10+ Best Free SD Card Recovery Software To Recover Lost Data

Review the top SD Card Recovery Software. Compare the features & select the best free or paid Memory Card data recovery software:

An SD Card can be a convenient little piece of hardware to store your data in. It is fascinating to learn how popular these devices still are decades after they were first introduced. They are widely used even today despite other, arguably better, alternatives available to us.

However, one must tread lightly when using SD cards to store data, especially data pertaining to sensitive business information or personal relevance.

SD Cards aren’t exactly reliable with security. In fact, complaints of data losses are most prominent among users of such devices.

As the world moves into an absolute age of information, we’ve only seen a rise in cases reporting SD Card-related data losses. Fortunately, all you need to overcome this issue is great SD card recovery software.

Review SD Card Recovery Software

With a decent enough SD card data recovery tool, you can recover data lost due to a formatted memory card, accidental deletion, or a damaged memory card.

There is no shortage of software available out there that can help you with data recovery. When it comes to SD card recovery tools, they are a dime a dozen. Finding the right software can be overwhelming.

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To make your job easier, we’ve curated a list of top tools that we believe are some of the best SD data recovery software being widely used today. All the tools mentioned below earned their place on this list because of their user-friendly interface, intuitive features, and affordable price.

Pro-Tips:

• Choose software that is easy to install and use, with a simple and visually appealing UI. Refrain from using tools that are needlessly complicated.
• You need an SD recovery solution that can recover files in all kinds of formats. For example, if you’ve lost a video file, then you need recovery software that supports typical video formats like MP4 and FLV.
• Most recovery software can run comfortably on Windows, Mac, or even a Linux device. Make sure you check whether the software you’ve selected is compatible with your device’s operating system.
• Ensure the recovery software comes with professional support, allowing you to reach out to assigned representatives in case of an issue with the tool you are using.
• Look for a tool that is competitively priced. There are tools out there that either rely on subscription-based pricing or charge a fixed annual fee. You can also find tools that get the job done without costing a nickel.

Fact-Check: A recent report published by

A recent report published by StepUp IT claimed that almost 44% of data loss reported per year was because of hardware failure. Human Error was the second most commonly reported reason for data loss. Software Issues came in third with 14%. Viruses and natural disasters were the least reported reasons for data losses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q #1) Can SD Card Data be recovered?

Answer: Stored data in an SD card is lost when it is formatted or the files are deleted. Although the files become inaccessible, they remain in the same position as before in the card and can be recovered using data recovery software. This software can recover files, irrespective of how they were lost.

Q #2) Can a corrupted Micro SD card be fixed?

Answer: Fixing a corrupted SD card can be difficult, if not impossible. Often, the entire point of fixing a memory card is to recover data stored within. However, it would be easier to recover data via an SD card recovery software than by undertaking the arduous task of repairing a broken or corrupt SD card.

Q #3) How can you recover lost files from a corrupt SD card?

Answer: Most data recovery solution requires you to follow a simple three-step procedure to recover data.

First, you launch the software. After the software is running, simply insert your SD card and initiate scanning. The software will start displaying lost files that can still be recovered. Wait until the scan is complete, upon which select the files you want to restore and hit the ‘Recover’ button.

It will restore your files. The procedure will vary from software to software.

Q #4) Is removing the SD card without unmounting it safe?

Answer: It is always advisable to unmount your SD card before removing it to protect the data it stores. In most situations, the data within an SD card remains unscathed, even if the card wasn’t unmounted.

However, there can be adverse effects if we removed the SD card while data is being transferred. Such situations make SD cards more vulnerable to corruption.

Q #5) How can you know if your SD card is corrupt?

Answer: There are many ways of knowing whether your SD card is corrupt.

The most obvious red flags can be: 

• Computer and mobile devices not recognizing a plugged-in SD card.
• Files appear distorted or error is displayed when you try to open them.
• The folder is visible, but the files it contains are inexplicably missing.

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List of Top SD Card Recovery Software

Enlisted below are some useful SD Card data recovery software:

Let us do a detailed review of these tools:

Tenorshare 4DDiG is an all-in-one recovery solution for all types of files and devices. With the help of 4DDiG, you can recover lost data from SD cards on Windows and Mac. Get to know about its great features and figure out how to use 4DDiG to recover lost data from SD cards.

