There may come a time when you experience problems accessing the SD card from your Android phone.
This might occur if your memory card becomes corrupted, or if it has been formatted or damaged in any way.
When this happens, all the stored photos, files, videos, and other important data could be lost. So, it’s in your best favor to prevent this.
Or to repair it ASAP. Below we’ll look at how to repair an SD card in an Android phone.
How will I know if something’s wrong with my SD card?
Usually, when something’s wrong with your SD card, your phone will prompt you with an error message.
Here are some of the messages that your Android device may prompt:
- SD card unexpectedly removed
- SD card is damaged. Try reformatting it.
- SD card fails to show up on the Android phone
- SD/memory card becomes undetectable/unrecognizable on the Android phone
- SD card with saved data shows as 0 bytes on an Android phone
- SD card cannot be read by the Android phone nor the PC
When this happens, try to handle it properly and carefully. Otherwise this may result in permanent data loss.
How can you repair an SD card in an Android phone? We’ve got some tips for you.
How to repair an SD card in an Android phone
- First, make a backup of all the data on your SD card.
- Plug your phone to a laptop or a computer, and make sure to scan it for any virus or malware before you make a backup of its content.
- Once you have finished creating a backup, you can format the card.
- Now that the card has been formatted, you can insert it back to your Android phone. If, for some reason, the Android phone cannot detect the SD card you just inserted, you can try to format the card in the phone itself.
- Once successfully formatted, you can transfer the files from your computer back into the SD card.
We have mentioned that you may also try to repair and format the card in the phone itself. To do so, you’ll need to have ample space on your mobile device to create a backup of all your files.
Alternative options to fix your SD card
If you cannot repair your SD card through these methods, you can bring your SD card and your phone to a cell phone repair technician. It may cost you more, but if you have valuable and irreplaceable data on your phone, it is worth it.
Tips to Avoid Losing Data on your Android Phone
There may be a situation where your SD card is beyond repair. To avoid data loss, you should take preventative measures.
Here are some steps you can take to avoid losing data:
- Create a backup on your computer.
- Create a backup on the cloud.
You can use free services such as OneDrive, Google Photos or Google Drive, Box.com, Apple iCloud, or even DropBox. Most of these services offer free memory space for you to use.
Most of these platforms also automatically create backups of your files when you connect to the internet.
