(2024) How to Backup and Restore SD Cards on Android, PC, and Raspberry Pi

If you've been using an SD card for a while, you know they're not invincible. They can become corrupted due to physical damage, software errors, user mistakes, or other factors. When this happens, you may be unable to access any of the data stored on the card.

Fortunately, there are ways to back up and restore an SD card so you can get your data back if something goes wrong. In this article, we'll show you how to back up and restore SD cards on Android, PC, and Raspberry Pi.

I. What is an SD Card? Three Types of SD Cards You Should Know

An SD card is a small, portable storage device commonly used in digital cameras, camcorders, and smartphones. It is a type of memory card used for storing data. There are currently three subtypes of Secure Digital cards: SD, SDHC, and SDXC; however, they are often collectively referred to as SD cards.

These three types of cards come in various sizes and speeds, which can be confusing. Here's a quick overview:

• Secure Digital (SD) card: This is the most common type of SD card. They come in three different sizes: Standard SD (32mm x 24mm), Mini SD (21.5mm x 20mm), and Micro SD (15mm x 11mm). Standard SD cards are typically used in digital cameras, while Mini SD and Micro SD cards are used in smartphones and other portable devices. (MicroSD cards were previously called TF cards. Learn more: Difference Between a TF Card and an SD Card →)
• Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) card: These cards are similar to standard SD cards but have a higher capacity (4GB to 32GB). They're commonly used in digital cameras and camcorders.
• Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC) card: These cards have the highest capacity of any SD card (64GB to 2TB). They're typically used in high-end digital cameras and camcorders.

Survey the major memory card formats: SD, SDHC, and SDXC.

Aside from these, you might also hear of SDUC cards, designed to span capacities from 2TB to 128TB. This is a newer specification that isn't yet widely available.

II. Applications and Trends of SD Cards in 2022

Now that you're familiar with the different types of SD cards, you might be wondering which devices still use them. While many newer devices have started using other storage formats (like microSDXC), there are still plenty of devices that rely on good old SD cards.

• Digital cameras: Many digital cameras still rely on SD cards to store photos and videos. Some newer models are adopting other storage types, like microSDXC, but SD cards remain a popular choice.
• Camcorders: Similar to digital cameras, camcorders typically use SD cards to store video footage for film production or vlogging. Again, some newer models are moving away from SD cards, but they're still a common option.
• Smartphones: A few smartphones still offer expandable storage via SD cards, especially high-end Android devices that started supporting 8K video recording in 2020. Around 70% of digital media consumption happens on mobile devices. However, most modern smartphones (like the iPhone) do not have this feature.
• Gaming consoles: Consoles like the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck utilize SD cards to store large game downloads, patches, and updates, ensuring gameplay isn't compromised by insufficient memory.
• Virtual reality headsets: VR headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive use SD cards to store virtual reality content. It's said that a typical interactive VR application can generate around 1TB of data per hour.
• Dashcams: As part of safety technology, dashcams use SD cards to store video clips from car journeys since vehicles don't typically have built-in memory for storing recorded video.
• Drones: Serving as data collectors in the sky, drones require robust storage solutions to ensure performance. This often calls for high-end SD cards from brands like Samsung, SanDisk, Delkin, or Lexar.

We didn't list all the devices that require an SD, SDHC, or SDXC card for expandable storage, but you get the idea. While SD cards are slowly being replaced by other storage solutions like eMMC, they're still widely used in many devices. As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues, people are taking up hobbies like photography, videography, gaming, and virtual reality travel, all of which rely heavily on memory card storage. This means demand for SD cards will continue to rise in 2022.

[Photo: Report on the Global Secure Digital Storage Card Market for 2028, from https://www.researchandmarkets.com]

Now, you have 100 reasons to back up your SD card.

With its wide use in digital devices and growing market share, it's important to know the basics of backing up and keeping your SD card healthy.

On the one hand, backing up SD card is a preventive measure that deserves your attention. On the other hand, backing up SD card is essential when you need to fix issues with your SD card. Most of the time, we use “formatting” to repair a damaged or corrupted SD card, and disk formatting is the process of reconfiguring an SD card for initial use, which will erase all data on it.

Formatting the disk is not only an effective way to fix an SD card, but it can also resolve issues where Android or other operating systems and devices are incompatible with the SD card due to problems with the FAT32, exFAT, or NTFS file system.

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4. How to backup the SD card?

Since SD cards can be removed from any digital device, we typically copy the data on the SD card to another location for backup purposes. This could be another SD card, a larger USB flash drive, an external hard drive, a computer, or a cloud app/drive! Any available secondary storage location can serve as a backup destination.