Features?

• Support data recovery from SD cards/USB drives/internal and external drives/digital cameras, etc.
• Recover from various loss scenarios such as deleted, formatted, RAW, lost partitions, encrypted drives, etc. with higher success rate.
• Support file systems include FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, APFS, and HFS+.
• Support more than 1000 file types such as photos, videos, documents, etc.
• Advanced algorithms to search and locate lost files with 100% accuracy.

Just use three simple steps to recover:

Step 1: Download, install and run 4DDiG for free on your Windows or Mac, then connect your SD card to your computer and select your SD card location.

Step 2: After selecting the SD card location, Tenorshare 4DDiG will start scanning for lost or hidden data. You can stop or pause the scan to preview the files to be recovered.

Step 3: Select the target files and press the Recover button to start recovery. Remember to save the recovered files in a safe location.

Verdict: Using a powerful tool like Tenorshare 4DDiG data recovery tool, you can recover inaccessible or lost data from formatted or corrupted SD cards in just three clicks and support recovery of more than 1000 file types.

It has the most advanced built-in algorithms to provide a high data recovery rate. Moreover, its interface is very intuitive, and user-friendly and does not require technical expertise, making it super easy to use.

Price: Windows: $45.95/month, Mac: $55.95/month. Tenorshare 4DDiG’s Black Friday campaign is in full swing, with huge discounts of up to 70% off, you can grab this opportunity!

Best for data recovery from SD card and external hard drive.

Eassiy Data Recovery is one of the best Hard Drive Recovery, it is more powerful and has a higher recovery success rate when recovering data from SD Card, Memory cards, USB drive sticks. It supports more than 1000+ file types including videos, pictures, audios, documents, emails, etc.

Features?

• Powerful SD Card recovery, support data recovery from SD card, CF card, micro card, USB Drive, HDD, SSD, external hard drive, camcorder, digital camera, ETC card, and more than 2000+ storage devices.
• Support videos, pictures, audio, documents, emails, and more than 1000+ file types.
• 2 Scan Modes: quick scan and deep scan.
• Support File Systems: NTFS, exFAT, FAT16, FAT32, APFS.

Verdict: Eassiy Data Recovery is more powerful in recovering data from SD cards and external hard drives, regardless of the supported file types or supported external storage devices, it is ahead of the market. You can recover data under different scenarios such as accidental deletion, formatting, partition loss, virus attacks, encrypted drives, etc. easily.

Price: Monthly Plan Available for $39.99, Yearly Plan Available for $49.99, and $69.99 for Perpetual Plan.

Best for supporting the recovery of over 1000 file formats.

Recoverit is a versatile data recovery tool from the home of Wondershare. It can help you recover lost data from memory cards, Micro SD Cards, SDHC Cards, and more. Apart from SD Card recovery, you can recover lost data from all Windows or Mac platforms and storage devices like USB Flash Drives, traditional hard drives, etc.

You get to recover your data in three simple steps.

The software allows you to perform both quick and deep scans to recover files. It supports the recovery of lost files in over 1000 formats. This includes all types of video, image, document, email, and audio file formats. You can preview the files you are about to recover and even recover a file while the scanning process is ongoing.

Features:

• Quick and deep scan.
• Preview recoverable files.
• Stop or pause a scan to recover files midway.
• Supports over 1000+ file formats.

Verdict: Wondershare’s Recoverit is an intuitive and powerful data recovery solution for all types of SD cards. You get started with the tool’s quick scan mode as soon as the software is installed on your Mac or Windows device. Its ability to recover data from almost all kinds of storage devices makes it one of the best data recovery tools available today.

Price: Recover 100 MB of files for free. Yearly License Available for $99.99 – Essential Plan, $109.99/year for Standard Plan, $199.99/year for Advanced plan.

Best for easy SD Card Data recovery.

Cited as an easy data recovery tool for SD Cards, EaseUS is in an entirely different league of its own. Powered by a ton of advanced features and a comprehensive UI, recovering data here is very simple.

The software supports the recovery of files in over 1000 formats. It can recover lost partitions. Its free plan allows you to recover over 2GB worth of lost data. The software also allows you to preview files, filter a file type, and recover data while scanning is in progress.

