Hard drives and storage devices are precision instruments vulnerable to electrostatic discharge, physical impact, and shocks during transit. Improper packaging can cause additional damage that reduces or eliminates the chances of a successful recovery.
Follow this step-by-step guide from our certified engineers to ensure your device arrives safely.
Improper packaging is one of the most preventable causes of permanent data loss. Even minor vibrations during transit can destroy delicate magnetic platters, damage electronic components, or worsen an existing failure to the point where data recovery becomes impossible. Failed hard drives, SSDs, smartphones, and USB drives all require protection against physical impact, static discharge, and environmental hazards such as moisture before they are shipped.
Wrapping your device in an ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) bag and surrounding it with two to five inches of bubble wrap inside a rigid, sturdy cardboard box is the minimum standard for safe transit. Taking a few extra minutes to package your device correctly can be the difference between a successful recovery and permanent data loss. Select your device below to find step-by-step packaging and shipping instructions.
Pack your hard drive in a static-shielding bag, wrap it in two to three inches of bubble wrap, and ship it inside a sturdy rigid box to prevent additional damage during transit. Never use padded envelopes, crumpled paper, or packing peanuts as they provide no protection against heavy vibration or impact.
Step 1: Use an anti-static bag. Place the hard drive inside a static-shielding ESD bag to protect the printed circuit board from electrostatic discharge, one of the most common causes of additional damage during shipping.
Step 2: Wrap with bubble wrap. Wrap the drive firmly with two to three inches of bubble wrap on all sides and secure it with tape. Do not leave any exposed surfaces unprotected.
Step 3: Choose a sturdy box. Select a rigid cardboard box that provides at least two inches of clearance on all sides of the wrapped drive. Avoid reusing damaged or previously crushed boxes.
Step 4: Fill empty space. Pack the surrounding area tightly with additional bubble wrap or foam inserts so the drive cannot shift or move when the box is shaken.
Step 5: Seal and label. Seal all box seams with heavy-duty packing tape and securely affix your shipping label to the top of the box.
No envelopes. Never ship a hard drive in a regular or padded mailer. They offer no crush protection and are one of the most common causes of transit damage.
No packing peanuts. Avoid Styrofoam peanuts or crumpled paper. A heavy drive will sink to the bottom of the box during transit, leaving it completely unprotected on impact.
One drive per package. If shipping multiple drives, wrap each one individually and ensure they cannot make contact with each other inside the box. Drives striking each other during transit can cause irreversible damage to both devices.
Place your laptop inside an anti-static bag, wrap it in three to four inches of industrial bubble wrap, and ship it in a rigid, double-walled cardboard box to prevent cracked screens and bent frames. Laptops contain lithium-ion batteries and must be shipped with the device powered completely off and labeled according to carrier safety regulations.
Step 1: Power off completely. Turn the laptop entirely off before packaging. Do not leave it in sleep or hibernation mode as it can overheat inside a sealed box during transit.
Step 2: Protect the screen. Place a thin sheet of foam or a microfiber cloth between the keyboard and the screen to prevent pressure marks or cracks caused by the lid flexing during transit.
Step 3: Shield from static. Slide the laptop into a static-shielding ESD bag to protect the internal circuits and components from electrostatic discharge.
Step 4: Wrap with heavy bubble wrap. Wrap the device tightly in three to four inches of thick bubble wrap on all sides. Apply extra padding to the corners, which absorb the most impact during a drop. Secure all wrapping with tape.
Step 5: Prepare a heavy-duty box. Use a sturdy, double-walled cardboard box that provides at least three inches of clearance around the wrapped device on all sides.
Step 6: Immobilize the device. Place a three-inch layer of bubble wrap or dense foam at the bottom of the box. Insert the wrapped laptop and pack all remaining empty space tightly with additional bubble wrap so the device cannot shift in any direction.
Step 7: Perform a shake test. Close the box and shake it gently. If you feel or hear any movement inside, open the box and add more packing material before sealing.
Step 8: Seal with the H method. Seal all top and bottom seams with heavy-duty packing tape, running tape across the center seam and both side edges to form an H pattern on each face of the box.
Never use envelopes. Do not ship a laptop in a standard bubble mailer or padded envelope. They provide no crush or bend protection and are a leading cause of shattered screens and bent enclosures during transit.
No loose packing peanuts. Avoid Styrofoam peanuts as packing fill. A heavy laptop will sink through loose material during transit and make direct contact with the bottom of the box on impact.
Pack accessories separately. Do not place chargers, cables, or accessories directly against the screen or chassis. Wrap them separately so they cannot scratch or puncture the device during shipping.
Lithium-ion battery shipping requirements. Most major carriers including UPS, FedEx, DHL, and USPS require specific handling for devices with built-in lithium-ion batteries.
Keep the battery installed. Leave the battery inside the device. Do not ship loose or separate batteries in the same box unless they meet strict hazardous materials regulations.
Affix the correct label. Depending on your carrier and service level, you may be required to affix a UN 3481 Lithium-Ion Battery handling label to the outside of the box before shipping. Check with your carrier for specific requirements before dropping off your package.