When it comes to SD card backup, there are several ways to achieve this. For instance,

• Manually copy and paste
• Upload to the cloud
• Transfer data from the SD card to a computer
• Create a backup image
• Clone the SD card

Some of these methods will require a computer, while others can be done directly from your Android smartphone. Let's take a look at how to back up photos and videos from your SD card with and without a computer.

V. How to Back Up an SD Card on Your Computer

By taking out the SD card and connecting it to your computer, you can use any of the following methods to back up your SD card to your preferred location without worry.

What do you need?

1. Insert the SD card into your computer: Do this by sliding it into the appropriate slot on your computer's motherboard, or by inserting it into a USB memory card adapter and plugging that into your computer.

2. Check the SD card connection: Typically, Windows should immediately recognize the SD card and install it on your system, allowing you to browse and edit its contents by opening File Explorer.

• Pros: No cost; exactly the same as the original file (保留日期、大小和属性)
• Cons: Not suitable for programs and system files; can be time-consuming for large files; copied files can't be pasted onto network drives or cloud services
• Backup Safety Level: Low
(Translation:保留原格式)
• Pros: Free; completely identical to the source file (retains dates, sizes, and attributes)
• Cons: Not appropriate for programs and system files; can be time-consuming for large files; copied files can't be pasted onto network drives or cloud services
• Backup Safety Level: Low

In summary, manual copy and paste is suitable for backing up a 2- to 8-GB SD card on your computer. But for SD cards with a lot more data than that – say, 16 GB or more – this basic approach isn't ideal.

Step 1: Double-click the SD card in File Explorer. Here are some shortcuts for selecting files or folders first:

• Hold down Ctrl and select the files you want to back up.
• Press Ctrl + A to select all the files on your SD card.

Step 2: If you want to save a copy on your computer's local drive or another removable storage device, try creating a new folder on that drive called “Backup” or something you'll recognize, then copy the file by pressing Ctrl + C, and paste it into that location by pressing Ctrl + V.

• Pros: Access backups across multiple devices after logging in
• Cons: Only 5GB of storage is provided for free
• Backup security: Medium to high

Since you're using a Windows computer, a OneDrive folder will be created on your PC, located above This PC. OneDrive is Microsoft's cloud service that connects you to all your files. It lets you store and protect your files, share them with friends, and most importantly, access your backed-up files from anywhere, on any device. Thus, when it comes to backing up typically large files like photos and videos, cloud storage is an excellent option.

Step 1. The first time you use OneDrive, sign up, sign in, and complete the setup as prompted on the screen.

Step 2. Next, the backup process is simply a matter of copying and pasting (or dragging and dropping) the files from your SD card into the OneDrive folder. You're done.

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• Pros: Free; saves disk space; scheduled backups available
• Cons: Requires downloading backup software
• Backup security: Very high

Option 3 will only work if you download a dedicated Windows backup and recovery software. A backup image in this context refers to a copy of the contents of your SD card saved as a single file with a specific format, such as ISO, VHD, and the like. This is different from traditional copy-paste methods or cloud syncing, as image backups require special software to create and restore.

Free backup software is renowned for being one of the most user-friendly and powerful backup tools around, capable of handling all sorts of backups. It can also connect to cloud accounts on Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox, so you can still keep your SD card backups in the cloud. However, the free storage offered by these third-party cloud services is limited, whereas with Todo Backup, every user gets 250GB of free cloud storage. This is another reason why it's one of the best Windows SD card backup software options out there.

Step 1: Choose what to back up.

Step 2: There are four backup types: Files, Disk, System, and Email. Click on Disk.

Step 3. You can back up either the entire disk or a specific partition. Choose what you need and click OK.

Step 4. Choose where you want to save your backup.

Select the backup destination location

Step 5: For disk/partition backup, you can choose to save the backup to a local drive or NAS.

When the backup is finished, the task will appear on the left. Right-click on any task and you can manage the backup further, such as restoring it, creating an incremental backup, and so on.

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• Pros: Creates an exact clone of the original SD card; can back up a damaged SD card
• Cons: Paid software with a minimum monthly fee of $19.90
• Backup security: Very high

Disk cloning is widely regarded as the most efficient way to replace a hard drive without moving data or reinstalling the operating system. However, in some cases, disk cloning can be used to create a backup, especially for hard drives with potential data recovery issues. So, if you're trying to replace an SD card for your camera or smartphone and wish to back up the old one, why not clone the old SD card directly to the new one for instant backup and restoration? Here, we highly recommend using the Disk Copy tool, which is an excellent cloning software for various storage drives.

Launch a disk cloning tool to perform a smooth disk cloning or copying process.

1. Download, install, and run the Disk Copy utility on your computer.
Click on Disk Mode, and select the source disk that you want to copy or clone. Click Next to proceed.

2. Select the target disk to which you want to clone/copy the old hard drive, then click "Next" to proceed. If prompted, click "OK" to confirm erasing data on the target disk.

