Formatting an SD card or any other storage drive means quickly deleting all the files from the drive. However, you should always be cautions when running it. The risk associated with the Format process is that it removes all the files and folder from your storage device directly without putting them in the Recycle Bin or Trash. As a result, if you don’t have the backup, you risk permanently losing the data.
Fortunately, even if you Format the SD card, the deletion is reversible until the data is overwritten. Let’s learn more about how you can recover photos from formatted SD card.
SD card formatting resets the storage to its original factory configuration. It creates a new data storage environment through system file to make the card ready for new data, while removing all existing data, files and partitions.
When formatting an SD card, operating systems like Windows or iOS offer two options: Quick or Full format. The type of format you choose will ascertain whether recovery of files/photos is possible from a formatted SD card or not. But what’s the difference between the two?
| | Quick Format | Full Format |
| Best For | When you need to reuse the drive quickly without completely erasing the data. | When you need to use the card in different device; when discarding or selling the card; to resolve performance issue or errors caused by corruption. |
| Process | Removes the File Allocation Table (FAT), rebuilds the root directory, and replaces the file system. | Deletes the FAT, rebuilds the root directory, replaces the file system, and checks the drive for faulty sectors. |
| Speed | Takes a few seconds | Can take several hours |
The most important thing to remember is that before formatting, users must back up their important data since this permanently removes all stored files.
Yes, it’s possible, but it depends on how SD card was formatted.
If you just Quick format your SD card, it only erases the FAT (the index that tells your device where files are located) without erasing the data. So, stop using your card as soon as possible and use specialized SD card recovery featured software to recover photos from formatted SD Card. But, if you keep using your card, the deleted data will be overwritten by new files, which makes the recovery impossible.
Conversely, if you use full formatting, it deletes both the file system table and the stored data too, making data recovery becomes significantly more difficult, but professional recovery software can recover it unless overwritten.
There are three methods to recover photos from formatted SD card on Windows. They include:
- Using Command Line – CHKDSK
- Restore from Backup
- Photo recovery software
Let’s dive in and discuss them in detail.
Method 1: Using Command Line – CHKDSK – in Command Shell
Sometimes, your device cannot read the SD care properly either due to file system error, drive corruption or bad sectors. So, use the Command Line with the CHKDSK command to check and repair errors on SD card. However, note that CHKDSK doesn’t recover deleted or formatted data (like photos). Please follow the given steps to repair a formatted SD card:
- Type cmd in the Windows search box and open the command prompt.
- Then press run as administrator.
- Type chkdsk G: /f/x/r – here, replace G with the drive letter of the formatted SD card.
- Press Enter and the process is done.
Method 2: Restore from Backup
If you have backup of your SD card data on various online backup services, such as Google Photos, Google Drives, Microsoft OneDrive, you can easily use it to recover lost photos.
If you don’t use the online backup service, instead use the external hard drive to back up the photos and other media files of the SD card, use it to recover the deleted photos from formatted SD card.
Often, some people store the SD card data locally on their Windows system, use it to restore the photos.
Method 3: Run Photo Recovery Software
If you cannot retrieve the photos from formatted SD card via backup services due to absence of it, you can try recovering the lost images with the help of photo recovery software. We recommend going with Stellar Photo Recovery.
Here’s how Stellar Photo Recovery can help you recover the photos from formatted SD card:
- Download and install the Stellar Photo Recovery software.
- Select (or deselect) the files you want to restore in the Select What To Recover window and hit Next.
- Choose the volume in the follow-up Recover From window > click Scan.
- Look through the scan results and locate the missing folder > click Recover.
And that’s it!
There are three methods to recover photos from formatted SD card on macOS. They include:
- Time Machine backup
- iCloud Backup
- Photo recovery software
Let’s talk about each of them in more detail.
Solution 1: Use Time Machine
If you have Time Machine enabled on your Mac, you are in luck! Time Machine is great for maintaining automatic system backups to safeguard your personal data.
To recover photos from formatted SD card with the help of Time Machine, follow these steps:
- Click on the Apple logo to open the Apple Menu > System Preferences and navigate to Time Machine.
- Scroll the timeline to find the files you want to recover.
- Select the needed files and hit Restore.
Solution 2: Restore Files with iCloud
If you don’t use the Time Machine feature to back up important data, there is another way to restore it – iCloud Backup. iCloud is an online backup solution provided by Apple. It seamlessly creates backups of your SD card connected to the device in the background, making data recovery quick and easy.
Solution 3: Recover Photos Using Recovery Software on Mac
It is always recommended to have a backup of your SD card, and should be done ahead of time. And if you haven’t set up iCloud or Time Machine backup, use a reliable mac photo recovery software, such as Stellar Photo Recovery for Mac to get your missing pictures back from formatted SD card. One of the advantages of the software is that it’s compatible not only with macOS Tahoe 26 but lower versions too.
- Download and install Stellar Photo Recovery for Mac software.
- Launch the app via Launchpad. Select the type of files you want to recover (you can also go with Recover Everything) and click Next.
- Choose the disk from which you lost the files.
- Hit the Scan button to scan the files that can be recovered.
- Once the scan is over, select the files you would like to restore and click Recover.
It’s a Wrap!
Even though the Format command is one of the quickest and most powerful tools used to wipe out the previously existing data stored on the card and creating a new file system. Keep in mind that you should stop using your SD card if formatting it deletes important photos. Depending on your circumstances, use CHKDSK command, Time Machine, iCloud backup, other backup service or reliable Photo recovery software. This will maximize your chances of successful formatted SD card photo recovery.