Place your phone in an anti-static bag, wrap it in three inches of bubble wrap, and ship it inside a rigid cardboard box to protect it from impact and static electricity during transit. Please note that devices with swollen or damaged lithium-ion batteries require special hazardous materials handling and cannot be shipped via standard commercial carriers. Contact us before shipping if your device has a swollen or damaged battery.
Step 1: Power off the device. Turn the phone completely off before packaging to prevent overheating, accidental activation, or battery drainage during transit.
Step 2: Protect the screen. Place a piece of cardboard or a screen protector over the glass, then slip the phone into an anti-static bag to protect against electrostatic discharge.
Step 3: Wrap tightly. Encase the smartphone in at least three inches of bubble wrap on all sides and secure the edges with packing tape. Do not leave any part of the device exposed.
Step 4: Prepare the box. Select a rigid cardboard box and place a layer of bubble wrap or molded foam at the bottom before inserting the device.
Step 5: Immobilize the phone. Place the wrapped phone in the center of the box and pack all remaining space tightly with additional bubble wrap so the device cannot shift in any direction.
Step 6: Test for movement. Close the box and gently shake it. If you feel or hear the phone moving, open the box and add more packing material before sealing.
Step 7: Seal securely. Tape all seams using wide, heavy-duty packing tape applied in an H pattern across the top and bottom of the box.
Never use mailers. Do not ship a phone in a paper or padded bubble envelope. They bend easily and are a leading cause of cracked screens and damaged frames during transit.
Remove accessories. Do not include cases, charging cables, or SIM cards unless specifically requested. Loose accessories can scratch or damage the device during shipping.
No loose packing peanuts. Avoid Styrofoam peanuts as packing fill. A heavy smartphone will settle to the bottom of the box during transit, leaving it unprotected against impact.
Place your SSD in an anti-static bag, wrap it in two inches of bubble wrap, and ship it inside a rigid cardboard box to protect its NAND flash memory chips and controller components from physical shock and static electricity. While SSDs have no moving parts, strong impacts can crack the circuit board or break surface-mounted electrical joints, causing damage that is difficult or impossible to reverse.
Step 1: Use an anti-static bag. Place the SSD inside a static-shielding ESD bag to prevent electrostatic discharge from damaging the internal microchips and controller components.
Step 2: Wrap with bubble wrap. Wrap the bagged SSD tightly in two inches of high-quality bubble wrap on all sides and secure it with tape. Ensure no part of the drive is left exposed.
Step 3: Protect M.2 and NVMe drives. For M.2 or NVMe SSDs, place the drive inside a plastic clamshell case before bagging and wrapping. The slim PCB on these form factors is particularly vulnerable to snapping under pressure during transit.
Step 4: Choose a sturdy box. Select a rigid cardboard box that provides at least two inches of clearance on all sides of the wrapped drive. Avoid reusing crushed or previously damaged boxes.
Step 5: Fill empty space. Pack the surrounding area tightly with additional bubble wrap or foam inserts so the drive cannot shift or move when the box is shaken.
Step 6: Seal and label. Seal all box seams with heavy-duty packing tape and securely affix your shipping label to the top of the box.
Never use envelopes. Do not ship an SSD in a standard or padded bubble mailer. They offer no bend or crush protection for fragile circuit boards and are one of the most common causes of transit damage to solid state drives.
No loose packing. Avoid Styrofoam peanuts or crumpled paper as packing fill. An SSD can easily slide through loose material and make direct contact with the side of the box on impact.
Protect the connector pins. Ensure the gold connection pins on the drive interface are fully covered and padded before shipping. Bent or scratched pins can complicate the recovery process and in some cases prevent access to the drive entirely.
Place your memory cards or USB drives inside an anti-static bag, cushion them with two inches of bubble wrap, and ship them inside a small, rigid cardboard box. Because these devices are small and lightweight, they are highly vulnerable to automated mail sorting equipment, which uses heavy rollers that can instantly snap SD cards or crush USB drives if they are shipped in a standard paper envelope.
Step 1: Use an anti-static bag. Place all SD cards, microSD cards, or USB thumb drives inside a static-shielding ESD bag to protect the internal flash memory chips from electrostatic discharge.
Step 2: Bundle small items carefully. If shipping multiple cards or drives together, place them flat inside the same anti-static bag and ensure they are not rubbing directly against each other, which can cause surface damage to the connectors.
Step 3: Wrap with bubble wrap. Wrap the bagged media tightly in at least two inches of high-quality bubble wrap on all sides and secure the bundle firmly with packing tape.
Step 4: Choose a small, rigid box. Select a small but sturdy cardboard box that fits the wrapped bundle snugly. Do not use an oversized box, as lightweight items will bounce around violently inside a box that is too large, causing damage on impact.
Step 5: Fill empty space. Pack any remaining voids in the box tightly with additional bubble wrap or paper padding so the wrapped bundle remains centered and completely immobile during transit.