3. Check and edit the disk layout, you can choose to "resize partition automatically", "copy as source disk" or "custom disk layout". It is recommended to select "resize partition automatically".

• The “Copy Source” option will copy the partition layout of the source disk to the target disk.
• The “Edit Disk Layout” option lets you manually adjust the partition size or location on the target disk.
• If your target disk is an SSD, remember to check the “Enable this option when target is SSD” box.

Click Continue to begin the disk clone or disk copy process.

VI. How to Backup Android SD Card Without Computer

With the advancement of technology and information in modern society, smartphones and tablets have become primary devices for gaming, video watching, and photography. The more time you spend on your mobile device, the less you use your PC or laptop. This also applies to backing up an Android SD card. Is there a way to do it directly on your Android without the hassle of using a computer? The answer is yes. Here, we will introduce three viable solutions for you.

- **Pros:** Creates an exact replica of the original SD card; can back up damaged SD cards - **Cons:** Subscription fees start at $19.90 per month - **Backup security level:** Very high

This is the easiest and most direct way to back up photos and videos from your Android's SD card without a computer, but you'll need to download or purchase a cloud app from the Google Play Store. Some reputable options include Dropbox, pCloud, Box, IDrive, and Microsoft OneDrive. Some phone manufacturers also offer native cloud services, like Samsung Cloud. Check your settings to see if your phone has this option.

Since Google Photos is so popular, we'll use it as an example for backing up your SD card:

Step 1. Open the Google Photos app on your Android device.

Step 2: Tap the menu icon in the top-left corner, which is three horizontal lines.

Step 3: Go to Settings > Backup & sync. Make sure it's turned on.

Step 4. Click on "Select folders to backup..." and choose the folder with your SD card photos, such as DICM. Wait for the backup process to finish.

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- **Pros:** No computer or laptop needed; backs up SD cards directly on Android devices; can back up multiple SD cards simultaneously; supports wireless streaming of media content from external drives to Android phones. - **Cons:** Slightly more expensive than other options ($39.99) - **Backup Security:** Medium to High

The Ravpower FileHub is an external storage device that can connect to several devices and shuttle files between them. It is designed for backup, content sharing, and streaming between SD cards, USB drives, HDDs, and mobile phones.

How to use FileHub to backup SD card without a computer:

Step 1. Connect the SD card to the FileHub via the USB port.

Step 2. Connect your Android device to the FileHub via Wi-Fi.

Step 3. In the FileHub app, find the files you wish to back up and copy them to your phone.

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How to Backup Your Raspberry Pi SD Card in Windows

The Raspberry Pi is a small and affordable computer that you can use to learn programming, make electronics projects, and create powerful Internet of Things devices. Your Raspberry Pi won't work without an SD card.

A Raspberry Pi SD card is a micro storage card that holds the operating system and software for the Raspberry Pi. Given their small size, these cards can be easy to lose. After you've customized your Raspberry Pi's operating system and installed useful software, you might want to back up your SD card regularly before making upgrades or other changes. Backing up your Raspberry Pi's SD card essentially means backing up its operating system. This way, if something goes wrong with your Raspberry Pi, you can quickly restore from an image of the backup.

Next, we will show you the easiest way to back up Raspberry Pi SD card on Windows 11/10/8.1/7:

Step 1. To back up the Raspberry Pi SD card on Windows, we need to use a Raspberry Pi backup software called Win32 Disk Imager. Download and install the program to proceed with the next step.

Step Two: Now unplug the SD card from the Raspberry Pi and insert it into your card reader. Plug the card reader into your computer, and open Win32 Disk Imager.

Step 3. Select the drive from the top-right, then click the folder icon to navigate to it. Enter the name of your .img file in the “File name” box, for example, Raspberrypi_backup.img, and click “Open.” Alternatively, you can type x:/Raspberrypi_backup.img in the “Image file” section, where X is the letter of the drive where you want to save the backup. Click “Read” to start creating the image.

When it's done, the Raspberry Pi's SD card contents will have been written to an image file called Raspberrypi_backup.img. This file will be saved wherever you specified for your backups.

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VIII. Conclusion: SD Card Backup

In a nutshell, a shared SD card backup solution involves uploading the SD card files to the cloud, whether or not using a computer. You just need to choose a reliable cloud service, either free or paid. Among most free cloud storage for keeping backups of SD cards or other storage devices, Tool Cloud Backup Software offers 250GB of free cloud storage, which is the best value for a free option.

Another way to back up your smartphone or Raspberry Pi computer's SD card is by cloning the SD card, which mainly duplicates the files and structure of the SD card (an A-to-A copy), and can also be used for backing up and restoring corrupted SD card data.

Last but not least, if you have several SD cards to back up, whether from a digital camera or a game console, you can use a physical SD card backup device. The one we recommend is the RavPower FileHub.