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- Top 10 Best SD Card Data Recovery Software Tools in 2022
Top 10 Best SD Card Recovery Software Tools in 2022
SD cards are now larger & faster than ever before, but their reliability hasn’t improved much. That’s why issues with SD card-related data loss are at an all-time high. The good news is that there are many excellent SD card recovery software solutions that can help you recover deleted files from SD cards without any expert skills.
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Key features analysis
What to Consider When Selecting SD Card Recovery Software
While there’s no shortage of great SD card recovery software, there are also quite a few bad apples that you should avoid to successfully recover lost files. Here’s what you should consider when selecting recovery software to recover deleted data from an SD card:
- Supported file formats
SD cards can be used for all kinds of wonderful things, from recording video to storing an entire operating system. Depending on what kind of files you’ve lost, you need to select SD card recovery software that can actually recover them because some applications focus only on certain file formats. For example, if you need to recover photos from an SD card, then your software should support all common image file formats, such as JPG and PNG.
- Ease of use
If you’re reading this article, you’re most likely not a data recovery professional, and this might even be your first time recovering lost files. Don’t make the situation more difficult than it already is by choosing a complicated tool that requires a lengthy manual for you to know how to use it.
- Customer support
It’s always nice to have someone you can ask for help when things go south, and that’s exactly what customer support is for. Unfortunately, free SD card recovery software rarely comes with professional support, which is one reason why spending extra money to recover important data makes sense—at least in some cases.
- Price
When selecting SD card data recovery software, you should always consider how much the software costs. Some companies rely on subscription-based pricing to generate a steady revenue stream, requiring you to renew your subscription each year, while other companies let you purchase a no-strings-attached lifetime license.
- Compatibility
Some of the best SD card recovery software applications are available for both Windows and Mac (and some even run on Linux), but that’s not always the case. Before you make your purchase, double-check if the solution you’ve selected is compatible with your operating system to avoid having to ask for a refund.
Top 10 Best SD Card Recovery Software
#Let’s see which memory card recovery software applications have the best rating.
1. Disk Drill
Top pick
4.30 • Best choice for Windows users – The Windows version of Disk Drill empowers regular users to reliably recover all kinds of lost data with a few simple clicks.
Windows macOS
Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest
Recover up to 500 MB for free
$89...$598
Disk Drill is a free SD card repair tool that delivers powerful features in a sleek package, allowing anyone to quickly and easily restore lost or accidentally deleted data from SD cards. Here are just a few highlights of what makes it so great.
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Two for one
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Visualization of the scanning process
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Mount results as a virtual disk
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File previews
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Raw photo support
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Phone support
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Linux and Apple file systems
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RAID
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Bootable disks
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Recovery over a network
2. R-Studio
Popular among professionals
3.85 • Empowering professionals; intimidating home users – R-Studio for Windows is a powerful data recovery software application, but regular home users may struggle to master it and put its capabilities to good use.
Windows macOS Linux
Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest
Recover files smaller than 256 KB
$49.99...$899
R-Studio doesn’t hide the fact that casual home users are not its target audience. But if you consider yourself to be a power user who is always keen to learn new things, then this might just be the best SD card recovery software for you.
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Supports all major operating systems
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Compatible with many file systems
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RAID reconstruction module
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Good performance of file system scanners
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Network recovery
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Limited preview feature
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Complicated
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Unintuitive scanning process
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Very complex scan results
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S.M.A.R.T
3. PhotoRec
Open-source solution
3.37 • Intimidating but rewarding at the same time – PhotoRec for Windows offers unbeatable value, but you need to overcome a steep learning curve to unlock it.
Windows macOS Linux
Free All features are provided free of charge, and the software can be used, studied, and modified without restriction.
None
Free
PhotoRec is the king of open-source SD card recovery software. You can use it to recover an unlimited amount of data for free, but it won’t help you much if you don’t get used to its command-line user interface.
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Completely free
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Open source
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Optional graphical user interface
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Does not require installation
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Capable signature scanner
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Interface slows down during scanning
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Window size settings
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Rarely updated
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No auto-update
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Scan automation
4. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
3.81 • Popular for its trial recovery capabilities – Easy to use and capable of delivering solid results, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is good at what it does.
Windows macOS
Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest
Recover up to 2 GB for free
$69.95...$499
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard has been recommended as one of the best SD card data recovery software applications for years, and we have no reason to break this tradition. The software is packed with useful features, giving you everything you need to recover from data loss.
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Scan results
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Scan speed
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Free recovery
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Support
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Labeled results
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Pop-up ads
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Inaccurate time estimations
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Limited preview capabilities
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Limited preview size
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Recovery speed
5. Stellar Data Recovery
3.31 • Frequently recommended – Stellar Data Recovery is a good example of data recovery software that doesn’t to anything exceptionally wrong nor exceptionally right.
Windows macOS
Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest
Recover up to 1 GB for free
$49.99...$599
Stellar Data Recovery is yet another SD card recovery software that doesn’t really need a lengthy introduction because it has been around since forever. Over the years, it has managed to convince countless users from around the world to use it as their data recovery software of choice, and it’s easy to see why.
