How to Recover Locked SD Card Pictures/Files

Part 1. How to Unlock SD Card in 4 Tested Methods

If you encounter the issue where your SD card is locked or write-protected, we can assist you in resolving it. Here are four effective methods: 1. Manually unlock your SD card 2. Remove write protection in Windows & Mac 3. Unlock SD card with a password Follow these steps to address the problem: 1. **Manually Unlock SD Card**: Check the physical lock switch on the side of the SD card. If it's in the locked position, slide it to the unlocked position. This switch only controls read-only access and doesn't affect write protection in software. 2. **Remove Write Protection in Windows**: - Connect the SD card to your Windows computer. - Open File Explorer, right-click on the SD card, and select "Format." - In the Format window, ensure the "Quick Format" option is checked, and then click "Start." - A warning will appear; click "OK" to format the card, which should remove write protection. 3. **Remove Write Protection in Mac**: - Insert the SD card into your Mac. - Open Disk Utility (found in Applications > Utilities). - Select the SD card from the list on the left. - Click the "Erase" button, choose a format like "MS-DOS (FAT)" or "ExFAT," and then click "Erase." - The process will remove write protection and format the card. 4. **Unlock SD Card with a Password**: - Use a third-party tool, such as CardRecovery or tools, which often have features for unlocking password-protected SD cards. - Follow the software's instructions to unlock the card. Note that this method may not work if the card has been genuinely write-protected and not just password-protected. Remember that formatting or unlocking may lead to data loss, so always back up your important files before proceeding.

Method 1: Manually Unlock the SD Card

This method will help you remove physical write protection. On the left side of the SD card, there's a Lock switch. Ensure that the Lock switch is slid up (in the unlock position). If the card is locked, you won't be able to modify or delete any content on the memory card.

If the lock switch feels loose and moves effortlessly, it's possible that the switch is sliding into the locked position as the card is inserted into your host device. In this scenario, the card would need to be replaced.

Method 2: Remove Digital Write Protection in Windows 10/8/7

This method focuses on removing write protection using the Command Prompt (CMD) to unlock your SD card. If you're not familiar with CMD, you can opt for an alternative. Continue reading and follow the steps below:

Step 1. Ensure that you're logged in with an administrator account. Connect the SD card to your computer.

- If your computer has an SD card reader, insert the card label-side up and with the gold contacts facing the reader. - If your PC doesn't have a built-in card reader, you'll need to use an SD card adapter for this.

Step 2. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen. Search for "Command Prompt" and then click "Run as Administrator."

Step 3. Enter each of these commands individually and press "Enter" after each one:

diskpart list disk select disk # attributes disk clear readonly

# indicates the number of the SD card that is giving you the write-protected or locked error.

You'll see a line of text that reads "Disk attributes cleared successfully," indicating that the write-protection on your SD card has been removed.

Also read: The disk is write-protected in Windows 10/8/7.

CMD Alternative - Write-Protection Removal Tool

If you don't consider yourself a proficient computer user and are unfamiliar with command lines, don't worry. There are graphical-based solutions to assist you in removing write-protection from your hard drives, USB drives, and even SD cards.

CleanGenius is one of these tools that helps you fix the aforementioned issues on your drives without knowing a thing about command-line.

Here's a simple step-by-step guide on how to utilize this tool to resolve your issues effectively:

Step 1: DOWNLOAD and install the tool CleanGenius (free) on your computer.

Step 2: Run CleanGenius on your PC, select Optimization, and choose the Write Protection mode.

Step 3: Select the device that is write-protected and click Disable to remove the protection.

