Introducing SD Formatter

The Secure Digital Association (SDA) is the official organization responsible for the global SD standard. Its free software, SD Formatter, is considered one of the best tools to format SD memory cards ensuring they comply fully with their SD File System Specification.

SD Formatter is designed specifically for SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards. The utility differs from the OS format utilities that format a variety of storage media. Due to its higher performance, the SDA strongly recommends SD Formatter over the format option offered by your OS.

For example, the SDA states that “SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards have a special ‘Protected Area’ on the card as part of their standard’s security function. Some utilities may actually format the protected area, however, SD Formatter does not.

Using SD Formatter also results in better memory card performance and speed, as well as improving overall longevity.

SD Formatter provides three types of formatting options:

• QUICK: Fast formatting that only initializes the file system parameters, but not the user data area.

• FULL (Erase): Initializes the file system parameters and deletes all the user data areas. If there is an item incompatible with this procedure, the process will skip it and operate just like the QUICK erase option.

• FULL (OverWrite): Initializes the file system parameters in the card and all the user data areas.

Compatibility

We tested SD Formatter and can confirm it works on the following systems and devices:

• Windows and Mac OS: For users with an SD card slot on their computer, they should ensure it is compatible with SDXC cards with the SDXC driver installed.

• USB Secure Digital memory card reader.

• PC Card, CardBus, or ExpressCard SD adapter.

For exact system requirements and to download a free copy of the latest SD formatter, visit the official SD Association website. At the time of writing, we saw user manuals available in the following languages: English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.

Best software to format SD cards

1 USB Disk Storage Format Tool

This software is the first on our list; the tool is very handy as it allows you to format any memory card completely without any error message. Also, the USB tool supports all types of memory cards from SD cards, micro SD cards, and other USB drives.
Meanwhile, this tool can also format all SD card file system types from FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS. Hence, there is no issue of incomplete formatting as the tool completely formats all media files and restores your SD card to its original storage form.
However, the major downside of this tool is the lack of partition feature and its limitation to just four file formats.

2 HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool

Developed by HP, this software is an efficient tool to format SD cards most especially on Windows 10 PC. HP USB Disk Storage format tool is lightweight and can be installed on other USB storage to be used on other windows PC. The format tool supports only FAT32, NTFS, and FAT system files.

Also, you can create a bootable USB drive by using the DOS startup disk tool feature. Although this tool lacks a partition feature it can be used to format SD cards without hitches.Meanwhile, this tool is free to download and compatible with Windows 10 PC.

3 SD Memory Card Formatter

This software that formats SD cards is a free disk formatting utility tool that has many features; you can easily format an internal disk, external disk, MMC card, USB flash drive, and most especially SD card. The tool has a simple and user-friendly interface that allows access to formatting options.

With its format function, when you format your SD card with this tool it formats completely and leaves no original SD drive data while fixing your SD card problems.

However, this tool doesn’t support SD Card encrypted by the “BitLocker To Go” functionality of Windows; hence, you can format an SD card after it has been unlocked. Otherwise, SD Memory Card Formatter is an excellent tool to have on your Windows 10 PC.

4 Disk Drill

This free-format tool is similar to EaseUS Partition Master as it enables you to format the hard disk, partitions, and SD card for free. The software has a user-friendly interface that allows users to delete or initialize SD card drive or partition properly.
Also, the software can recover deleted files from an SD card as well. Hence, it can be utilized as a recovery tool on Windows 10 PC.

Conclusion

These format tools each have their major strengths which makes them handy to install on your device. They also help you to partition your SD card drive and also fix related SD card issues.