Features:

• Advanced scan recovery.
• Preview files for recovery.
• Recover files while scanning.
• Supports partition, formatted file, and RAW file recovery.

Verdict: EaseUS is another user-friendly data recovery application that works with all types of SD cards. The software comes packed with tons of advanced features to recover data lost due to formatting, accidental deletion, or other severe reasons.

Price: Free to recover 2GB of data. Pro Plan – $69.95, Pro+Bootable – $99.95

Best for quick data recovery.

Wise Data Recovery helps you recover lost files from an SD Card in an instant. The software supports the recovery of video, document, image, audio, and other files in over 1000 formats. Data recovery itself is very simple with Wise Data Recovery, as you only have to run the scan, select the files to recover and initiate recovery.

Apart from this, the software comes with a portable version, which means you can use the software on your PC without installation once you have already installed it on any other system.

Features:

• Quick and deep scan available.
• Automatic updates.
• Supports all major file types.
• Portable

Verdict: Wise Data Recovery helps you recover lost data from lost SD cards apart from being compatible with other storage devices as well. Its quick scan exhibits incredibly fast speed, and its deep scan digs deep to unearth files that are hard to recover. Overall, this is an easy tool to use, which allows you to recover data from SD cards in just three easy steps.

Price: Free plan available, $29.97/month for monthly Pro Plan, $44.97 for annual Pro plan.

Best for user-friendly and attractive UI.

IObit Undelete offers a good-looking interface that focuses on simplicity above everything else. This is an ideal solution for those who dislike being bothered by advanced configurations. The software allows you to recover video, image, document, audio, and other types of files with just one click.

Featuring a Target Scan system, IObit Undelete also allows its users to select a specific location or folder to scan in order to find a specific file. You can evaluate the status of your recovered file to check if it is in an excellent state.

Features:

• Attractive UI.
• Quick and deep scan mode.
• Portable.
• Evaluate scanned files to check quality.

Verdict: IObit Undelete is a decent recovery tool with arguably one of the best-looking UI’s on this list. Its scanning speed is also praiseworthy. You might find it hard to recover very old files with this software, however, it more than makes up for this with a solution that is free to download and use.

Price: Free

Glarysoft is a software that allows you to recover lost data from an SD card. Whether the data lost was due to accidental deletion or because of malware corruption, you can count on Glarysoft to recover all types of files.

Glarysoft automatically sorts deleted file according to type, size, and creation date. The platform also support scanning of FAT and NTFS file systems.

Features

• Automatic File Sorting
• Recover files from preview window
• FAT, NTFS, NTFS+EFS File system support
• Scan SD Card according to partition

How to Recover Data using Glarysoft

1. Launch Glarysoft on your PC and plug in the SD Card
2. Select the SD Card and hit ‘Scan’.
3. After the scan is complete, simply select the file you wish to restore, select the save path, and hit the ‘Restore’ button.

Price:

• $19.95/week
• $49.95/year
• $99.95/lifetime.

Best for partition manager and data recovery.

MiniTool is a well-known tool for two reasons – It acts as a great partition manager and can help you recover lost files from almost all storage devices, including SD cards. The software will help you recover files in several prominent formats in three easy steps.

The new version of the tool comes with improved accuracy of exFAT partition data scan and recovery. Some issues that were plaguing the older versions have also been fixed.

Features:

• Target scan.
• Preview files before recovery.
• Supports over 100 file types.
• Recover data from all storage devices.

Verdict: MiniTool works because of its ability to recover data, irrespective of how tame or severe the data loss scenario is. It can help you recover data that was lost due to accidental deletion, OS crash, corrupt SD card, and more. You also get to recover 1 GB of data for free with MiniTool.

Price: Free Data Recovery up to 1 GB, $69/Month, $89/Year.

With iMyFone, you can restore more 1000 different types of files from an SD card and other types of external storage devices. It deep scan feature is perhaps the most powerful we’ve encountered. It is capable of recovering almost all types of deleted, destroyed, or inaccessible data.

Another thing we like about iMyFone is its file filter feature. You can easily locate a file you wish to restore based on date and format. The scan itself is incredibly fast. You can also pause and resume your scan as you wish.

