Almost all the contemporary models of video cameras use SD card as a storage device. Due to various reasons, errors on SD cards are frequently encountered. Cameras by default can recognize these errors and ask you to format the SD card. As a human error, you might instinctively select ‘yes’ to the format SD card pop up on camera resulting in loss of videos and photos saved on SD card.
Fortunately, when you format your SD card on camera the videos or photos are not permanently erased. If you want to know what happens to your photos or videos and how to recover videos from the formatted SD card refer to the next section.

How to Recover Footage from Formatted SD Card?
When you format SD card actually it won’t erase the video rather it will overwrite the file system with a newer file system. The new file system will mark the storage space on the SD card as free and ready to be overwritten.
- Recover video files from SD card with CMD methods
- Restore the video files from formatted SD card with Remo Recover
Recover Video files from Formatted SD card with CMD (Windows)
- Access command prompt by typing cmd in the Windows search box.
- Select Run as Administrator.
- Type command: chkdsk G: /f/x/r. Replace G with the drive letter of the formatted SD card.
- Hit Enter and let the process complete.
- Check if the video files have been recovered
Restore Video files from Formatted SD wit Mac Terminal (macOS)
- Open the Terminal application which is located in your Mac’s Utilities folder.
- Navigate to the SD card using the cd command in Terminal.
- Enter this command mv filename ../ replacing filename with the name of the file you wish to recover. Then hit Return.
- Type Quit to exit Terminal.
- Go to the previous folder and see if your file has been restored.
This means you can recover videos from a formatted SD cards. However, you will need an SD Card Recovery software that is capable of access low-level storage sectors of the SD card and scavenges recoverable videos.
It can be tough to recover videos from formatted SD card, integrated with a Deep scan algorithm Remo Recover can locate and easily recover files even after formatting storage devices. Download Remo Recover now and start recovering video files from SD card.
Can you Recover Videos from Formatted SD card
- Download and install Remo Recover on your computer, connect SD card to your computer
- Launch the Remo Recover and select Recover Partition edition from main screen
- The data recovery software will display storage device connected to the computer

- Identify the SD card and click on Scan to recover videos from the formatted SD card
- Once the scanning is completed the all the recovered files will be displayed in the preview window
- The preview window is a really helpful feature that will assist you to check the state of recovered videos from formatted SD card

- If you feel like files are corrupted or any of the videos are not recovered select Deep Scan option
- Proceed to save the recovered videos from formatted SD card by browsing the location where you want to save and exit
What does it mean when my camera says memory card needs formatting?
There are various reasons why your camera asked you to format SD card. The scenarios are mentioned as follows:
- When you insert a brand new SD card
- Switching SD card between two different cameras
- Accidentally deleting or Formatting Camera Memory Card
- Forcibly ejecting memory card from
Wrapping it up
“Format SD card” error is as common on a camera as it is on any other device. To be prepared for data loss disasters, take a step back and backup the contents of the SD card. Nevertheless, if you have formatted the SD card, you can still recover videos from the formatted SD card with the help of Remo Recover. Not only recovering videos from SD card Remo recover can also recover all the formats of digital media files