Recover Adoptable Storage SD Card Photos and Videos

Case 1: ‘I did a factory reset on my phone accidentally. It had adopted SD card for internal storage. Now after reset, media files in the adopted partition are lost, how can I get them back?’

Case 2: ‘I first removed the adoptable storage SD card from my phone and factory reset the device. Now, the phone no longer recognizes the SD card and requires reformatting before use. I have thousands of videos and photos in it and don’t want to lose them. Please help!’

You factory reset the Android phone containing adoptable SD card. Accidentally format the internal storage SD card. Or

Your SD card gets damaged, corrupted and not recognized by the phone due to some reason. In any of the above situations, your stored data in the adoptable SD card is on the verge of losing.

So what should you do in such a situation? Is there a way to recover the adopted storage SD card photos and videos? Read on.

How to Recover Adopted Storage SD card Photos and Videos

Android phones have Adoptable Storage feature, which lets you use a removable SD card as an internal storage. The purpose is to add up to the existing storage of your phone.

However, the feature did not prove very fruitful. There were several complaints of data loss and recovery issues with adoptable storage SD cards in Android forums and communities.

Frequent card failure and outlandish Android phone behaviour on removing the adoptable storage gave nightmare to its users.

How does Adoptable Storage Work?

As the term suggests, the phone literally adopts a new external storage media and makes its own. The phone configures the SD card as internal storage on Android, supplementing the original memory. You can store both apps and other data like photos and videos in the adoptable SD card.

How is External SD card turned into Phone Internal Storage?

When you insert the SD card, some Android phones give you the option to choose your media usage as a Portable or an Internal device. As ‘Portable’, the SD card remains a normal removable media in the phone while choosing ‘Internal’ option makes it an adoptable storage wherein the SD card is formatted and configured to 128-bit AES encrypted EXT4 drive. Any data in the phone is now saved in the adopted storage SD card by default.

Problems with Adoptable Storage

The adoptable card is encrypted with a key generated by the phone and is no more recognized by other devices.

If you remove the adoptable SD card from your Android phone, the apps start behaving abruptly. The phone starts to show errors. You may be even forced to factory reset your device, which means loss of all stored data. Even if you insert the card again in the phone, it may ask to reformat, deleting all the stuff on it.

Since formatting or factory reset causes loss of the encrypted key, you won’t be able to access its data — a major drawback of adoptable storage SD cards.

Adoptable SD card asks to Reformat! What to do?

Unfortunately, there is no way that you can access adoptable internal storage card after resetting your phone. The card is encrypted and factory reset results in loss of key. The only way out is to reformat the adoptable storage media.

Formatting obviously leads to loss of stored data. So now, how to recover photos and videos from formatted adoptable SD card?

You have three choices:

1. Recover with a third-party photo recovery software
2. Recover from backup or Google Photos
3. Decrypt the adoptable storage SD card

1. Recover with a Third-Party Photo Recovery Software

After formatting, next try to connect it with a computer. If the computer recognizes it, use a third-party photo recovery software like Stellar Photo Recovery that supports Linux file system used by Android devices. When the software detects the lost files, follow the recovery process to get back lost photos and videos stored in the SD card.

Note: If Windows PC does not recognize the adoptable storage card, try with Linux OS.

2. Recover from Backup or Google Photos

If you follow the good practice of backup, you are safe. If your Android phone is in sync with Google Photos, recover the lost photos and videos from there.

3. Decrypt the Adoptable Storage SD Card

Although not advisable but rooting your phone, and decrypting the adopted storage SD card can help you access the stored photos and videos on it. Technically sound users should only attempt it.

Root the phone. Browse to /data/misc/vold. The .key file is the encryption key of adopted storage SD card. Open the .key file with a hex editor and use it to open the adopted storage card on any Linux distro.

TIPS: Avoid loss of photos & videos from adoptable SD card
Use the fastest SD card like Class 10 UHS, as internal storage for your phoneAlways reboot the phone and then move apps from the internal memory to adoptable SD card.

To Sum Up

Recovery of lost photos and videos from adoptable storage is difficult to achieve. Thus, it is no more advisable to use SD card as adoptable storage in Android phones. Nevertheless, if you are already into a data loss situation, try the above ways to get back your treasured photos and videos.

Was the post helpful? Do share your experience of adoptable storage SD cards in the comment box below.