Guides / External Recovery

External Recovery

How to Recover Deleted Files from an SD Card on Mac

SD cards are easy to keep using after an accidental deletion, especially inside a camera. That is exactly what reduces the odds of recovery. Treat the card as read-only until you have exported every candidate you want to inspect.

Remove the card from the camera

Do not take more photos or video, and do not let the camera create thumbnails or database files. Each write can reuse data that belonged to a deleted file.

Use a supported removable format

The built-in deleted-entry workflow targets FAT32 and exFAT media. It is not a promise of deep raw-carving recovery for every SD card format or every camera layout.

Scan before exporting

Free scanning lets you inspect names, types, sizes, and recovery confidence. Pro export is for copies you choose after review.

Keep the destination separate

Always choose a Mac folder or a different drive for exports. Sending an export to the source card could overwrite a different deleted file.

Check recovered media

Open recovered photos and video after export. A file can be structurally present but have missing or corrupt portions if the card has been reused.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this recover deleted camera video?

It can offer eligible FAT32 or exFAT deleted entries with unallocated continuous clusters. Large videos are often fragmented, so no full recovery is promised.

Should I run Disk Utility first?

Not before attempting recovery. Repairing a file system can modify metadata and reduce the evidence available to a deleted-file scan.

Does the scan upload my files?

No. This workflow is local and read-only on the selected source.