Features:

• Algorithm based deep scanning
• File filter
• Preview files before restoring
• Merge fragments of deleted files to restore them whole

How to Recover Data using iMyFone

1. Launch iMyFone on your PC and select your SD Card
2. Start scanning your SD Card for lost data
3. Preview files after scan is complete after double clicking them. Select ‘Recover’ to restore the file to the SD card.

Price:

• Recover unlimited data for free from computer only
• Full Version: $59.95

Best for Recovering data from damaged devices.

System Mechanic is an ideal SD card data recovery tool. It is very easy to use. You’ll be able to search and recover a wide variety of deleted files via this software. From videos to important documents, System Mechanic can recover them all.

It will recover data from all types of SD cards, even those that are damaged, formatted, or repartitioned. It features intuitive search capabilities, making it easier to find the data you are looking for with customized and full system searches.

Features:

• Filter out junk files when searching for lost data.
• Recover data lost years ago with ‘StrongScan’.
• Compatible with all SD cards
• Recover data from malfunctioning and damaged SD cards.

Verdict: Whether it is recovering data from an SD card or any other storage device, System Mechanic will help you recover lost data in no time without much effort. This is one tool you must try to increase your chances of recovering files, photos, videos, and documents that are important to you.

Price: $63.94 annual plan.

Best for data recovery and video repair.

Stellar Data Recovery will help you recover files of any format from your SD card in a brief span of time. The software has been around for ages now and has evolved considerably to be compatible with the most recent storage devices and operating systems.

You get to perform both quick and deep scans, perform target scans and preview the files before eventually saving them. You can use Stellar Data Recovery to recover 1 GB of data for free.

Features:

• Quick and deep scan available.
• Target scan.
• Preview recoverable files.
• Repair corrupt data.

Verdict: Stellar Data Recovery’s dual functionality of SD card data recovery and media repair go hand in hand. Very often, the recovered file is in poor shape. With Stellar Data Recovery, you can not only recover the file but also fix them if they are found corrupt.

Price: Free Up to 1 GB, Standard – 49.99, Pro – $89.99, Premium – $99.99

#12) Disk Drill

Best for recovering data from all types of storage devices for Mac and Windows Operating Systems.

Disk Drill is an easy-to-use tool that helps you recover storage device data on almost all major operating systems. The software is compatible with all types of memory cards and supports almost all prominently known file formats. With its built-in data protection capabilities, the solution allows you to prevent data loss with the Recovery vault feature.

You can preview all recoverable items, thus helping you choose which files to recover and which to avoid. Disk Drill can perform RAW SD card recovery. Its free plan allows you to recover 500 MB of data for free. Apart from SD Card recovery, the software can also be used for USB flash drives, traditional Hard Disks, and SSD data recovery.

Features:

• Preview recoverable items.
• Supports multiple format files.
• Quick and deep scan available.
• Create byte-to-byte backups of files.

Verdict: Disk Drill is not only good at recovering data from SD memory cards, but it can also help you recover important information from hard drives, flash drives, and other storage devices. No technical expertise is required to operate this tool because of its user-friendly interface and one-click recovery procedure.

Price: Free to recover 500 MB data, Pro Plan – $89, Enterprise Plan – $ 499.

Website: Disk Drill

#13) Recuva

Best for unlimited file recovery for free.

Recuva is a free recovery tool that allows you to recover an unlimited number of lost files without costing a dime. It can help you recover lost documents, videos, audio, and images from SD cards and other types of storage devices.

The software lets you recover files that would have otherwise been hard to recover with the help of a deep scan. The software also helps you securely delete a file using military-standard deletion techniques.

Features:

• Advanced file recovery.
• Supports recovery of files in multiple formats.
• Securely delete files.
• Automatic updates.

Verdict: Recuva does not have the most pleasing look. Its interface hasn’t had an upgrade since times immemorial and it is lacking in some advanced features that most modern recovery tools are known for. However, one area where Recuva excels is its ability to recover an unlimited number of files for absolutely free.

Price: Free plan available, Pro Plan – $19.95

Website: Recuva

#14) Remo Recover

Best for quick and easy data recovery.

Remo Recover is yet another user-friendly software to recover lost data from your SD card. You can quickly recover all types of files with the help of Remo Recover from any storage device, including SD cards.

