How to Recover Encrypted SD Card Photos / Files?

7 min readApr 27, 2024

Concerned about the potential loss of photos from an encrypted SD card? In this post, you will find a helpful guide on how to recover photos from encrypted SD card on Android, PC, and Mac. Additionally, discover 6 reliable techniques for decrypting SD card of various types and brands on both computers and Android devices.

A encrypted SD card prevents you from accessing the photos and other files stored on it. It is impossible to access, modify, or store crucial photos and other files from locked memory cards. There is a potential danger of losing all images when attempting to resolve a locked SD card issue in a camera or an Android phone.

If you’re concerned about the secure retrieval of photos from a locked SD card, please continue reading this post. Discover the effective techniques for unlocking various SD cards and retrieving precious photos. In addition, it will provide you with instructions on how to retrieve images from a secured SD card and other storage devices on Android, PC, and Mac.

To restore encrypted SD card pictures, you have the option to remove write-protection, decrypt the SD card, or remove password protection. These methods can be used on your system.

Remove the write-protection to unlock the SD Card
How to decrypt an SD Card in Windows using CMD
How to decrypt a BitLocker-encrypted SD card on your PC
How to decrypt an SD card using Disk Utility on a Mac
How to decrypt your SD card using the Settings menu on your Android device
Learn how to recover a encrypted SD card password on your Android device using File Manager.
Unlock your SD card by formatting it

Method 1: Disabling the write-protection on an SD card

To resolve the issue of receiving the ‘disk is write-protected’ message, you can unlock the switch located on the side of the memory card. Simply move the switch upwards. By following these steps, you can easily disable the write-protection on your SD card. Now you have the ability to easily access, view, manipulate, and store the photos on your SD card without encountering any issues.

If you’re in need of a solution to unlock an SD card when the lock switch is faulty, broken, or loose, give this method a try.

Method 2: Unlocking an SD card in Windows using CMD

Unlocking the camera or Android SD card on your Windows PC is possible using CMD. This method can help you disable the write protection on your SD card.

Here are the steps to unlock a memory card using CMD:

Make sure to connect the locked memory card to your PC using a card reader.
To open the Run dialog box, simply press the Windows + R key combination.
To open the CMD window, simply type CMD and click OK.
Enter the command “Diskpart.” Press the Enter key.
Please execute the command “List disk”. Press the Enter key.
Please enter the command “Select disk X” to specify the SD card number. Press the Enter key.
Please clear the readonly attribute on the disk. Press the Enter key.
Please close the command prompt.

Take a moment to see if it’s possible to access and retrieve photos from the secured SD card. If you encounter the error message “SD Card is Damaged, Try Reformatting it,” here’s how you can resolve the issue.

Method 3: How to Unlock a BitLocker-encrypted SD Card

If you happen to forget your BitLocker password, you can easily access your locked SD card by utilizing the BitLocker recovery key. This is the password that was created when you activated BitLocker encryption. It consists of 48 digits. You have the option to save the recovery key in a location of your choice during encryption. This can be done in your Microsoft account, in a file, or as a print-out.

Here are the steps to unlock a BitLocker-protected SD card using the Recovery Key:

Simply double-click on the password-protected memory card on your PC.
Please click on “More options.”
Please click on “Enter recovery key.”
Please provide the 48-digit recovery key. Please click on the “Unlock” button.
Unlock and retrieve your precious photos from a locked SD card.

Method 4: Modifying the ‘Read only’ permission of SD card files on Mac

Access to the files that are set to read-only is currently unavailable. If you’re having trouble accessing or modifying files on your SD card, it’s worth checking if they have write-protection enabled.

Here are the steps to change the Read-only permission on your Mac:

How can I connect a locked SD card to a Mac?
To access the file or folder on your SD card, simply right-click on it. Then, go to Get Info, followed by Sharing & Permissions, and finally Privilege.
Click on the lock icon and switch the Read only setting to Read & Write permission.

