Most data will be safe on an SD memory card for up to 10 years from when you first buy the card. However, SD memory cards do degrade over time, so it’s best to make backup copies of your content on an ongoing basis. It’s possible to extend the life of an SD memory card by using a computer to reformat the storage. Reformatting essentially resets the clock on decay, but it also wipes out everything on the card, so you’ll need to perform a backup beforehand.