Make sure your SD card data is safe

Here we show you how to try and get files off an SD card if it’s not working or you accidentally deleted them. It’s basically the same process as recovering deleted files from a PC or any type of digital storage for that matter.

SD cards are great but they’re fragile and don’t like being mistreated. They’re used in phones and cameras so tend to contain valuable files.

So when a card stops working you can lose a lot. Here we’ve focussed on recovering files including photos, videos and documents from a card that’s not working properly, but the principles apply to deleted files as well.

Don’t format if you want to recover files

Don’t format the card if you want to retain any of the photos on it. You can follow the tips in our separate article on how to format a write-protected SD card after you’ve tried to recover any files that are on your card.

Now, try and find a different card reader. If you’ve inserted an SD card into your laptop or PC’s built-in slot and nothing happens, try using a different computer or a USB card reader.

Sometimes it’s the reader at fault – not the card. You can buy a USB SD card reader for just a few pounds or dollar which will accept both microSD and standard SD cards.