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How to Restore Reformatted SD Cards

The convenience of using SD cards in digital photography is undeniable, since they allow you to keep reusing the same card with no added expense. By formatting the SD card, the images are removed and the card can be used for more images. Sometimes, though, this convenience comes at a price -- accidental deletion of images is a common occurrence. Before you panic, there are a few steps you can follow to restore your reformatted SD cards.

Things You'll Need

SD card reader or camera-to-computer connection cable

Instructions

- 1
  Take the SD card out of the camera if it is still in the card slot. Immediately activate the write-protection tab on the side of the card; this will keep you from shooting on the card that once held your now missing photos.
- 2
  Download a data recovery program designed to work with SD cards. Some examples of free data recovery programs are included in the Resources section.
- 3
  Connect your card reader or your digital camera to your computer and insert the locked memory card.
- 4
  Point the data recovery program to the SD card's location and run the program. Any recoverable files will be displayed by the program. Some programs require you to pay and register the program before restoring the files; in this case, you'll need to complete the registration process before continuing.
- 5
  Open the recovered files and save them to your computer as backup.

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