SD & Micro SD Card Data Recovery in London
Recover photos and videos from SD, SDHC, SDXC, micro SD and mini SD cards – deleted, formatted, corrupted or broken.
Memory card recovery for photographers and everyone else
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SD, SDHC, micro SD or mini SD memory card recovery by Creative IT[/caption]
Memory cards hold some of our most precious files – wedding shoots, holiday photos, drone and dashcam footage. When a card shows “card error”, asks to be formatted or snaps in half, the files can often still be saved. Data Doctor recovers data from all types of memory card at our London lab, starting with a free initial consultation.
Card problems we solve
- Deleted photos and videos, or a card that was formatted by mistake.
- “Card error”, “memory card not formatted” or “please format” messages.
- Card not recognised by camera, phone or computer.
- Corrupted RAW files and videos that won’t play.
- Physically broken, bent or water-damaged cards, including snapped micro SD cards.
- Write-protected or read-only cards after controller failure.
Highest success rates in hard drive data recovery
How we recover memory cards
Logical faults such as deletion or corruption are recovered by imaging the card and rebuilding the file structure, including RAW photo formats from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm and others, and video from GoPro, DJI and dashcams.
When the card’s controller has failed or the card is physically damaged, we read the flash memory directly. Micro SD cards are “monolithic” – the controller and memory are sealed in one package – so we access test points on the card itself. This is precise work, done in-house at our lab. Read more about NAND flash recovery.
Why memory cards fail
Memory cards fail for several reasons: removing the card while the camera is still writing, the battery dying mid-save, using the same card in several devices, cheap or counterfeit cards, and simple wear on cards used heavily for video. Physical damage from bending, water or static is also common, especially with tiny micro SD cards in phones, drones and dashcams.
Stop! Before you do anything else
- Stop using the card – taking new photos can overwrite the lost ones.
- Don’t format the card, even if your camera asks you to.
- Don’t run free recovery apps that write to the card.
- Keep broken pieces together and don’t try to glue or tape the card.
Other flash media
We also recover USB flash drives, CompactFlash, CFast, CFexpress and XQD cards. See our USB data recovery guide and our Kingston DataTraveler case study.
Frequently asked questions
Can photos be recovered from a formatted SD card?
Usually, yes, as long as the card hasn’t been used much since. A quick format leaves most of the data in place.
Can you recover a broken micro SD card?
Often. If the memory inside isn’t cracked, we can read it directly through the card’s test points.
How long does SD card recovery take?
Simple recoveries are often completed within 1–3 working days of diagnosis. Chip-level recoveries take longer.
Are fake SD cards recoverable?
Counterfeit cards often report more capacity than they have, so data written past the real limit is lost. Anything within the real capacity can usually be recovered.
How much does SD card recovery cost?
The initial consultation is free and you’ll get a quote before any work. Logical recoveries cost much less than chip-level work on broken cards – see our price list.