How to Recover Deleted Files SD Card Mac Free [2024 Update]

User Case: Recover Deleted Files on an SD Card

SD cards are widely used in cameras, dash-recorders, drones, and mainly store pictures and videos. However, the problem of SD card data deletion is very frequent, whether accidental or intentional. If you don't want to completely lose your hundreds or thousands of pictures and raw footage, you need to take the following steps immediately after this problem occurs. 

🚫Stop using the SD card instantly.	If you accidentally delete your SD card while using your digital camera, stop taking photos and videos as soon as possible. This is because the newly written data will overwrite the original deleted files, resulting in data not being recovered.
💽Remove the SD card from the device.	Remove the SD card from your camera or other device so that no new data can be written. Keep in mind the less you use the memory card, the higher the chance you get data back from the SD card.
✅Recover deleted files from the SD card properly.	First, connect the SD card to your Mac with a legitimate card reader. Then, follow the methods in this tutorial to restore lost files. If the data is permanently lost, you should use a specialized Mac data recovery software to recover the SD card.

Is it possible to recover deleted files from the SD card after data loss? Shorty yes. This tutorial explains step-by-step guides and other useful information on recover deleted files SD card Mac free. 

Method 1. Perform SD Card Recovery Mac with Data Recovery Software

Generally speaking, when you are searching for how to recover data deleted from an SD card on a Mac, you have lost your data permanently. In this case, you need a professional Mac file recovery program like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac to help you out.

This software is a great lifesaver for unintentionally deleted files. It provides a high recovery rate and a user-friendly graphical user interface. With advanced recovery algorithms, this tool can find lost data due to accidental deletion.

What's more, this data recovery software can recover deleted files on Mac from almost any storage device, like restoring files from a hard drive, even after you accidentally formatted your device.

Download this data recovery tool for Mac and follow the detailed steps down here to retrieve lost data from your SD card:

Step 1. Carefully connect the SD card to your Mac device and launch the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac. Choose "SD card" from the left panel and click "Search for lost files." If this SD card is from a camera, you can choose the specific brand.

Step 2. When the scanning process is over, you will see all the file type found on the left panel. You can also type the file name in the search bar to better locate your files.

Step 3. Double-click the eye icon to preview the files you want to recover. Then, click the Recover button get your files back. Remember, you need to save your files to a different location to avoid data overwri

You can watch this video tutorial instead and follow suit.

• 00:50 Download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac
• 00:58 Select the SD card and scan it
• 01:12 Filter the results

For your information, EaseUS Mac file recovery software provides a free version allowing users to recover 2GB of data without cost. If your missing files are small, just a few pictures, a small video, or some documents, you can use the free data recovery software for Mac to perform SD card data recovery Mac free.

If you found this Mac SD card recovery tool helpful, share it with your friends on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram!

Here is the full explanation of other best SD card data recovery software, in addition to our software.

Method 2. Restore from SD Card's Trash Folder to Recover Files from SD Card Mac

The SD card has a hidden Trash folder to keep the temporarily deleted files. You can connect the SD card to the Mac and then restore data from the Trash folder. Here are the steps:

Step 1. Open Finder on the Mac and go to the SD card's root folder.

Step 2. Press the CMD + Shift + > keys to show the hidden .Trashes folder.

Step 3. Open the folder and find your deleted files.

Step 4. Right-click the files you want and choose Put Back to restore them.

Method 3. Recover Files From Time Machine Backups to Perform Mac SD Card Recovery

Another useful way to get back your deleted files from an SD card is using Time machine backup files. Time Machine is a backup application that works with all the latest versions of macOS. When you start it, it automatically creates backups of all your files, including apps, music, and photos, just to name a few, so you can easily restore them if you need them in the future.

To restore deleted files with Time Machine:

Step 1. Launch Time Machine on your Mac. 

Step 2. Select the backup version that contains your lost files. 

Step 3. Find the files you want to recover and click the "Restore" button.

Method 4. Perform SD Card Recovery for Mac With Testdisk

TestDisk is a free and open-source file recovery software application created by Christophe Grenier. Its main purpose is to recover lost partitions and fix boot issues. But it can be used to recover deleted files. Follow the steps here:

Step 1. Open Terminal on your Mac. Type the following command and hit Enter:

Step 2. Choose "No Log" and press Enter.

Step 3. Now, choose the hard disk (SD card) that you want to recover data from and tap on Enter again. You can hit P to choose the partition you want to scan.

Step 4. Press "Enter" after selecting "EFI GPT" for a newer Apple Mac model or Mac for an old Mac.

Step 5. Choose "Analyze" and press "Enter" to launch a Quick Scan.

Step 6. Now, you will see a list of missing files. Click "C" to copy, then pick the destination by hitting "Y."

Highlights:

• Runs on several operating systems, including macOS and Mac OS X versions.
• Recovers lost partitions and rebuilds the partition table.

Using Testdisk can get your file back, but it is sure time-consuming. To restore lost files from SD card ASAP, try EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac:

Method 5. How to Recover Deleted Files from SD Card on Mac with PhotoRec

PhotoRec is a free digital photo recovery tool. It specializes in recovering lost images from hard drives, memory cards, USB flash drives, CD-ROMs, and other storage devices. You can try this tool to recover formatted SD card Mac free like this:

Step 1. Open Terminal, type the following command and hit Enter. PhotoRec will start scanning automatically.

