How to Format an SD Card on Any Device

Translating English to Chinese refers to the process of converting English text into Chinese. This can be a simple word translation or the translation of entire paragraphs or articles. For instance, translating the English sentence "Hello, how are you?" into Chinese would be "你好，你怎么样？".

"What does 'Format SD Card' mean?"

Typically, formatting an SD card means deleting all existing entries, which prevents you from finding and accessing any files on the card. Any files that were on the device will be lost. It also assigns a new file system to the SD card – FAT32, exFAT, or NTFS – so the device can be used again for storing data. In most cases, when you get a new SD card, it's already formatted and ready for you to use to store files.

Part 1: How to Format SD Card on Windows 10

This article will guide you through the detailed steps of formatting an SD card on a Windows computer. Before we proceed with the instructions, we highly recommend that you back up your SD card first to avoid losing any important data.

Preparations:

• USB card reader: Insert the SD card into your computer's USB port. • MicroSD card adapter: Insert the MicroSD card into your computer's SD card slot. • USB MicroSD card reader: Lets you plug the MicroSD card directly into a USB port.

Method 1: Format the SD Card using Windows Explorer

Step 1. Connect the SD card to your computer using an SD card reader.

Step 2. Open File Explorer in This PC, right-click on your SD card, and select Format.

Step 3: Choose the file system, and give your SD card a new label. Click "Start," then "OK" to confirm the formatting process.

Note: SD cards 64 GB and below are formatted in FAT32. SD cards above 64 GB are formatted in exFAT.

Method 2: Format the SD Card using Disk Management

Step 1. Insert the SD card into the reader and connect it to your computer.

Step 2. Right-click "This PC" and select "Manage," then open "Disk Management."

Step 3: Right-click on your SD card and choose “Format.”

Step 4: Click “Yes” to continue, then assign a new label to your card, and choose a file system (exFAT, FAT32, or NTFS). Finally, click the “Format” button to format your SD card.

Part 2: How to Format SD Card on Camera

If your SD card is for a camera, you can format it directly in the camera. The steps are similar for most cameras, but we'll use a Canon as an example.

Step 1: Press the camera's Menu button.

Step 2. Press the Multi-controller to access [Camera Set-up 1].

Step 3: With the multi-controller, select the "Format Card" option.

Step 4: Click “OK” to begin formatting.

Part 3: How to Format SD Card on Android Phone

If the SD card is for an Android phone, you can actually format it right from the phone. Before you begin, make sure your phone supports this feature. Here, we'll use a Samsung phone as an example.

Step 1: Open the "Settings" app on your phone and find "Device Management."

Step 2: Tap Settings, then Storage, and then Advanced.

Step 3. Select the SD card under Portable Storage.

4. Tap “Format,” then tap “Format SD Card” to confirm.

The exact steps may vary depending on your phone model, but you'll generally find the SD card in your phone's “Settings” app.

How to Unformat SD Card and Recover Data

If you accidentally formatted your SD card and want to retrieve the data, this section will show you how to unformat an SD card.

First, you should know that formatting a memory card doesn't actually delete the data. The data areas won't be removed unless they're covered by new content. Therefore, to maximize the chances of recovery, stop using the device and try one of the following methods immediately.

• Method 1. Run a Formatting Data Recovery Program

Method 1: Run a formatted data recovery program

One effective way is to use a professional data recovery tool, such as the Data Recovery Wizard, to perform an unformat. This will thoroughly scan your formatted device and restore lost files according to your needs.

In addition to performing formatted drive recovery, Data Recovery Wizard lets you:

• Recover files after reinstalling Windows, system crashes, virus attacks, and other severe data loss scenarios
• Restore deleted files in Windows 10, including those removed with Shift+Delete or emptied from the Recycle Bin
• Get back lost photos, videos, audio files, Microsoft Office documents, Adobe files, emails, and more (over 200 file types)

Download the software to restore files from formatted SD card immediately.

Step 1. Connect the USB drive to your computer. Launch tools Data Recovery Wizard. Select the formatted SD card, USB flash drive, or USB pen drive from where you want to recover lost files and click "Scan".

Step 2: After the scan, all the scanned results will be displayed on the screen. You can use the “Filter” or “File Type” feature to find your target files.

Step 3: Select the files that you wish to recover from the formatted external drive and click on 'Restore'. A new window will appear asking you to choose a new location to save the files. Click on 'OK' to confirm.

Please watch the following video tutorial on how to format your SD card using the Data Recovery Wizard tool.

Tip: Best Practices for SD Cards

Aside from knowing what does “format SD card” mean, how to format an SD card, and how to unformat SD card to recover data, it's also essential to know how to make your SD card perform better.

1. Formatting instead of deleting

If you want to clear an old SD card and start fresh, formatting is always the way to go. Deleting or clearing the contents of an SD card doesn't fully remove the data that's left behind.

2. Format the new card before use.

It's always a good idea to format a new SD card before using it, so you can be sure it's compatible with your device.

Perform backups on a regular basis

Regularly back up important content using professional file backup software.

With the methods and tips provided on this page, you should be able to format SD card, unformat it, and get your SD card working properly.