Does Formatting an SD Card Delete Everything?
Does formatting an SD card delete everything on it? Can my personal data be recovered from a formatted SD card?
These are some common questions posted by several concerned SD card users on many forums across the internet. SD cards are compact flash storage devices mainly used in cameras and smartphones for storing data, media files, etc. due to their portability and easy-to-handle interface.
When we think of formatting an SD card or deleting data from it, it seems very simple. We simply need to insert it in an SD card reader, connect to a computer and Viola! You’re ready to go. You can also format the card in the device itself by going into the device’s settings.
However, there is a lot going on behind the logical curtain that we do not see. Formatting does remove the data from an SD card and the system shows us an empty card ready to be used again. However, the data is still present there, just ready to be overwritten.
This data, which is still present, can be recovered using any sophisticated data recovery software available if your SD card falls into the wrong hands. To counter this, there are many data eraser software that is designed to provide secure data eraser capabilities. Let’s dive further into the article to learn more about secured data erasure.
What Happens When We Format an SD Card?
SD card functions just like any other storage device available in the market. When a file is moved on an SD card, it gets pointers that show the file’s location along with its start and end and other information.
Alongside pointers, a file header also gets created, which contains all the basic information like file size, type, etc. Pointers mark the physical address of a file, which allows the system to easily access it when in normal use.
When we delete a file or format the whole SD card, the SD card makes space for the new files. What happens here is that once a file is deleted from an SD card or the whole card is simply formatted, the system removes the header files and pointer, thereby marking the allocated space as free. This free space becomes ready to be overwritten by new data.
Though formatting an SD card makes the deleted data practically unusable, it can be restored and misused if your SD card falls into the wrong hands.
Now comes the critical part that addresses our concern. If the SD card is simply left after a format, then the data can be recovered using any advanced data recovery software. However, if new data is overwritten on the old one, then it becomes difficult and even impossible to do so. Let’s see how we can safeguard our data and privacy while formatting our SD cards.
How to Securely Erase Data Present on an SD Card?
Now that we have understood the process behind formatting an SD card, the state of data after formatting, and how data can be recovered from a formatted SD card, let’s move further and understand how we can securely erase data from an SD card without much hassle.
If you plan on handing your old SD card to someone after formatting, you should be very careful as it could potentially put your privacy and data at risk of being exposed.
If you used your SD card to store critical data like financial records, personal files, passwords, emails, private documents, and more, then it becomes essential to keep your privacy intact by securely erasing deleted data from a formatted SD card using professional data eraser software.
A data eraser software basically fills the empty space with zeros (0) and ones (1) or random data multiple times. Performing data erasure renders the previous data unrecoverable beyond the scope of recovery, thereby safeguarding your privacy and deleted data.
Industry-leading data eraser software supports various data destruction standards, thus making it nearly impossible for anyone to recover it. These erasers work on numerous data erasure standards like British HMG IS5, American DoD 5220.22-M, etc. So if you are planning to hand over your old SD card or any other storage device, then a sophisticated data eraser will help you securely erase or delete your data beyond recovery.
Final Words
SD card formatting is a simple task but there is more to it than meets the eye. A formatted SD card could become problematic if it falls into the wrong hands. In this article, we addressed your concern related to formatted SD cards by explaining the process behind formatting along with the state of data post-formatting. We also discussed a secure method to safely erase data from an SD card and any other storage media beyond recovery. We hope this guide will help you securely erase your data from a formatted SD card while protecting your deleted data and privacy.