SD Card Deleted Files by Itself on Mac? 4 Fixes Without Data Loss

Some Mac users reported that their SD card deleted files by itself, so they can't find the deleted files. If you are facing the same problem, worry no more! This post will discuss the possible causes and effective fixes of the "SD card deleted files by itself on Mac" issue.

Once your SD card files are lost, you need to choose the appropriate solution for two different situations: the SD card files are hidden/missing but still exist, or the SD card files are deleted. Read on to learn the main causes of an SD card deleting files by itself with the corresponding fixes.

Possible Causes: SD Card Deleted Files by Itself on Mac

The SD card deletes files by itself may be caused by file system corruption, physical damage, virus affection, etc. In most cases, you can perform SD card recovery on your Mac to get the deleted files back. Try to use the fixes below to see if it is working.

🗑️Objective conditions of SD card files missing:

1. 🗑️SD card files are deleted manually.
2. ⚠️Formatted the SD card and delete all stored files on it.
3. 😫Drag the SD card files to the Trash folder by accident.
4. ⛔Bad sectors on an SD card may cause it to delete files automatically.

😫SD card files are hidden/not visible but still exist:

1. 🧩A missing segment in the SD card file's data causes it to be invisible.
2. ⚙️The missing SD card files are hidden on the SD card.
3. 💾Disk errors on the SD card cause the files corrupted and invisible.

Choose the suitable solutions to fix the SD card deleted files by itself error. If you are not sure which fix is suitable, try installing Mac data recovery software to recover your SD card files quickly! Then, read the detailed information to recover the deleted files on the SD card.

Fix 1. Recover SD Card File that Is Deleted by Itself with Software

The deleted files on your SD card can be recovered with EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac, one of the best SD card data recovery software. It supports file recovery of numerous file types, including photos, documents, videos, etc.

Install this professional SD card recovery software on your Mac and restore your SD card files that are deleted by the SD card itself.

Step 1. Select the SD card

• Correctly connect your memory card to your Mac. Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac.
• Go to "SD Card Recovery", find your Canon/Nikon/Go Pro/DJI/Sony SD card, and click "Search for lost files".

Note: Before data recovery, you'd better click "Disk Backup" from the left sidebar to create a backup of your SD card to avoid further data loss. After backing up the SD card, the software can recover data from your SD card backup, and you can remove the SD card and use it again.

Step 2. Filter lost SD card data

After the scan, all files will be presented in the left panel in the scan results. Find wanted photos, videos, and other files.

Step 3. Preview and recover data

Preview the SD card data and select the wanted files. Then, click the "Recover" button. Don't save the recoverable files to the SD card itself in case of data overwriting.

We also provide a video tutorial to help you recover deleted photos, videos, documents, and other files from your SD card:

If you don't want to install any third-party software on your Mac, don't worry! Read on to learn the detailed steps to recover deleted files from an SD card without software.

Fix 2. Unhide the Hidden Files on Your SD Card

Sometimes, your files disappear not because they are deleted or lost, but because they are hidden, so you may find the SD card says full but nothing on it. If you find that your files have disappeared, but the SD card storage space has not been freed, try this method.

Step 1. Connect your SD card to your Mac, launch Finder, and choose the SD card in the sidebar.

Step 2. Press "Command (⌘) + Shift + Dot(.)" to reveal or hide hidden folders in the Finder.

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Fix 3. Restore Deleted SD Card Files from Trash Folder

When organizing SD card files on your Mac, you may inadvertently click the "Delete Immediately Mac" button, or accidentally drag important files into the Trash bin. Don't worry as Mac Trash bin allows you to restore deleted items within 30 days after the deletion.

Here's how to recover deleted files from Mac Trash on your Mac:

Step 1. Click on the trash bin icon on the dock to open the Mac Trash folder.

Step 2. Right-click on the file you want to recover. From the drop-down menu, click"Put Back", and the deleted file will be restored to its original place before being deleted. If the Put Back option is missing, drag the deleted files to the folder you want.

Since the deleted file was in the SD card, make sure to connect the SD card to the system for successful file restoration. Even after emptying the Trash, Mac Trash recovery is also available with EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac.

Fix 4. Repair the SD Card Errors via Disk Utility

Disk Utility provides a First Aid function to assess the health of the device's volumes and disks. With First Aid, you can scan your SD card, identify issues, and also aid in repairing these errors. Follow the steps below to repair your SD card:

Step 1. Launch Disk Utility and choose the SD card in the external device tab.

Step 2. Click "First Aid > Run" to check your SD card issues and repair the error if it exists.

After the SD card First Aid measures are completed, you can check if your SD card data is back to normal. Once the First Aid process has failed, back up your SD card data first and consider reformatting it to make it workable.

SD Card Deleted Files by Itself on Mac FAQs

Here are questions people frequently ask when they are facing the "SD card deleted files by itself" problem. Take a look.

1. How do you recover deleted data from an SD card Mac?

The deleted SD card files will be moved to the Trash folder on your Mac, and you can click the "Put Back" option to get them back to their original locations. If you can't find the deleted SD card files in the Mac Trash bin folder. Consider following the steps below to restore them from the SD Card's hidden Trash folder:

• Open "Finder" on the Mac and go to the SD card's root folder.
• Press the "CMD + Shift + >" keys to show the hidden ".Trashes" folder.
• Open the folder and find your deleted files.
• Right-click the files you want and choose "Put Back" to restore them.

2. Can an SD card wipe itself?

Bad sectors, which are damaged parts of an SD card, might be the reason why an SD card deletes files by itself.

3. Why is my SD card empty on my Mac?

Files stored on the SD card are hidden or deleted. File system or format malfunctions make files inaccessible on an SD card; you can make it work by running First Aid in Disk Utility or formatting your SD card twice.