Step 2. Choose the device you want to recover lost data from. Here, you need to choose your SD card. Next, you need to identify the file structure used by the device.

Step 3. Now, choose a folder where your recovered files will be saved. Then, PhotoRec will start searching for your files. When the scanning is done, you will see all the recovered files stored at the location you chose.

Highlights:

• Runs on many different operating systems - Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, etc.
• 100% open-source program, not only the software but also the source code.

Method 6. How to Recover Deleted Files from SD Card Mac With Data Rescue 6

Data Rescue 6 is an attractive SD card file recovery application with an intuitive recovery process and two powerful scanning modes. Do as follows to recover your deleted files from SD card:

Step 1. Launch Data Rescue and choose "Start Recovering Files".

Step 2. Choose your SD card device from the list and press the "Next" button. Then, Rescue Data 6 will ask you to choose from Quick Scan and Deep Scan.

Step 3. Once the scanning is over, you can choose the file you want to recover and click the Preview from the top-right corner. Then, click "Recover" button to restore files.

Highlights:

• Excluding duplicate files from the recovery result
• Supports the preview of the scanning result
• You can find specific items based on the name, size, date modified

Though it is a powerful data recovery software, you need to switch between quick scan and deep scan. That is why EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is a better choice, for it will start the deep scan automatically, and you can recover your files during the scanning process.

Method 7. Recover Deleted Files SD Card Mac With Disk Drill

Disk Drill is an effective and reliable utility to recover files from an SD card on Mac OS X 10.5+. It can recover deleted files on all types of SD cards from Mac OS X, including SDHC, SDXC, MicroSD, CompactFlash Cards, XD Cards, and virtually any other card your Mac however, ed. But the free version only allows you to restore up to 500MB data. Follow the detailed steps here:

Step 1. Connect your SD card to your Mac device and download and open Disk Drill Recovery software for Mac. Choose your SD card and click "Search for lost data".

Step 2. You can click the file you want to recover and preview it on the right panel.

Step 3. Choose a safe location and click "Recover" to save it to the new location.

Highlights:

• Provides extra free disk tools that can be used for disk monitoring, space cleaning, duplicate file removal, and more
• Supports the data recovery of iOS devices and Andriod

Reasons: What Causes SD Card Data Loss

There are many reasons that can lead to SD card file loss, and here are some common causes. Read on.

• 🛠️Accidentally formatted SD card: You may have formatted your SD card by accident because you are using the wrong card.
• 😞Unintentionally deleted files: You may also have dragged your files to the Trash and then emptied the Trah bin.
• 🗃️Physically damaged SD card: Your SD card is damaged due to tear and wear or external forces.
• 🦠Upreditable malware infection: Your device may be attacked by a virus or some unknown malware, so your critical files are gone.

Effective Tips to Avoid Data Loss on an SD Card

You can also follow the tips below to avoid SD card data loss.

• Make your data files backup regularly
• Remove the SD card from the Mac in a safe way
• Don't remove the SD card during the data transfer
• Don't eject the SD memory card when your Mac is in sleeping mode
• Know about the symptoms of a damaged or corrupted SD card to avoid data loss
• Data Protection in advance is the best recovery solution

Use the unique SD card data protection of EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to keep your files safe and intact. It keeps your valuable data protected from accidental deletion. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac keeps a detailed record of protected files when they are deleted for later recovery. If you want to get the data back, simply check the protected files section in the interface, choose from the list, and recover.

Recover SD Cards on a Mac FAQs

If you still have questions about Mac SD card data recovery, you can read the questions and answers below.

1. How do I fix an unreadable SD card on my Mac?

To fix Mac not recognizing SD card error

1. 1. Check Mac System
2. 2. Check File System
3. 3. Repair with Disk Utility
4. 4. Initialize Disk

2. How do I recover photos from a corrupted SD card on a Mac?

To recover deleted photos from an SD card on Mac:

• Download and install EaseUS SD card recovery software.
• Connect the SD card to your Mac.
• Launch the program and select the SD card.
• Hit the Scan button to start scanning for deleted pictures.
• Select the photos from the list of recoverable files and click Recover Now.

3. Is there a way to recover trashed items on a Mac?

There are a few practical ways to recover deleted files on Mac. For example, restore lost files from the Trash Bin, Undo option, Terminal, Time Machine backup, or recover permanently deleted files using EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac.

4. How can I recover my SD card for free?

You can use the free version of EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac to recover SD files up to 1 GB. This is a great solution to recover a few lost photos.

5. What's the best data recovery software for Mac?

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is one of the best data recovery software for Mac users. It is a full-featured and competent data recovery tool that helps you recover lost data from an emptied Trash Bin, accidental deletion, or other causes. It can restore unlimited data in three simple steps - choose a hard drive, scan to find deleted files, and preview and recover all recoverable files.

6. How do I access my SD card on my Macbook Pro?

To access the SD card on your Macbook Pro, you can choose the Apple menu > About This Mac. Click System Report. In the Hardware section of System Information, select USB. Then, in the list of USB devices, select Internal Memory Card Reader to access information about the interface hardware and the media inserted into the SD card slot. 

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