Macs like many other storage devices help us save some of our best moments in photos or even videos.
With the assistance of SD card or CF cards, life is much easier even when it comes to sharing or transferring these files from Mac to other storage devices.
But sometimes we have to deal with the worst scenarios of lost data from SD and CF cards. Which can generally occur due to several different reasons.
The good news is that you will always be in a position to tell when an SD or CF card is exposed to danger and your data is at risk. Look out for some of the symptoms below:
- Strange file names on your card
- SD card incorrectly displays no files
- SD card is not recognized by Mac
- Unexplained error messages appearing when card in use
- Read or write failures
Can I Recover SD and CF Card Data?
Yes, this is possible when you act early enough. There are many ways to restore lost CF card data on Mac including using a CF card recovery for Mac software.
If you decide to use a software solution, look out for some of the properties below to ensure you are choosing only the best tools.
Remember, using the wrong tool increases the chances of your files disappearing completely.
Ease Of Use
The tool should be easy to use. This is because you do not want to waste time still learning how to navigate the user interface or finding out which button to press to get back your files.
In addition, the software should have clear steps prescribed for users to follow when recovering files to eliminate any chances of you making mistakes in the process.
Compatibility
When choosing a solution, you should pick one that is compatible with CF and SD cards and a wide range of files types.
It should recognize the major photos and video formats and be able to recover them in their original forms.
Budget
Of course, you do not want to spend all your fortunes trying to recover CF and SD card files. Your software choice should fit within your budget, whether a subscription-based one or one-time purchase.
Budget should however play among other considerations so that you are not picking a free version software that cannot recover deleted files from SD card as required.
So, while you can recover CF and SD card data, you must be very careful to use the right tools so as to increase your chances of recovering all the files lost. This is the only way you can revive lost moments on Mac.
Recover SD and CF Card Data With Disk Drill
We recommend using Disk Drill by CleverFiles because of its reputation and success stories. The software comes in with multiple features and supports a wide range of devices and file types.
SD and CF cards are definitely supported and you can recover files even if they were lost due to corruption or damaged disks.
Remember, any time you have lost data, you should always move swiftly to begin the recovery process. Any further delays only reduce your chances.
With Disk Drill, however, you still have a higher chance of getting back your files. Below are the Mac steps to restore SD card data.
You will choose to either perform a quick scan or deep scan your cards to recover all the data.
Step 1: Install Disk Drill For Mac
Download and install the software by following the onscreen wizard. Ensure you are installing the software on the internal hard disk of your Mac.
Step 2: Connect The CF or SD Card To Your Mac
Now link the card where files were lost from to the mac using the built-in card reader. If your cards are in a digital camera or PlayStation, you only need to connect them to the Mac without having to remove the cards first.
Step 3: Launch Disk Drill
Once the card is properly connected and detected by Mac, launch the software. You can also do this from Finder’s Application folder.
The data recovery software once launched will be able to recognize the card that is connected to your Mac among other available volumes. Select the card.
Step 4: Scan Your Card
At this stage, begin scanning your card for lost data. On the interface of the software, choose and click the “Search for Lost Data” button to initiate this process.
Step 5: Preview and Recover Lost Files
Search does not take much longer with Disk Drill. Once you have a list of recoverable files, preview it and decide which files you want to recover. You can filter or select them before recovery.
Although there are other possible data recovery for Mac methods to consider for CF and SD cards data, we recommend using this one method all the time as it gives you a wider possibility of recovering lost files with the highest success rate without making your journey a trial-and-error venture.
Other methods you can try include:
- Mac Trash recovery
- Recovery with Terminal
- Recover from time Machine Backup
How To Increase Your Data Recovery Chances With SD And CF Cards
Well, we have compiled a number of ways you can increase your chances of SD and CF card recovery. We hope this helps you in the long term.
- Stop using your cards immediately they start experiencing problems
- Do not format the card
- Use high-quality original cards only
- Back up your data all the time
- Keep your devices virus-free
- Handle your devices with care