You can recover lost or deleted partitions and even unearth data lost due to more serious situations, with the help of a deep scan mode. You can also preview the files before recovering them.

Its stand-out feature, however, is undoubtedly the ‘Save Recovery’ option. With this feature, you can scan the device or partition just one time and later recover data from this saved recovery option as many times as you want.

Features:

• Quick and deep scan mode is available.
• Preview recoverable files.
• Save recovery option.
• Supports over 300 file formats.

Verdict: Remo Recover provides you with all the tools you will need to recover your SD card data from both tame and severe data loss scenarios. Its compatibility with 300 file formats might not seem enough compared to other tools on this list, but it covers some of the most basic file formats being used today.

The software is also easy to use and especially stands out because of the ‘Save Recovery’ feature.

Price: Windows: Basic Edition – $39.97, Media Edition – $49.97, Pro Edition – $99.97

Mac: Basic Edition -$59.97, Media Edition -$69.97, Pro Edition – $179.97

Website: Remo Recover

#15) Crash Plan

Best for data back-up and recovery for small businesses.

Crash Plan presents its users with a proactive measure for recovering files. It is a tool meant for corporates who need to back up files continuously. The software is compatible with both Windows and Mac devices, so you can restore data on an SD card from any device you prefer.

The Smart Continuous Backup feature of Crash Plan allows you to protect the files you are currently working on and makes it easier for you to go back to a previous version of the file at any date in the past.

Features:

• Smart continuous backup.
• Recover files from any computer.
• Ransom recovery.

Verdict: Crash Plan is strictly a corporate tool that would like to stay prepared in the event some misfortune causes loss of important business data. The software is especially ideal for small businesses. We would not recommend this tool for personal use.

Price: $10 per month per computer.

Website: Crash Plan

Other Great SD Card Recovery Software

#16) R-Studio

Best for advanced data Recovery

R-Studio is a data recovery tool for advanced users. It allows you to recover heavily damaged and unknown files. It also comes with flexible setting parameters that give you absolute control over the process of data recovery. You can recover files in virtually every format from all types of storage devices, which, of course, includes SD cards.

Price: Quote revealed upon request

Website: R-Studio

#17) Recover My Files

Best for advanced data recovery.

Recover My Files is yet another tool known for its advanced data recovery features. The software helps you recover data lost due to formatting, virus, system crash, and many other severe reasons.

You can recover files from almost any storage device like USB flash drives, floppy disks, and more, including SD cards. The software also helps you recover from NTFS, FAT(12,16,32, exFAT, HFS, and HFS+ file systems.

Price: Standard – $69.95, Professional – $99.95

Website: Recover My Files

#18) GetDataBack

Best for quick data recovery

GetDataBack positions itself as a lightning-fast advanced data recovery tool. It delivers on the promises it makes. You can instantly recover all of your device’s data, restore the name of your file, and directory structure with this software. The software supports all types of SD cards and is compatible with other storage devices, like USB flash drives and SDD drives as well.

Price: $79 per license.

Website: GetDataBack

#19) Puran File Recovery

Best for simple UI.

Puran File Recovery may not offer you the best-looking interface, but it does offer you a simplistic one. The software can be used to quickly and accurately recover lost files and partitions. You can perform a deep as well as full scan to really dig deep into your SD card and find files you want to recover.

Puran File Recovery might not offer advanced features, but it offers a tool that is free to use for unlimited file recovery.

Price: Free

Website: Puran File Recovery

Conclusion

SD Cards are impressive devices to store your files in. However, they are not exactly secure. With a high number of data loss scenarios being attributed to SD card crashes and corruption, it is wise to ally yourself with an intuitive SD card data recovery software.

All the above-mentioned tools help you recover files quickly and accurately, irrespective of what caused the data loss in the first place. The software mentioned above can help you recover files in multiple formats, and are mostly compatible with all major operating systems.

As for our recommendation, if you are looking for a powerful data recovery tool that offers you a ton of intuitive features, then look no further than Disk Drill or Recoverit. If you seek a free tool that allows you to perform unlimited data recovery, then Recuva will be an ideal tool for you.

Research Process:

• We spent 12 hours researching and writing this article so you can have summarized and insightful information on what SD Data Recovery Software will best suit you.
• Total software researched – 25
• Total software shortlisted – 14

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