# Will a Strong Magnetic force destroy the Data on a Memory Card? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 25, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253 "2018-08-25T14:43:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/1 "2018-08-25T14:43:31Z")
If I put the memory card from my camera or phone on a magnet, will it damage the data stored on there? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/2 "2018-08-25T18:02:48Z")
No. The data on a card is stored with electrons, not with magnetized domains. I suppose that if you waved the card next to the magnet at hyper-speed you could possibly induce enough EMF into the card to damage it, but that’s mostly science fiction. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/3 "2018-08-25T20:47:38Z")
So what about an electromagnet with alternating current? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/4 "2018-08-25T20:54:45Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > So what about an electromagnet with alternating current? Like a tape eraser? Nope. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/5 "2018-08-25T21:00:07Z")
So a hammer and a blowtorch it is then…🙂 ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/6 "2018-08-25T21:11:36Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > So a hammer and a blowtorch it is then…🙂 Oh, yeah. That always works. Or, stick in in a microwave oven. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/7 "2018-08-25T22:15:27Z")
You could try having really important data on it then dropping it on the floor somewhere. It will never be found again. (I’m assuming MicroSD.) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/8 "2018-08-25T22:23:17Z")
To be perfectly fair, the microwave does use magnetic fields. The hammer and blowtorch, too. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/9 "2018-08-25T22:44:57Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > You could try having really important data on it then dropping it on the floor somewhere. It will never be found again. (I’m assuming MicroSD.) Sounds like the voice of bitter experience there 🙂 The scenario is someone with a full-size SD card containing data that would be bad to be caught with and no handy computer to wipe it with. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/10 "2018-08-25T22:48:06Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Sounds like the voice of bitter experience there 🙂 > > The scenario is someone with a full-size SD card containing data that would be bad to be caught with and no handy computer to wipe it with. Just snap in in half, or cut it with a scissors, or poke a hole in it with an icepick, etc, etc. It doesn’t take much to make the data irretrievable by anyone except the NSA, and even they would have problems. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/11 "2018-08-25T22:48:19Z")
Time and temperature can corrupt SD cards and solid state drives. The charge in a memory cell can leak out. It seems that high temps can accelerate this. I read that it can happen in a few weeks if the temp is high. We have our operating systems on solid state drives in several locations. They are left to suffer high summer temperatures for months without being powered up. I have mentioned this as a problem. Of course it isn’t a problem till the system does not boot up. Then I will be expected to solve it. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/12 "2018-08-25T23:11:09Z")
If you’re trying to erase it, then get a bit of software that can completely erase it, and then do whatever you want to damage it. ---
**Author:** ![txjim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f07891/32.png) [@txjim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txjim)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/13 "2018-08-25T23:27:38Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Just snap in in half, or cut it with a scissors, or poke a hole in it with an icepick, etc, etc. > It doesn’t take much to make the data irretrievable by anyone except the NSA, and even they would have problems. A NSA approved method of rendering HDDs unusable is with a [cartridge-based nailer.](https://images.homedepot-static.com/productImages/a3bfaeae-7e84-4e95-b608-1612cba37973/svn/ramset-loads-boosters-00022-64_1000.jpg). I bet they would be pretty effective on memory cards as well! Or, with a hammer if you want to be boring. ---
**Author:** ![mandala](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mandala/32/95_2.png) [@mandala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mandala)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/14 "2018-08-26T01:44:52Z")
Drop it in a glass of water and leave overnight. Or better still cook it in boiling water. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-a-strong-magnetic-force-destroy-the-data-on-a-memory-card/820253/15 "2018-08-26T01:53:59Z")
> [@mandala](#): > > Drop it in a glass of water and leave overnight. [Nope](https://petapixel.com/2011/06/20/photos-recovered-from-camera-that-spent-four-years-in-the-ocean/).