How to Recover Lost Image Files from SD Card?

Last updated on February 2nd, 2023 at 03:42 pm

Losing an image file would be more painful if you have no option to recover it. But luckily, there are various methods by which you can recover your lost images. Whether you are saving photos in your device’s internal storage or any external storage device, like SD Card, Pen drive, etc, it is possible to recover deleted pictures. SD Cards are basically used to extend the storage capacity of your electronic device’s internal storage. 

When you encounter a situation like the deletion of image files from an SD card, it is important to apply some image recovery methods to get your deleted photos back. The deleted, lost or formatted photos on your SD card will remain there until you perform read and write data on it. Whether your photo is deleted by mistake or your SD card gets damaged or corrupted, there are several methods by which you can recover them. Here, in this article, we have provided SD card recovery methods, whatever is the reason behind the loss.

What Causes Deletion of Photos From SD Cards?

Before you learn methods for how to retrieve deleted photos, it is important to know the exact reasons behind such situations. There are several situations that lead to the deletion of photos from SD cards or memory cards. Some of these includes:

• Deletion of image files by mistake from an SD card or Memory card 
• Formatting of SD card in your device
• Virus or malware present in the SD card or memory card 
• Continuously clicking and saving photos when the SD card does not have enough storage space 
• Corrupted SD Card because of overuse in multiple devices, including your mobile phones, digital cameras, etc.

How to Recover Lost Photos from SD Cards – Quick Methods

Now, that you are familiar with the reasons why image files get deleted all of sudden from your device, it’s time to apply recovery methods. These methods may include photo recovery software programs, like Stellar Photo Recovery, or manual methods. Firstly, when you encounter this type of situation, don’t panic as this happens to all of us at some point. Just apply the methods mentioned in this part of the blog to get your deleted photos back:

Method 01: Recover Lost Images from Recycle Bin/Trash

Photos or any other file that we delete from our Windows or Mac devices usually go to Recycle Bin and Trash folders respectively. When any photo gets deleted by mistake, you can restore it from the Recycle Bin on Windows or Trash on Mac. Go through the simple steps to know how to retrieve deleted photos if it is deleted by simply clicking the delete button:

• Firstly, open the Recycle Bin folder. 
• Go to the deleted picture that you want to recover. 
• Right-click on it and select the “Restore” option. 
• After that, your photo will get automatically saved to the source location where it was earlier saved.

Method 02: Recover Lost Image Files from a Backup

If you create backups of your files on the Cloud or hard drive, you can use them to recover deleted data. Creating the back of all the data stored on your device can prevent accidental data loss. Windows devices have their own backup feature using which you can bring your data to an external drive. It is good practice to back up the data regularly, at least once a month. Once the backup is created, it became very easy to restore the files on your computer. You can also select the external hard drive to store the backed-up files. 

You can also use apps like OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Photos to restore everything to the cloud. In all these cases, you can recover your deleted photo just by downloading it from your cloud storage service. Best of all, you can use this image recovery option anywhere and on any device. It allows you to recover your deleted photos or any files even if your original device is lost or become stolen.

Go through the following steps to know how to recover lost photos from SD card using the backup on your Windows device:

• Firstly, connect the storage media that contains the backup of the lost image to your computer.
• Right-click the Windows Start button and navigate to Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Backup and Restore.
• Now, you need to select either the “Restore my files” option or “Restore all users’ files.”
• Next, click on the Browse for files or Browse for folders button and find the lost photos that you want to recover. 
• Select your files and tap the “Restore” button to recover and save them at the original location.

Method 03: Use Photo Recovery Software to Recover Lost Images

If the above-mentioned manual methods fail to recover lost images on your system, it’s time to try photo recovery software. There are several photo recovery software programs, like Stellar Photo Recovery, that you can try to recover deleted image files on Windows or Mac devices. This recovery software not only helps you to recover photos from SD Card, but also from HDD, SSD, 4K Hard Drives, USB Drives, etc.

You can use the Stellar Photo Recovery tool to recover images of multiple formats, including JPEG, PNG, GIF, RAW, etc. The software is compatible with Windows 11, 10, 8 & 7 and the latest macOS Monterey 12 and lower versions. This amazing lost image recovery software is available in multiple versions, including Free, Standard, Professional, and Premium. Along with image files, you can recover lost or deleted videos and audio files using this Stellar recovery software. 

Step-By-Step Guide to Recover Deleted Photos Using Stellar Photo Recovery

Go through the following steps to know how to retrieve deleted photos from an SD card or other device using Stellar Photo Recovery software:

• Firstly, you need to download and install the “Stellar Photo Recovery” software in your device. 
• Now, connect the SD card using a card reader to the device in which you have installed the recovery software. 
• Launch the software and select SD card from the home screen of the application. 

• Tap the ‘Scan’ button to start the scanning process after which your system will start searching for deleted images. 

• After successful completion of the scanning process, you can preview the recoverable files. Select all the files that you want to recover and click the “Recover” button to save them at the desired location. 

Quick Tips to Prevent Image Loss From SD Card

• Don’t remove SD cards from devices while saving or transferring image files.
• Avoid using the same SD card on multiple devices.
• Always keep your SD card in a dry and cool space at room temperature.
• Never click more images with your phone or camera when the SD card storage is low.
• Install antivirus software on your device.
• Try to keep multiple backups of your photos.
• Make sure your card reader and USB cable are compatible before using them to transfer files from your SD card.

Conclusion

Deletion of image files from your device can put you in trouble, so it is very important to recover them. Getting the deleted photos back is very simple and can be done in various ways, including Recycle Bin, File Backup, Stellar Photo recovery software, etc. Among several image recovery software available online, many users found Stellar Photo recovery software quite easy and simple to use. Whether your photos are lost due to accidental deletion, formatting, or corruption, you can effortlessly recover them using this software.