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How to Recover Deleted Photos from Micro SD Card (5 Ways)
In this article, you will learn how to recover deleted photos from Micro SD card with or without software, along with step by step instructions. Scroll down to learn more.
By Ivy / Updated on June 11, 2025
Losing photos from your micro SD card can be frustrating and even heartbreaking. Maybe you accidentally deleted them, formatted the card, or something went wrong during data transfer. Whatever the reason, your photos are gone—and you need them back.
Micro SD cards are small and easy to use, often mishandled, and prone to corruption. A simple interruption while writing data or removing the card without ejecting it can render your files inaccessible. Worse, some lower-quality cards fail after just a few uses, taking your data with them.
The good news? In most cases, deleted photos aren’t really gone- they’re just hidden. If you act quickly, it’s easy to get them back and there are 5 useful methods in the following.
Can You Really Recover Deleted Photos?
“Hello. I accidentally deleted 800 photos from my SD card instead of saving them, and I am in desperate search for help in recovering them. I have a Canon EOS Rebel T6i and was using Canon's “camera connect” app to download when I deleted it from the camera, and after inserting the SD card into my computer, I realized they also deleted it there. So yeah, I’m spiraling because the pictures were so special, and if anyone could help, I would be so grateful. Thank you.”
Yes, in most cases, you can recover deleted photos from a micro SD card (if you act quickly). When you delete a photo, it isn’t immediately erased from the card. Instead, the system simply marks the space where the file was stored as "available". The actual data stays on the card until it's overwritten by new files. In other words, the photos you deleted are still there, they're just hidden.
How to Recover Deleted Photos from a Micro SD Card
Why Choose AOMEI FastRecovery?
AOMEI FastRecovery is one of the most reliable data recovery tools for recovering deleted photos from micro SD cards used in cameras, phones, and drones. Here are the points where it stands out:
AOMEI FastRecovery- Intelligent use Quick Scan (within 3-5s) for deleted files and Deep Scan for more complex scenarios (e.g., formatted drive, corrupted drive) or USB/SD card recovery.
- Its user-friendly interface makes the recovery process simple and stress-free, even if you're not tech-savvy.
- Support a variety of image file formats, including JPG, PNG, TIF, HEIC, GIF, PSD, SVG, ARW, X3F, NEF, etc., as well as other data types, e.g., audios, videos, emails, etc.
- Compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, etc., and different micro SD card brands such as SanDisk, Samsung, Lexar, Kingston, and so on.
Steps to recover deleted photos from Micro SD card
- Stop using the SD card immediately.
- Don’t take new photos or add files to the micro card.
- Don’t format this card before data recovery.
- Don’t download and install any recovery software on the original card.
Step 1. Download AOMEI FastRecovery and save it to your computer. Insert your micro SD card using a card reader. Make sure it’s detected as a removable drive.
Step 2. By default, it navigates to Hard Drive Recovery and automatically starts Quick Scan (within 3-5 seconds) to find deleted photos quickly. And the SD card is usually shown in Removable Media. Select your SD card and click Scan.
Pro Tips:
- You can also click USB/SD Card Recovery to deep scan SD card for data recovery.
- Quick Scan is fast and best for recovering deleted photos while Deep Scan is for more complex scenarios, e.g., formatted drive.
Step 3. Click the Filter button and specify the Image data type to display all of your images. Then, check photo thumbnails to confirm and click the Recover button to recover deleted files from micro SD card without waiting for the final result.
- It displays only deleted files, greatly reducing the time it takes to find files.
- If you can’t find the deleted photos, click Deep Scan to scan your card more thoroughly.
- Save the recovered image files somewhere safe, not back on the same micro SD card, which may overwrite the data you’re trying to save.
Free download AOMEI FastRecovery if you accidentally deleted photos!
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How to Recover Deleted Photos from Micro SD Card without Software
If you backup your photos before or they are synced online, then you might be able to recover deleted photos without software. Here are a few ways you can try:
Method 1: Restore deleted photos from Google Drive
If you manually uploaded photos or synced folders to Google Drive, try to check your drive for deleted photos. The best point is that you can perform Micro SD card photo recovery anywhere, on any device.
Step 1. Go to drive.google.com and sign in with your account.
Step 2. Check under "Trash".
Step 3. Find your deleted photo files. Then, right-click and select “Restore” to get them back.
Optionally, you can check under"Recent" and download deleted photos to your device.
Method 2: Restore deleted photos from Google Photos
If the deleted photos are not on Google Drive, it’s likely to be on Google Photos. If sync is enabled, pictures are usually saved to Google Photos automatically. Usually, these photos will not be included in Google Drive.
Step 1. Open the Google Photos app or go to photos.google.com.
Step 2. Click on the Trash folder. If your deleted photos are still there (within the 60-day limit), select them.
Step 3. Click Restore to move them back to Google Photos. You can then download it to your device.
Method 3: Recover from Your Computer’s Recycle Bin
This only works if you transferred photos from SD card to your PC and then deleted them. On Windows, deleted photos will be moved to the Recycle Bin and kept there for 30 days by default. Here’s how:
Step 1. Open the Recycle Bin on your desktop.
Step 2. Search for the deleted picture by name or the date they were removed.
Step 3. Right-click on the picture and select Restore. To select multiple pictures, please hold the Ctrl key.
Method 4: Recover from Phone’s Internal Storage
If the File Transfer Mode is enabled, you can manually copy files from phone to your computer. Then, try to recover deleted photos on your Android phone.
Step 1. Connect your phone to your PC using a USB cable.
Step 2. Select File Transfer Mode on your phone. Then, open the DCIM, Pictures, or Camera folder to browse for deleted or missing images.
Optionally, if you can’t find deleted photos, attempt using file recovery software to scan internal storage and recover them. Note that some software may require root access on Android devices.
Bonus Tips: How to Avoid Photo Loss in the Future
- Enable auto-backup to cloud storage.
- Use reliable SD cards and avoid fake brands.
- Don’t remove SD cards while in use.
- Regularly transfer photos to a backup drive or PC.
- Use surge protection while transferring files.
Conclusion
With the above methods, you can easily recover deleted photos from Micro SD cards. Among them, the most effective methods is using a reliable SD card data recovery software like AOMEI FastRecovery to scan SD card for deleted files.
It offers users two advanced scanning methods - Quick Scan for deleted files and Deep Scan for other scenarios. Quick Scan is the default option, integrated in the Hard Drive Recovery section. Free download it to have a try!
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