Since the folder structures have become redundant, the old folders can no longer be accessed either through the device or a computer.

If formatting only creates a file system, then why do your files disappear when you do a reformat? This is because reformatting creates a completely different folder structure in the SD card, overwriting the old one. By setting up a file system, the camera can sort all the files and data it creates and expands the folder structure if necessary. The most common example of this is the “DCIM” folder that is created whenever an SD card is formatted for a camera. It is the system by which the device can determine which folders it should store files and metadata that it generates.

Whenever an SD card is formatted, a new file system is assigned to it, either as FAT32, exFAT, or NTFS.Ī file system is basically the “handshake” between the SD card and the device. This allows the buyer to use the SD card on any device without having to go through the formatting procedure. When you buy a new SD card, it already comes pre-formatted. This is a fundamentally wrong way of looking at it and can lead to issues in data privacy. Most people are under the impression that formatting is a type of “hard delete,” ensuring that the files in the SD card can no longer be recovered. What exactly does formatting do and how is it different from merely deleting the files? How often should you reformat your SD cards? What happens when you format an SD card?Īlthough we’ve all probably formatted an SD card at some point in our lives, very few actually understand what formatting does. However, there’s an entire other mechanism to make space in your SD cards – by formatting them. It’s also very common for them to delete files as they go to make room for new photos and videos. For just a single job, it’s not unusual for a photographer to go through a handful of them. SD cards are one of the most important tools for professional photographers. 3D Insider is ad supported and earns money from clicks, commissions from sales, and other ways.

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