Photos & RAW · Canon exFAT card
Canon CR3 RAW: find after an import failure
Where are deleted Canon CR3 originals after a failed import?
Short answer
First search the destination: import folder, trash and catalog, by CR3 file name and capture date. An import that stopped midway or deleted after copying can leave source and target in different states. If the originals appear nowhere, keep the card unused and scan it read-only for CR3 and any paired JPEGs.
The situation
deleted Canon CR3 originals is incomplete at the destination and no longer appears reliably on the source.
Split results are typical here: part of the shoot sits in the catalog, part has vanished from the card, and nothing matches up. Work out which frames actually arrived at the destination before the card is touched. The card is the fallback, not the first stop.
01 / Diagnose
Work out what actually disappeared
Import runs copy, verify, register and often delete, in that order. A break anywhere in the chain leaves inconsistent states: catalog entries without files, CR3 files without their JPEG partners, or frames the software removed from the card before the copy was confirmed. The freed card entries still have box data behind them.
Move, rename, catalog and delete-after-import steps can fail at different moments and leave source and destination in different states. For Canon CR3 RAW, this matters because CR3 uses ISO-BMFF boxes for Canon RAW data, metadata and previews.
Check the last known path, trash and backups without writing to the original device.
02 / Protect the source
Preserve the best recovery chance
- 1
Do not put the card back into the camera and do not restart the transfer while the destination is still unclear.
- 2
Search the import folder, the trash and the catalog by CR3 name and by capture date, because the names may have changed.
- 3
Scan the card read-only afterwards, preferably from an image of it, so the remaining frames stay untouched throughout.
- 4
Export what is found to a third drive and merge it with the destination set, keeping exactly one copy of each frame.
Do not empty the trash at the destination and do not let the software delete from the card during a repeat run. The copies in the trash may be the only complete versions, and a second run stopping at the same point removes more than it restores.
03 / Choose the method
Match the tool to the source
For stable, readable exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 or uncompressed IMG, DD, RAW and BIN images.
Unconfirmed exports are marked .UNVERIFIED.
This helps while the frames are still on the card. Anything deleted on the computer needs the trash, a snapshot or a backup, because File Recovery Hero reads exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 volumes and uncompressed images and cannot open an APFS destination.
04 / Verify
Check the recovered content, not just its name
Check completeness and openability separately. The frame numbers have to be continuous, each CR3 must develop, and every paired JPEG must be present. A catalog entry that shows a preview but points at no file means a picture was registered that never reached the drive.
Keep the source until two verified copies exist. One working preview is not enough.
Sources and technical references
FAQ
Questions about this recovery case
Can Canon exFAT card be recovered in this situation?+
Split results are typical here: part of the shoot sits in the catalog, part has vanished from the card, and nothing matches up. Work out which frames actually arrived at the destination before the card is touched. The card is the fallback, not the first stop. The result still depends on what remains readable on the source.
What should I avoid before scanning?+
Do not empty the trash at the destination and do not let the software delete from the card during a repeat run.
Does scanning write to my memory card?+
Your memory card is only read. Nothing is saved to it.
How do I know whether the result is complete?+
Check completeness and openability separately.