"I have an old SD Card that I would like to get files (PDFs, images, videos) off of. When plugging into the USB (using multiple adapters) Windows gives a 'Format SD Card' notification and I'm unable to view any files. I understand that many may be corrupt, but I'd like to recover as many as possible. Is there a freeware recovery tool or somewhat cheaper paid version?"
- From Reddit
Data loss often occurs due to misoperation, virus attacks, or SD card damage. Losing data from your SD card can be a frustrating experience, but thankfully, there's a plethora of SD card recovery software available to help you retrieve those precious files. In this review, we'll take a closer look at 9 popular options, evaluating their pros and cons, supported systems, pricing, download links, and user reviews.
Coolmuster Lab.Fone for Android is the best software to recover data from SD cards specifically designed for Android devices. In addition to recovering data from SD cards, it also supports recovering various data types from the phone's internal memory, including contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, and more. With its user-friendly interface and simple operation, this software is an excellent choice for Android users.
Starting at $49.95
Windows, Mac
How to use the best SD card recovery software to recover files from an SD card?
01On your computer, download, install, and run the best SD card recovery tool.
02Connect your SD card to your computer by placing it in a card reader. Click "Next" to continue, and the screen will show your inserted SD card.
03Select the SD card and click "Next" to begin the scanning process.
04After the scanning process is completed, the deleted files from the SD card will be organized by file type. To select the data you want to recover, for example, if you want to restore deleted photos from the SD card, click "Photos" on the left side, and then you can preview the deleted photos from the SD card on the right. Pick the desired files and click "Recover" to retrieve them.
Video guide
"The SD Card Recovery mode of this software is very good. By using it, I get back my photos and videos back. And I didn't even need to root my phone cause I took out my SD Card and inserted it into the computer. Very simple and safe. Grateful!" - Faisal Shabbir.
"Deleted my videos by accident. These videos are taken for my baby and saved on the SD card. They are very important to me. I checked my recently deleted files, there is nothing. So I searched online and found this software. It helped me get them back. When I connected my phone to the computer, the software detected it and scanned out the deleted videos on its interface. Then, I got the videos easily. Thanks a lot." - Tikahuano
Disk Drill is a powerful recovery SD card program that can recover files from SD cards in various data loss situations, including damaged SD cards, formatted SD cards, virus-infected ones, and so on. Through advanced scanning technology, this software can recover lost data in a short time. Whether it is for individual users or enterprise users, Disk Drill is a good choice. (Click this link to learn more about Disk Drill.)
Starting at $89
Windows, Mac
https://www.cleverfiles.com/memory-card-data-recovery.html
"Disk Drill saved me countless hours of frustration. I was able to recover important documents from my corrupted SD card with ease." - Sarah L.
Recuva is a free SD recovery program developed by Piriform. It can retrieve deleted files from SD cards, hard drives, USB drives, and more. Recuva's simplicity and free usage make it a popular choice for everyday data recovery needs.
Free (Professional version: $24.95)
Windows
https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva
"For a free tool, Recuva does a decent job, but some files couldn't be recovered." - Michael B.
Wondershare Recoverit is a reliable SD card rescue software that enables you to fully recover deleted/lost data. It supports file recovery from various types of SD cards damaged by viruses, power failures, accidental deletions, and formatting.
Starting at $59.95
Windows, Mac
https://recoverit.wondershare.com/
"I lost a bunch of super important footage on an SD card and was able to use Recoverit to get it all back. The customer service was instantly available, and I chatted with them until 5 am, and we figured it out. That saved me so much grief." - Frank.
MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a well-regarded SD memory recovery software that can recover data lost due to accidental deletion, formatting, partition loss, and more. It supports various storage devices, including SD cards, hard drives, and optical discs.
Free version and subscription version (starting at $69).
Windows, Mac
https://www.minitool.com/data-recovery-software/
"Fails on large media and large files." - Peter.
TestDisk is an open-source SD card recovery program designed for repairing partition tables, rebuilding boot sectors, and more. It can recover lost partitions and files from SD cards, hard drives, and other storage devices. While the interface is complex, it offers powerful features for advanced users.
Free
Windows, Mac, Linux
https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download
"TestDisk successfully repaired my damaged partition, but the process was challenging." — David H.
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a comprehensive SD card recovery utility that can easily and quickly handle over 100 real SD data loss situations, such as deletion, formatting, RAW, corruption, and more. The software is simple to use and provides clear guidance, making it suitable for users of all levels.
Limited features in the free version.
Starting at $69.95
Windows, Mac, Linux
https://www.easeus.com/data-recovery-software/
"EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard helped me recover lost documents easily." — Samantha P.
PhotoRec is an open-source SD file recovery software from the creators of TestDisk, focusing on recovering photos, videos, and other media files. It can handle SD cards with various file systems and supports many file formats, making it an excellent choice for media recovery.
Free
Windows, Mac, Linux
https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec#google_vignette
"PhotoRec recovered photos from my damaged SD card, but the process was a bit complex." - Laura M.
iCare Data Recovery is a simple and easy-to-use free SD card data recovery. It can easily access files on incorrectly formatted hard drives, inaccessible drives, raw file systems, drives that can't use chkdsk, drives attacked by viruses, deleted partitions, and drives affected by accidental software crashes.
Free.
Windows
https://www.icare-recovery.com/
"iCare Data Recovery was a lifesaver when I accidentally formatted my SD card. I was able to recover most of my data with ease." - Jack W.
Selecting the right SD card recovery software depends on your specific needs and device compatibility. If you are using an Android phone and it supports an SD card, then Coolmuster Lab.Fone for Android will be your best SD data recovery software. It can not only recover deleted videos, pictures, etc., from an SD card but also recover deleted SMS, contacts, etc., from an Android phone. It is your best choice.
Related Articles:
Micro SD Card Recovery: How to Recover Deleted Files from Micro SD Card (Full Guide)
Samsung SD Card Data Recovery: How to Recover Data from Samsung SD Card
Why SD Card Keeps Deleting Files? How to Fix It on PC and Android
How to Move Pictures to SD Card on Android without Trouble [4 Ways]
Feedback
Free Download for PC 
Free Download for Mac 
