How to Format SD Card on Mac, Android and Windows

2024-08-13 Jennifer Thatcher Technology Manager of Test Dept.

Summary

SD cards are now widely used in portable devices due to the tiny size and high-speed data transfer. How to format a SD card on Mac, Windows or Android? In this essay, we will provide some methods . Then, we will talk about how to recover a formatted SD card.

Content

About Formatting SD Card

• What is Formatting?
• When SD Card should be Formatted?
• Notes of Pre-formatting

How to Format SD Card on Windows?

How to Format SD Card on Mac?

How to Format SD Card on Android?

How to Recover Formatted SD Card?

About Formatting SD Card

What is Formatting?

Formatting, or disk formatting, is the process of removing all data from a disk or partition, erasing the index and rebuilding a new file system. That can return a disk to the pristine state. In computing, a file system controls how data is stored and retrieved, responsible of space allocation.

That is to say, formatting can erase all data on a SD card, rebuild a file system and reallocate the storage space. Once formatted, the SD card will go blank. Yet, when a SD card should be formatted?

When SD Card should be Formatted?

• Modify the file system of the SD card before using it on another devices.
• The SD card is inaccessible due to the file system errors. Formatting is a way to fix the card.
• The storage space of the SD card is full. Formatting can empty out the space for new data.
• The SD card is attacked by virus or malware. Formatting can clear them.

Notes of Pre-formatting

What you need to do before formatting:

• Back up the important SD card files and save them in a safe folder.
• Recover the damaged data on the SD card before formatting
• Check whether the SD card slot and the card reader can be used.

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How to Format SD Card on Windows?

On Windows OS, we can format the SD card in Disk Management.

① Connect the target SD card to the computer with a card reader.

② Press [ Win + R ] to open the Run box. Then, type [ diskmgmt.msc ] and press Enter to open Disk Management.

③ Right-click at the target SD card and select [ Format ].

④ In the following window, select a file system and click [ OK ].

Tips: If you forget to back up the files, you can try to recover the SD card after formatting .

How to Format SD Card on Mac?

① Connect the target SD card to the computer with a card reader.

② Go to [ Launchpad ] > [ Disk Utility ]. At the left side of the window, select the target SD card. Then, click at the option [ Erase ].

③ In the pop-up window, name for the SD card and select a file system. MS-DOS (FAT) is recommended because it can be compatible with different operating systems. As all is well set, click [ Erase ] to format the SD card.

Tips: If you forget to back up the files, you can try to recover the SD card after formatting .

How to Format SD Card on Android?

① Insert the SD card into your Android phone.

② Go into [ Settings ].

③ Then, tap [ Storage ].

④ Finally, format the SD card as prompted.

Tips: If you forget to back up the files, you can try to recover the SD card after formatting .

How to Recover SD Card?

Renee Undeleter , the professional software for data recovery, supports to recover various files. It is designed with three scan modes, fast partition scan, whole partition scan and whole disk scan, which can help you retrieve SD card data as much as possible.

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Easy to use 3 steps to recover formatted data back.

Multi Recovery Modes File recovery, Whole partition recovery and Whole disk recover are available.

Support Different File Types Photos, videos, audios, files, emails, etc.

Image Creation Creat image for disk or parititon.

Compatible with Different Devices SD card, SDHC, SDXC, USB disk, computer, etc.

▽ Free Trial (Win) ▽ Free Trial (Mac)

① Download and install Renee Undeleter. Then, connect the SD card to the computer.

② Launch the software and select [ Fast Partition Scan ].

③ Select the target SD card and click [ Next ] to go on.

④ As the scan is finished, preview and check the target files. Then, click [ Recover ] to recover the SD card.

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How to Format SD Card on Mac, Android and Windows