We are all too familiar with the challenges that SD cards face daily. They're constantly being handled and transported between devices like smartphones and cameras, which means they're prone to physical damage and data loss. Plus, their portability means they're used more frequently, increasing the chances of human error.
We know how frustrating it can be to lose valuable photos and footage. We've put together this article to guide you on how to efficiently recover files from an SD card on a Mac using a specialized recovery solution or without the need for specialized software. By following the steps outlined in this article, you will be able to successfully and quickly recover data from your SD card on a Mac yourself.
Part 1. What are the common reasons for data loss on SD cards?
There are several common reasons for data loss on an SD card. One of the most common is accidental deletion. It's easy to accidentally delete a file or group of files when you're working on your computer or mobile device. If you've accidentally deleted something from your SD card, don't panic – there's a good chance you can recover it using one of the methods described in the previous section.
Another common cause of data loss on an SD card is a corrupt file system. The file system on an SD card is responsible for organizing and storing your data. If the file system becomes corrupt, you may experience data loss or be unable to access your files. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including malware infections, power outages, and hardware failures.
Physical damage to the SD card is another common cause of data loss. If the card is damaged, you may be unable to access your data. This can be caused by anything from water damage to scratches on the card.
Finally, formatting the SD card is another common cause of data loss. If you accidentally format your SD card, you'll lose all of the data on it. This can happen if you select the wrong drive when formatting, or if you accidentally click the "Format" button in a prompt.
Part 2. Four Solutions to Recover Files from SD Card on Mac [Detailed Guide]
Solution 1. How to recover deleted files with iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac
The process of recovering data from a memory card can be straightforward when utilizing SD card recovery software. Professional data recovery software often includes a graphical user interface to guide Mac users through the process. For optimal results, we recommend using iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac to recover data from an SD memory card on a Mac, regardless of whether it is a 'micro SD' card or a full-sized SD card. To begin the recovery process:
1. Download and install iBoysoft SD recovery software for Mac by double-clicking the installation file, dragging the software to the Applications folder, and following the on-screen wizard. Note that an admin password may be required for the installation. This recovery tool is compatible with Mac OS X 10.11 and later, and it is safe to install on the internal hard disk of your Mac as you will be recovering data from an external/portable SD card.
2. Connect the SD card to your Mac using the built-in SD card reader, an SD card adapter, or an external card reader. Alternatively, you can connect the device (such as a digital camera or PlayStation) that contains the SD card itself to the Mac.
3. Launch the iBoysoft recovery software application, which will automatically detect your SD card and list it along with any recognized partitions. You can also launch the software from the Applications folder in Finder.
4. Select the memory card (or the device containing the card) where you accidentally deleted files and click "Search for Lost Data." iBoysoft recovery software for Mac offers two scan modes: Quick scan for finding deleted files and Deep Scan for finding more lost files. The software will automatically operate both modes to maximize the number of recovered files.
5. Preview the lost files by selecting them and clicking the "Preview" button. This will allow you to determine which files are recoverable and should be restored.
6. Recover the selected files by clicking "Recover." To avoid overwriting or corrupting recoverable data, save the recovered files to a location other than the original SD card. Verify the recovered files to ensure that the recovery process is complete, and then quit the iBoysoft Mac data recovery software.
If you've lost important data on an SD card on your Mac, iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac can help. This reliable tool is capable of recovering over 1000 file formats from all types of SD memory cards made by popular manufacturers. It can also recover permanently deleted files and lost data from SD cards used in digital cameras, GoPro cameras, play stations, and mobile phones, as well as recover lost data from corrupted, unreadable, or formatted SD cards. In addition to SD cards, it can also recover data from other disk-based storage devices such as hard drives, solid-state drives, and USB flash drives on the Mac platform.
Solution 2. How can I recover deleted photos from Mac Trash
On a Mac, deleted files are temporarily moved to the Trash folder before they are permanently removed after 30 days, or sooner if the Trash has been emptied by the user. However, if the data was deleted from an SD card on an externally mounted digital device such as a camera or memory card reader, it will not be saved to Mac's Trash. To recover deleted data from an SD card on a Mac:
Step1. Open the Trash folder from the Dock.
Step2. Locate the deleted photos or other files on the SD card that you want to recover.
Step 3. Right-click on the selected files and select "Put Back."
Note that the deleted photos or videos from the SD card will be restored to their original folder, so be sure to connect the SD card to your Mac before attempting recovery.
Solution 3: You can recover data from SD card with Time Machine backup
Time Machine is a built-in backup and recovery tool on Mac computers that can back up the system, applications, files on Mac's main disk, and data on external drives connected to the Mac. If you have previously backed up your data using Time Machine, you can use it to restore lost files from an SD card. To restore lost files from an SD card using Time Machine:
Step 1. Connect the external hard drive containing the Time Machine backup to your Mac.
Step 2. Click on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and select "Enter Time Machine." If the Time Machine icon is not visible, go to the Apple logo > System Preferences > Time Machine and check the box for "Show Time Machine in Menu bar."
Step 3. In the Finder window, select the folder that last contained the deleted files. If no Finder folder is open, the desktop folder will be displayed by default.
Step 4. Use the on-screen up and down arrows or the timeline at the right edge of the screen to locate older versions of the items you want to restore.
Step 5. Select the item to recover and press the Spacebar to preview it, finally, click "Restore" to complete the recovery process.
Solution 4: Recover SD card data from other backup solutions
To restore lost data from an SD card, you can use a previously created backup stored on an external storage device or cloud storage. The specific steps for performing the recovery will depend on the backup solution that was used. To restore the data, you will need to access the backup and locate the relevant files within it, then follow the steps provided by the backup solution to complete the recovery process. It is important to note that different backup solutions may have unique procedures for restoring data, so it is important to familiarize yourself with the specifics of your chosen solution before attempting to recover lost data. Having a backup of your data can be a valuable asset in the event of data loss, as it allows you to restore important files quickly and easily.