupted, you might be able to save some files from it. There are many "SD card recovery" programs available online for a fee. These programs are your best option for restoring information to your SD card.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with SD reader
• SD card
• SD card recovery program

Instructions

1. Go to a website that offers free downloads of an SD card recovery program (see Resources). Most of them require a fee, but some are free to use. Download the program to your desktop and click on the icon to install it. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the program.

2. Slide the SD card into the SD card reader on your computer.

3. Open the SD file recovery program and follow the instructions to recover your missing or damaged files. Choose the files you want to fix by clicking on the available options on the program menu.

4. Save the newly fixed files on your computer rather than on the SD card, if you have the choice. If you lost files because the SD card was corrupted, you might lose your files again.

5. Go to "Start > My Computer" and click on the icon of your SD card. Look to see if any files have been restored to the card, if you decided to save the restored files to your SD card.

Tips & Warnings

• Store the SD card inside a plastic holder and keep it away from heat sources to prevent damage.

References

• ZD Net: How to recover deleted photos from your SD card

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Download: SD Recovery Programs