Reformatted an SD Card and Only Need the Family Photos Back: What Should You Try First?
Make an image of the card first, then recover from the image instead of repeatedly scanning the original. In this r/datarecovery photo-recovery case, a Canon EOS T7 user was trying to save family photos, was unsure whether to use DMDE or Disk Drill, and later explained that the card had also been reformatted through a phone. For a photo-only, budget-sensitive case like this, you do not need to pay for Disk Drill before testing a free recovery path.
Protect the Card First
Do not format the card again, take new photos, or save anything to it. Create a byte-to-byte image, unplug the original card, and run recovery attempts against the image when possible.
Which Free Tool Should You Try First?
Choose by Platform and Need
- Windows and you only need photos or videos: start with R-Photo. It is free for non-commercial photo/video recovery, supports SD cards visible to Windows, can scan damaged or unrecognized file systems, and can work from a disk image.
- macOS, Linux, or you need more control: use DMDE Free. DMDE provides Windows, macOS, and Linux versions, and its free edition can recover up to 4,000 files from the selected directory per operation, with unlimited repetitions.
- You are considering Disk Drill: there is no need to pay first. Use one of the free options above to see whether representative family photos can actually be recovered and opened.
Did Reformatting the Card Destroy the Photos?
Not necessarily, but the exact phone format method is unknown. The SD Association distinguishes between quick formatting, which resets file-system entries without overwriting file data, and overwrite formatting, which erases the user-data area. The Reddit post does not establish which behavior the phone used, so the correct response is to stop all further writes and test the image rather than assume either success or failure.
When Should You Stop DIY Recovery?
If the card cannot be imaged reliably, disconnects, reports the wrong capacity, or starts producing repeated read errors, stop scanning it. If the image completes, keep the original card unplugged and work only from the copy. For broader format and overwrite scenarios, the formatted SD card recovery guide covers the wider topic; for this case, the next decision is simply image first, then try a free photo-focused recovery tool before paying for another scanner.