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Support
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Repair of photos and videos
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S.M.A.R.T
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Preview in safe mode
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Backup creation
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Updates in the free version
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Lost license information
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Slow previews
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Preview limits
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Scanning speed
6. Recuva
Frequently installed by Windows users
3.04 • Good for basic data recovery jobs – Despite its age and lack of development, Recuva is still worth taking a look at—if only because it recovers an unlimited amount of data for free.
Windows
Freeware All features are provided free of charge without any limitations.
None
$0...$34.95
Recuva is among the most popular truly free SD card recovery software applications, but its somewhat outdated user interface makes it clear that its development has been stagnating for the last few years. Still, you would be hard-pressed to find a more cost-effective solution for simpler data recovery jobs.
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Completely free
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Chances of recovery
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Two operating modes
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Secure file erase
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Multilingual capabilities
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No Enterprise license
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Scanning/creation of images
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Recovering structure and names
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Recovery odds accuracy
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Updating the list of drives
7. Remo Recover
Decent recovery results
3.12 • Suitable for basic data recovery tasks – We’re still testing this software. Wait until we’re done for our final verdict!
Windows macOS
Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest.
Preview only
$69.97...$399.97
Remo Recover, also referred to as Remo File Recovery Tool, is a great alternative to more popular SD card data recovery software tools, offering a well-rounded mix of features and the ability to recover files from any storage device.
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Recovers 300 plus file formats
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Supports all commonly used Windows file systems
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Can preview recoverable files
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Scans take a while
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Expensive technician license
8. MiniTool Power Data Recovery
3.28 • Does it have the power to recover your files? – MiniTool Power Data Recovery for Windows makes recovery easy for any user, but its price tag may not justify its abilities.
Windows macOS
Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest
Recover up to 1 GB for free
$69...$499
There’s a lot that MiniTool Power Data Recovery does right and not much it does wrong. But it takes more than that to be considered one of the best SD card recovery software solutions available, and MiniTool Power Data Recovery has demonstrated again and again that it’s up to the challenge.
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Interface
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Creating a bootable disk
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Recover during a scan
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Scanning speed
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Support for soft RAID
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No HDPI support
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Paid option to fix corrupted video files
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Settings are not saved
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All file types are not selected by default
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No resizing of the main screen
9. Wise Data Recovery
• Suitable for basic data recovery tasks – We’re still testing this software. Wait until we’re done for our final verdict!
Windows
Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest.
Recover up to 2 GB for free
$39.97...$49.99
Some SD card data recovery software applications are wiser than others, and Wise Data Recovery illustrates this perfectly. This Windows-only application supports more than a thousand different file types, so you shouldn’t have any trouble getting back all lost data.
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Clear and simple user interface
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Support for more than 1,000 file formats
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Portable version
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Subscription-based pricing
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icon cons Lacks file type filters
10. IObit Undelete
• Suitable for basic data recovery tasks – We’re still testing this software. Wait until we’re done for our final verdict!
Windows
Freeware All features are provided free of charge without any limitations.
None
Free
IObit Undelete is a good-looking SD card data recovery software application whose target audience are less experienced users who might feel overwhelmed by more complicated tools.
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Good-looking user interface
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Capable of scanning a specific folder
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Respectable scanning speed
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Portable application
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Doesn’t do so well when recovering older files
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Lacks advanced recovery options and features
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Comparison table
#The comparison table below provides an overview of all memory card recovery software applications that have made our list.
| Feature | Disk Drill | R-Studio | PhotoRec | EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard | Stellar Data Recovery | Recuva | MiniTool Power Data Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Score Free Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque. | 100% | 90% | 78% | 89% | 77% | 71% | 76% |
| Requirements | Windows 7-11 | Windows 2000-11 | Windows XP-10, 11 (unofficial support) | Windows 7-11 | Windows 7-11 | Windows XP-10, 11 (unofficial support) | Windows 7-11 |
| Clever in-depth scan | |||||||
| Quick scan | |||||||
| Distributed as | Freemium | Freemium | Free | Freemium | Freemium | Freeware | Freemium |
| Trial version available | |||||||
| Trial version limitations | Recover up to 500 MB for free | Recover files smaller than 256 KB | Freeware. No limits | Recover up to 2 GB for free | Recover up to 1 GB for free | Freeware. No limits | Recover up to 1 GB for free |
| Starting price | $89.00 / Perpetual | $49.99 / Perpetual | Free | $69.95 / 1 month | $49.99 / 1 year | Free | $69.00 / 1 month |
| See Plans & Pricing | Pricing details | Pricing details | Pricing details | Pricing details | Pricing details | Pricing details | Pricing details |
| Raw photo recovery | |||||||
| Video formats recovery | |||||||
| Document formats recovery | |||||||
| S.M.A.R.T. | |||||||
| Helpdesk support | |||||||
| Live chat | |||||||
| Phone support |
Most Common Reasons for SD Card Data Loss
SD card data loss doesn’t happen without reason. Understanding the most common causes of SD card data loss can help you prevent it and keep your data safe.
