Format Android SD card - how it works
Formatting the SD card of your Android smartphone is always advisable if you want to sell the device. Here you should make sure to delete the external storage thoroughly so that data cannot be restored later. We show you exactly how to do this.
Format SD card on Android: How to delete SD and Mini SD correctly
The SD card of your Android smartphone is quickly formatted - even without a PC and adapter. Android already has a corresponding function:
- First open the "Settings" app on your Android smartphone.
- Swipe down or change the category above and look for the item "Storage" or "SD card and phone storage".
- If you tap the "Delete memory" button here, all data on the SD card will be deleted.
- Note: If the SD card is currently being used, first use the "Unmount SD card" option.
Safely delete data on the SD card
If you want to sell your smartphone, you should not sell the SD card for security reasons: if you only format the card, the deleted data can usually be restored. If you still want to sell the SD card, you should ensure that nobody can see your photos or data. There are special tools for this. This deletes files and the SD card is overwritten several times with random files.
- Programs like Secure Erase, WipeDisk and WipeFile overwrite the data on the SD card with zeros.
- With the CCleaner you can safely delete SD cards and other data carriers. You can read how the CCleaner works in this manual.
- You can find the Android apps Full Wipe and Secure Wipe in the Google Play Store. This will delete the SD card directly on your smartphone.
Tip: Do you need your data back from the SD card?
Have you deleted your data on the SD card and now nothing works? In some cases, you can still restore the data. Our video shows you the procedure.