Written by
Connie Yang
Summary: What is a TF card? Follow this post to find the answer. This post is a comprehensive overview of TF cards. It will explain what a TF card is used for, the difference between a TF card and an SD card, and how to access data on a TF card. - From iBoysoft
You select a memory card for your digital camera, speaker, headphone, or other digital device and find a card called a TF card. What is a TF card?
Take it easy. This post will introduce TF card for you and also other most-concerned topics about it, such as what is a TF card used for, what's the difference between a TF card and an SD card, and how to access a TF card. Let's move on to explore the mysteries of TF cards.
| Name | TF card |
| Also Called | microSD card |
| Used for | smartphones, digital cameras, portable music players, speakers, headphones, handheld game consoles, and other digital devices |
What is a TF card & what is a TF card used for?
What is a TF card? TF card, short for TransFlash memory, is a type of memory card that is used for expanding the storage space of small electronic devices such as digital cameras, digital music players, headphones, smartphones, tablets, portable gaming consoles, GPS devices, etc.
This small, compact, and lightweight card was jointly developed by Toshiba and SanDisk in 2004 but officially renamed as microSD card by SD Association the same year. TF cards use flash memory technology to store data, they are also often used to transfer data between electronic devices.
Is a TF card the same as an SD card?
The TF card is the original name for the microSD card. Although both of them are memory cards, a TF card is not quite the same as an SD card. They are different in technology they based on, size, applicable devices, supported storage capacity, security, and cost. Let's take a deep learning of TF cards vs. SD cards in these aspects.
| Definition | Manufacturing Technology | Security | Size | Applicable Devices | Storage Capacity | |
| TF card | Also called microSD card | NAND MLC technology and controller from SanDisk | Has a write protection switch on the side | 15mm x11mm x1mm | Small digital devices like smartphones and digital camera | 512G 128G 64G 32G 16G, and smaller |
| SD card | A small flash memory card | Semiconductor flash memory | No | 24mm x32mm x2.1mm | Small digital devices like smartphones and digital camera | 512G 128G 64G 32G 16G, and smaller |
TF card vs. SD card in manufacturing technology
The TF card is a jointly produced memory card that adopts the latest NAND MLC technology and controller from SanDisk. The NAND MLC technology endows TF cards with high data transfer speed.
The SD card uses Semiconductor flash memory, a type of non-volatile memory that can help retain data on the SD card for an extended period whether the flash-equipped device is powered on or off.
TF card vs. SD card in security
SD cards are always designed with a write protection switch on the side, giving deletion and edition protection for the data. In comparison, TF cards don't have.
TF card vs. SD card in size
Both TF cards and SD cards are compact and lightweight, but TF cards are far smaller than SD cards. TF cards are in 15mm x 11mm x 1mm size while SD cards are in 24mm x 32mm x 2.1mm size.
TF card vs. SD card in applicable devices
TF cards and SD cards are both used in digital devices, such as smartphones, digital cameras, portable music players, headphones, game consoles, etc. Since SD cards are larger than TF cards in size, TF cards are mainly for the smaller digital equipment while SD cards are a little bit larger ones.
TF card vs. SD card in storage capacity
TF cards and SD cards on the market have different capacity choices, both of them have these capacity options: 512G 128G 64G 32G 16G 8G 6G 4G 2G 1G 512M 256M 128M.
TF card vs. SD card in price
According to the differences in brand, capacity, manufacture, etc., TF cards and SD cards have different prices. However, based on the same conditions, TF cards are always cheaper than SD cards.
Go to tell your friends the differences between TF cards and SD cards.
How to access your TF card?
To access a TF card, you can use an SD card reader for Mac to connect your TF card to your Mac. Simply connect the SD card reader to your Mac and then insert the TF card into the micro SD card slot on the SD card reader.
Then, the TF card will be automatically mounted and show up on your desktop or Finder sidebar (under the Locations section). You can double-click the TF card icon on your desktop to access files stored on it, or open Finder and select the TF card on the sidebar to access it.
Do you need to format a TF card?
If you purchase a new TF card, it probably hasn't been initialized. You need to format the TF card before using it to store data. If you've already stored files on it, don't format it otherwise you'll lose your files.
However, if an old TF card is corrupted or inaccessible, formatting it is a way to make it usable again. Since reformatting will erase all data on it, use a data recovery tool (like iBoysoft Data Recovery) to recover files from the TF card first.
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