- Accidental Deletion: User errors are by far the biggest cause of SD card data loss. After all, it’s almost impossible to find someone who hasn’t accidentally deleted an important file before. But as long as you realize your mistake soon enough, you have a good chance of successfully recovering your files.
- Formatting: It’s a good practice to format an SD card from time to time in order to avoid data corruption and issues with file system compatibility. The problem is that formatting is a fairly dangerous mass-delete operation, and all it takes for you to lose important files is one mistake, such as formatting the wrong SD card.
- Logical Damage: The term logical damage encompasses a wide variety of data loss-causing events, ranging from data corruption to file system damage, and so on. While not as serious as physical damage, logical damage can still lead to permanent data loss if not addressed properly and in a timely manner.
- Improper Use: Whoever engineered the first SD card clearly underestimated the destructive power of the average user. Not only are SD cards fragile and vulnerable to the elements, but they also need to be ejected safely when moved from one device to another—something not many users do.
Key Points for Successful SD Card Recovery
There are many variables when it comes to SD card recovery. By keeping in mind the following key points, you can maximize your chance of success and get your files back in no time.
- Begin Recovery ASAP: Data recovery is a time-sensitive process, and the sooner you start, the better outcome you can expect. Disk Drill is available free of charge, and it can take as little as five minutes to recover SD card data with it. We recommend you use it before trying various SD card repair tools, many of which do more harm than good.
- Avoid Physical Damage: Deleted and lost files can be recovered from SD cards because it takes some time for them to become overwritten. However, even professional SD card recovery software like Disk Drill, which can handle corrupted SD cards, can’t recover files from memory cards that have been physically damaged.
- Get It Right on the First Try: Not all SD card recovery solutions are equally reliable, and some can even jeopardize your chance of successful recovery. That’s why you should always start with the most reliable solution you have at your disposal (hint: Disk Drill) and get it right on the first try.
- Recover to a Different Storage Device: Never save recovered files to the storage device from which you’ve recovered them from. You could accidentally overwrite the very same files you’re trying to recover, which would result in their permanent and irreversible loss.
- Create a Byte-to-Byte Backup: Before you begin the recovery process, it’s a good idea to create a byte-to-byte backup of your SD card. That way, you can recover your lost data from the backup and leave your SD card intact.
- Back Up Your Files: Even though Disk Drill makes it easy to recover data from SD cards, you should still back up your files so that you always have an up-to-date backup ready in case something goes wrong. The good news is that the free version of Disk Drill comes with reliable backup features.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, SD card recovery software can really recover lost data from all types of SD cards, including microSD cards, standard SD cards, and miniSD cards. Just know that it can’t perform miracles, which is to say that it can’t recover data that have already been overwritten by new data.
According to our extensive research, which took into consideration supported file formats, ease of use, customer support, price, and operating system compatibility, the top three best SD card recovery software applications are:
- Disk Drill
- Recuva
- Remo Recover
Yes, there are several completely free memory card data recovery software solutions that can help you recover an unlimited amount of data. Based on our research, PhotoRec is the best one because it’s open-source, supports many different operating systems, and has a fairly intuitive step-by-step recovery process.
Mac users can choose from many different SD card recovery software applications, but their best option is Disk Drill for Mac. Why? Because using it to recover deleted photos from an SD card takes just a few simple steps, but the results it delivers are good enough even for data recovery professionals.
Several issues may cause this problem. Your phone might not read an SD card if the card is not inserted correctly. The card may need to have its contacts cleaned to eliminate debris. Another reason that your card cannot be read by your phone is that the card has become corrupted.
Yes, you can recover deleted photos from an SD card. When you delete a photo from an SD card, it remains physically present on the storage device until new data is stored in its place. Before that happens, data recovery software can find the deleted photo a get it back.
Yes, photos can be recovered from your phone’s SD card. The card needs to be connected to your computer through the phone or a card reader. Once the SD card is connected to the machine, your data recovery software application will identify the card as a disk and perform the restore.
Alternatively, you can download a mobile SD card recovery software app like Disk Digger, which lets you recover data directly on your phone. Just know that mobile recovery apps seldom deliver the same results as their desktop counterparts.
Absolutely! Formatting lets you quickly mark an entire SD card as empty, but, in most cases, it doesn’t overwrite the stored data. As long as you begin the recovery process soon enough, you should be able to get back all or most photos from the formatted SD card.
You have two options:
- Use a freeware SD card recovery software application, such as PhotoRec.
- Use a commercial data recovery tool that offers a free trial, such as Disk Drill.
Generally, freeware software applications don’t offer the same ease of use, polish, and features as their commercial counterparts, but they can get the job done when it comes to simpler data loss scenarios.
David Morelo is a professional content writer with a specialization in data recovery. He spends his days helping users from around the world recover from data loss and address the numerous issues associated with it.
When not writing about data recovery techniques and solutions, he enjoys tinkering with new technology, working on personal projects, exploring the world on his bike, and, above all else, spending time with his family.
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Yevgeniy Tolkunov is Hardware Engineer at ACE Data Recovery. Yevgeniy has a Master's Degree in Physics, Information Technology; 15+ years of experience.