SD card keeps showing old files? What to check

Your camera or other device seems to keep showing the same old files, even after you record something new. That can be normal if the device uses loop recording, but it can also point to a sorting issue, a card reader problem, or an SD card that is failing or reporting a false capacity.

First protect any recordings you need. Then check whether the device is reusing files as designed and whether the card can reliably store and read back data. TooLab's Fake USB & SD Check can help test the card's usable capacity, but it writes across the card, so do not run it on a card containing files you want to keep.

Check the files and test the card

1. Open the Fake USB & SD Check on a computer in Chrome or Edge. Do not start a check yet. It fills the selected card with test data and reads it back, so treat the test as destructive.
2. Stop recording on the camera, dashcam, phone, or other device. Copy every file you want to keep to another drive or computer, then open a few copied files to make sure they work.
3. Check whether new files exist on the card. On Windows 11, open the card in File Explorer and choose View › Sort › Date modified. On macOS, open it in Finder and choose View › Sort By › Date Modified. Look for the newest recording, rather than relying on the device's playback list.
4. Safely eject the card, reconnect it through another reader if available, and check the file list again. If you have a second compatible camera or device, see whether it shows the same files.
5. Only after you have a verified backup, run the capacity check on an empty card. Follow the prompts to select the card and let the write and read-back check finish. The tool works with USB drives and SD cards in Chrome and Edge on a computer. Other browsers may have limited or no access to the card.

If the card contains important recordings and you cannot back them up, skip the capacity test for now. A full-card write can overwrite data, and continuing to record may overwrite older clips too.

What the result means

The newest files are present, but the device keeps playing older ones

The recordings may be fine, while the device's playback list is sorted differently, cached, or showing a protected folder. Check the newest file by date on a computer. If it plays there, the card is storing it and the issue is more likely the device's playback view or indexing.

New recordings replace old ones at regular intervals

This is usually loop recording. Dashcams and some cameras delete or overwrite older unprotected clips when the card fills up. Look for a loop recording or overwrite setting in the device's recording menu. If you want to keep a clip, use the device's lock or protect function, if available, and copy it off the card soon.

The files have old dates, are corrupted, or disappear when copied

The card may have a file system problem, the reader may be unreliable, or the card may be failing. A counterfeit card can also claim more capacity than it can really store. When data is written beyond its true capacity, older data may be overwritten or new files may not read correctly.

The capacity check cannot read back all the test data

Try a different card reader once, then test again on an empty card. If the result repeats, do not trust the card with important recordings. A failed read-back can mean the card is faulty or has less real capacity than its label claims. The check does not diagnose the camera's playback software.

The capacity check completes, but the device still shows old files

A successful card test makes a capacity problem less likely, but it does not prove that the camera or phone is recording and indexing files correctly. Check the device's recording settings and try a second card that is known to work with it.

How to fix it

1. Check loop recording and protected clips. In the camera or dashcam's recording settings, look for a loop recording, overwrite, or clip protection option. The exact labels depend on the device. If the card is full of protected clips, the device may stop recording instead of recycling them.
2. Refresh the file list and sort by date. Close the playback screen, remove and reconnect the card safely, then inspect it on a computer. Use the date-sorting paths above to find the latest files instead of assuming the first item is newest.
3. Check the card's lock switch. A full-size SD card or microSD-to-SD adapter may have a small lock slider on the side. Move it to the unlocked position and reinsert the card. The switch is read by the device or reader, so a damaged adapter can also cause write problems.
4. Try another reader or compatible device. A faulty reader can show stale file listings or interrupt writes. If the same problem follows the card across readers, the card itself becomes more likely to be at fault.
5. Format the card in the device after backing it up. Formatting erases files. If the device offers a card-format option, use it after copying and checking the recordings. This helps create a file system the device expects. Do not format a card before recovering files you need.
6. Replace the card if errors return. If new recordings become unreadable again, or a second capacity check fails, stop relying on that card. Buy a card that meets the device maker's capacity and speed requirements. A card that repeatedly loses data is not made trustworthy by formatting it again.

On an Android phone, the SD card may appear under Settings › Storage, though labels vary by phone. In the camera app, check its storage location and any loop or overwrite setting. To remove a card, use the phone's eject option in storage settings before pulling it out. On Windows 11, choose This PC in File Explorer, right-click the card, and select Eject. On macOS, select the card in Finder and use its eject control before removal.

Why a card can seem to repeat old recordings

Many recording devices use numbered folders or files and keep their own playback index. If the device loses power during a write, its list can lag behind the files actually on the card. A file browser sorted by name may also place an older clip above a newer one. Checking file dates on a computer helps separate a display or sorting issue from a recording failure.

If recordings are valuable, keep a second copy somewhere other than the SD card. A card test can reveal unreliable storage, but it cannot restore files that have already been overwritten.