Method 5: Encrypting an SD card using Disk Utility on a Mac

If granting read and write permission does not resolve the issue, you may want to consider repairing the SD card that is currently inaccessible. Mac’s Disk Utility comes equipped with a handy First Aid feature that can effectively fix any errors you may encounter with your SD card.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to unlock an SD card using Disk Utility on a Mac and access its data:

Attach the secured SD card to your Mac.
Now, go to Utilities and select Disk Utility on your Mac.
Choose the SD card that you’re unable to access or is locked from the options on the left panel. Then, locate the First Aid option at the top and click on it.
Click Run in the dialog box, and then click Done once the disk repair process is complete.

Method 6: How to Encrypt an SD Card Using Android Settings

To retrieve photos from a locked SD card on your Android device, you can decrypt it using the settings on your mobile.

Here are the steps to unlock your SD card on an Android device. Please note that the steps may vary depending on the model of your Android:

Place the memory card into your Android device.
Please access the Settings menu.
Click here to go to Lock screen and security, then select Decrypt SD card.
Please input the password, PIN, or pattern and patiently wait for the process to complete. Accessing the photos in your Android SD card is now possible.

Method 7: Utilize File Manager to retrieve the password for a locked SD card on Android

If you’ve forgotten your Android SD card password, you can recover it using the File Manager application on your phone. After obtaining the password, you can utilize it to unlock the SD card on your Android device and retrieve the photos that were lost.

Here are the steps to help you recover the password for a locked SD card on your Android device:

Access the File Manager on your Android device.
Please open the system folders.
Look for the file called mmcstore and move it to your computer using Bluetooth or USB.
Change the name of this file to mmcstore.txt on your PC and open it using Notepad. You can find the password in the Notepad file.
Now, place the locked SD card into the smartphone and input the password to gain access to its collection of photos and other files.

Method 8: Encrypt the SD card by formatting it

If none of the methods for unlocking the SD card are effective, you may want to consider formatting it. Formatting your SD card can lead to data loss as it forcefully unlocks the card.

Here are the steps to unlock an SD card by formatting it on a PC:

Please open My Computer or This PC.
Locate and perform a right-click on the SD card drive.
Choose a format.
Select the Quick Format option and then click Start to initiate the formatting process.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to unlock your memory card and use it again as if it were brand new. Nevertheless, you can give the top SD card recovery tool a shot to recover photos from a formatted SD card on either a PC or Mac.

Recovering Photos from a Encrypted SD Card: Android, PC, and Mac Solutions

In order to retrieve photos from a locked SD card on Android, camera, or other devices, it is necessary for the storage media to be accessible. Attempt to unlock the SD card using the methods mentioned above.

After successfully unlocking and gaining access to the SD card, you can use the BLR SD card recovery tool, specifically the BLR Tools photo recovery software, on either a Windows or Mac computer to retrieve any missing or deleted photos.

Our cutting-edge photo recovery tool is capable of restoring photos from any type of memory card, regardless of its size, capacity, or brand. It also has the capability to recover data from SD cards that are encrypted with BitLocker.

The software has the capability to retrieve lost pictures, videos, and audio files that may have been affected by formatting, virus attacks, corruption, or damage in the storage card.

Here are the steps to retrieve your deleted photos from a locked SD card:

First, you’ll need to download the BLR Photo Recovery Tool onto your Mac or Windows computer.

Next, you’ll need to connect the SD card to your computer.

Next, you’ll want to navigate to the software interface and choose the memory card option. Once you’ve done that, simply click on the Scan button. When using an encrypted SD card, the software will prompt you to enter a password. Please provide the password to initiate the scanning process.

Now, take a moment to preview the discovered photos once the scanning process is complete. Then, simply click on the “Recover” button.

Last- please click on the Browse button to choose a location where you would like to save the photos that have been recovered from the locked SD card.

Concluding

Begin by disabling the write-protection or password-encryption on the locked SD card to gain access. If these methods are not applicable in your case, you can also consider following the other secure methods mentioned in this post. Now, you can easily retrieve any lost or deleted photos from your SD card with the help of BLRTools photo recovery software. The software is capable of securely recovering images from unlocked SD cards that are commonly used in Android phones, digital cameras, and other devices.

We highly recommend giving the free trial of the BLR Photo Recovery tool a try if you’re dealing with locked SD cards.