Method 3: Disabling Digital Write Protection on a Mac Device

Occasionally, the file you wish to modify might have read-only attributes, preventing you from writing to it. In such cases, you can manually deselect the read-only property. Here's how to unlock an SD card on a Mac: 1. Connect the SD card to your Mac using a card reader or a device with an SD slot. 2. Open "Finder" by clicking on its icon in the Dock or using Spotlight (press Command + Space). 3. In the Finder window, navigate to the "Devices" section on the left sidebar. You should see the name of your SD card listed there. 4. Right-click on the SD card's name and select "Get Info" from the context menu. Alternatively, you can press Command + I while the SD card is selected. 5. A small window will appear with details about the SD card. Look for the "Sharing & Permissions" section at the bottom of the window. 6. Click the lock icon in the lower right corner to make changes. You'll be prompted to enter your Mac's administrator password. 7. After entering the password, you'll be able to modify the permissions. Find the user or group listed under "Owner & Group" or "Everyone," then click the lock icon next to the read-only permission setting. 8. Change the read-only setting from "Read Only" to "Read & Write." Make sure the "Apply to enclosed items" checkbox is selected if you want to change permissions for all files and folders within the SD card as well. 9. Click "OK" to save the changes and close the "Get Info" window. 10. The SD card should now be unlocked, and you should be able to modify its contents. Remember to eject the SD card safely before physically disconnecting it to avoid data loss or corruption.

Step 1. Connect your SD card to your Mac device.

Step 2. Check and remove the write protection on the SD card.

Right-click on a file on the SD card and select "Get Info." In the resulting window, under the "Sharing & Permissions" section, you'll see "Read Only" listed under Privileges. To modify this, click on the lock icon in the bottom right corner and enter your administrator password to unlock the settings. Once unlocked, click on "Read Only" and change it to "Read & Write."

If your SD card is locked due to an error, the issue will be resolved by First Aid.

Step 1. Click on the "Go" menu and select "Utilities." Launch the Disk Utility program.

Step 2. Select the SD card on your Mac. Then, click the "First Aid" tab.

Step 3. Click "Run" to fix disk volume errors and permissions. When it's done, click "Done".

Method 4: Unlock/Decrypt SD Card with Password

If your memory card or SD card is secured with a password, this approach would be applicable. If you utilized a third-party encryption software to encrypt the card, you can conveniently decrypt it using the same tool with the correct password. If you locked the SD card using an Android phone, the only means to access the data on the card would be to decrypt it. For illustrative purposes, we will demonstrate how to decrypt the SD card with a password on a Samsung phone: 1. **Unlock your Samsung phone** and go to the home screen. 2. **Access Settings**: Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap on the gear icon to enter the settings menu. 3. **Locate and open 'Lock screen and security'**: Scroll down through the settings options and find 'Lock screen and security' or 'Security' (depending on your phone's version). 4. **Select 'Other security settings'**: This option might be nested within 'Lock screen and security'. 5. **Tap on 'Encrypt and decrypt storage'**: You might find this under 'Encryption and credentials' or 'Storage and USB'. 6. **Choose 'Decrypt SD card'**: The option might say 'Decrypt external storage' or something similar. 7. **Enter your password**: At this point, you will be prompted to enter the password that was set for the SD card encryption. 8. **Wait for decryption process**: After entering the correct password, the decryption process will begin. This may take some time depending on the size of data on the SD card. 9. **Confirm successful decryption**: Once completed, your SD card should now be decrypted, and you can access its contents. Remember that the steps might vary slightly depending on your Samsung phone model and Android version. If you face any issues, consult your device's user manual or contact Samsung support for assistance.

Step 1. Insert the SD card into the source Samsung phone and restart it. Proceed to "Settings" and tap on "Lock screen and security".

Step 2. Scroll down to the bottom and tap on "Decrypt SD Card."

Step 3. Tap on "DECRYPT SD CARD" and enter your password. Wait for the decryption process to complete, ensuring your device remains charged throughout the process.

Also read: How to decrypt files without the key

Part 2. How to Retrieve Lost Photos/Documents from SD Card

Now that you've unlocked your SD card, you can easily recover lost files and pictures from it. Here are three methods to recover lost SD card files using a Windows computer, a Mac, and an Android phone:

Solution 1: Recover SD Card Files Using a Windows Computer

To retrieve data from a lost SD card after removing or disabling write protection in Windows 10/8/7, I highly recommend using the tool Data Recovery Wizard. This powerful and reliable data recovery software is secure and free from malware. It offers numerous advantages, such as:

• Recover deleted, formatted, or inaccessible data in various data loss scenarios.
• Effectively, safely, and completely restore photos, audio, music, and emails from any storage device.
• Retrieve data from the recycle bin, hard drive, memory card, flash drive, digital camera, and camcorder.

Follow these steps to recover files from your SD card:

Step 1. Select the SD card to scan In this first step, you need to choose the SD card that you want to scan for lost or deleted files. Typically, the SD card will be recognized by your computer or device as a removable storage device. Follow these general guidelines: 1. Connect the SD card to your computer using an SD card reader or insert it directly into a device with an SD slot (like a digital camera or smartphone). Ensure it is properly inserted and connected. 2. On your computer, open the file explorer or disk management tool (e.g., File Explorer on Windows or Finder on macOS). 3. Locate the SD card in the list of available drives. It may be labeled with a drive letter (e.g., "E:" on Windows or "disk2" on macOS) or have a description like "SD Card." 4. Once you've identified the SD card, select it to proceed with the scanning process. 5. Click on the "Scan" or "Start Scan" button in the data recovery software you are using to initiate the scan for lost files. Remember that different data recovery software might have slightly different interfaces, but the basic process remains the same: identify the SD card and initiate the scanning process.

1. Download and install the tool "Data Recovery Wizard" on your Windows PC. 2. Connect your SanDisk/Lexar/Transcend SD card to the computer using the correct method. 3. Launch the SD card recovery software and select "SD Card Recovery" from the left panel. All connected drives will be displayed here. Choose your SD card and click "Scan".

Step 2. Check for scan results

1. Wait for the scanning process to finish.
2. Select one or several file types to display, such as Pictures or Videos.
3. Click "Preview" to verify if they are the desired files.

Step 3. Recover SD Card Data

• Preview the recovered files and click "Recover".
• Select a different location to save the recovered files rather than the original SD card.

Solution 2: Recover SD Card Files with Mac

< a href="/mac/mac-data-recovery/">Data Recovery Wizard for Mac comes at a reasonable price and offers professional data recovery solutions to retrieve lost videos, music, documents, applications, audio, and more. Moreover, it supports SD cards and other storage devices effectively. To activate the software and recover an unlimited number of files, simply click on the provided button:  

Step 1. Choose the SD card

Connect your memory card to your Mac correctly. Launch the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac. Proceed to "SD Card Recovery", locate your Canon/Nikon/Go Pro/DJI/Sony SD card, and click "Search for lost files".

Note: Before proceeding with data recovery, it's recommended to click "Disk Backup" from the left sidebar to create a backup of your SD card to prevent any potential further data loss. Once the SD card is backed up, the software can retrieve data from the backup, and you can safely remove the SD card and resume using it.

Step 2. Filter Lost SD Card Data

Upon scanning, all files will be displayed in the left panel under the scan results. Locate the desired photos, videos, and other files.

Step 3. Preview and recover data

Preview the SD card data and select the desired files. Then, click the "Recover" button. Avoid saving the recoverable files back to the SD card to prevent data overwrite.

Solution 3: Recover SD Card Files from Android Phone

If you accidentally delete pictures or other data from your Android phone and don't have access to a PC, you can still recover lost data from the SD card using specialized tools. Don't worry! You can utilize the mobile version of MobiSaver for Android to retrieve your deleted files. This application is capable of restoring deleted photos, videos, contacts, call logs, SMS, and even WhatsApp messages from Android devices.

Step 1. Open the app on your phone and choose "SD card." Tap the "START SCAN" button to initiate the scanning process for lost photos and videos. Deleted items will be displayed on the screen.

Step 2. Tap on settings. Here, you can set preferences to allow the software to scan and display specific file sizes, file formats, and so on.

Step 3. After the scan, select the displayed files and tap "Recover." Tap the eye icon to view all recovered photos and videos.

The End

The most crucial step is to unlock your SD card before attempting to recover data from it. The four effective methods mentioned will come in handy. Afterwards, you can utilize trustworthy data recovery software to retrieve your desired files. Incidentally, having a backup beforehand always proves useful, even if you fail to unlock your SD card.