Step 6: Seal securely. Tape all seams of the box with heavy-duty shipping tape, covering the top and bottom openings completely and reinforcing the side edges.
Never use standard envelopes. Do not ship memory cards or USB drives in standard paper envelopes or thin mailers. Automated postal sorting machines use heavy rollers that will instantly crush plastic USB cases or snap fragile SD cards clean in half.
Avoid padded mailers. Even padded bubble mailers can bend, puncture, or become caught in sorting machinery. A rigid cardboard box is always the safest option for data-bearing flash media regardless of how small the device is.
Secure microSD cards before shipping. MicroSD cards are small enough to be accidentally discarded with packing materials when a box is opened. Always place microSD cards inside a full-sized SD card adapter, a plastic clamshell case, or a clearly labeled sealed envelope before placing them in the anti-static bag so they cannot be lost or overlooked during unpacking.
Label every drive with its exact slot number, wrap each drive individually in two to three inches of bubble wrap, and ship them together in a heavy-duty, multi-slot drive box. If you are shipping a NAS, SAN, or server enclosure, you must remove the drives from the chassis before packaging. Leaving drives inside the enclosure during transit will damage the drive connectors and backplane, potentially causing irreversible harm to both the drives and the array configuration.
Step 1: Label every drive. Use painter's tape or adhesive labels to number each drive according to its exact slot or bay position before removing it from the enclosure. For example: "Drive 1," "Drive 2," "Drive 3." Preserving the original slot order is critical for reconstructing the array configuration during recovery.
Step 2: Remove drive trays. If your enclosure uses hot-swap trays or caddies, leave each drive inside its individual tray. Ensure the slot number label is placed directly on the drive or tray chassis where it cannot be lost or separated during transit.
Step 3: Bag each drive individually. Place every hard drive or SSD into its own separate anti-static ESD bag to protect against electrostatic discharge. Do not place multiple drives in the same bag.
Step 4: Wrap each drive independently. Wrap every bagged drive tightly in two to three inches of thick bubble wrap on all sides and secure with tape. Never bundle multiple drives together in a single wrap.
Step 5: Select the right box. Use a double-walled, heavy-duty cardboard box or a specialized multi-slot foam shipping box designed for hard drives. Standard single-wall boxes do not provide sufficient protection for the combined weight of multiple drives.
Step 6: Isolate and pack. Place a three-inch layer of foam or bubble wrap at the bottom of the box. Insert the wrapped drives vertically or side by side and fill all remaining gaps tightly with additional packing material so no drive can shift or make contact with another.
Step 7: Seal in an H pattern. Seal all top and bottom seams with heavy-duty packing tape applied in an H pattern to reinforce the box against the combined weight of the drives during transit.
Never ship drives inside the enclosure. Do not ship drives inside a NAS, SAN, or server chassis under any circumstances. Internal vibrations and impacts during transit will snap the backplane connectors and can destroy the drives entirely.
No inter-drive contact. Ensure that wrapped drives do not touch each other inside the box. Drives that are not properly isolated will collide during transit and can cause catastrophic damage to the internal magnetic platters of both devices.
Label the outside of the box. Mark the exterior of the box clearly with "FRAGILE" and "HANDLE WITH CARE" on multiple sides to alert carriers to the sensitive contents.
Remove all heavy internal components, wrap the desktop or server chassis in four inches of industrial bubble wrap, and ship it inside a heavy-duty, double-walled box to prevent chassis bending and motherboard damage. For rackmount servers, remove all outer rack rails and server ears before packing to ensure they do not pierce the shipping container during transit.
Step 1: Power down and cool. Shut the system down completely, disconnect all external cables, and allow the unit to cool entirely before beginning to pack. Never ship a system that has recently been running.
Step 2: Remove heavy internal components. Take out all heavy aftermarket graphics cards, large CPU tower coolers, and mechanical hard drives before packaging. Pack these components separately in anti-static bags and individual boxes. Transit shocks are strong enough to tear unsecured components directly off the motherboard.
Step 3: Secure internal cabling. If any lightweight components must remain inside the chassis, ensure all cables are tied down and all remaining components are firmly screwed into place before packing.
Step 4: Bag for static and dust. Enclose the entire tower or server chassis in a large anti-static ESD bag to prevent dust, debris, and static electricity from entering through the cooling vents during transit.
Step 5: Wrap with heavy-duty bubble wrap. Wrap the entire chassis in at least four inches of industrial-grade bubble wrap on all sides. Apply extra padding to the corners and base, which absorb the greatest impact during a drop. Secure all wrapping firmly with tape.
Step 6: Prepare a double-walled box. Use a heavy-duty, double-walled cardboard box rated for the weight of your system. Standard single-wall moving boxes will crush under the weight of a desktop tower or server and provide no meaningful protection.
Step 7: Block and brace. Place a three to four inch layer of dense foam blocks or tightly packed bubble wrap at the bottom of the box. Insert the wrapped system and pack all sides tightly so the chassis cannot shift even a fraction of an inch during transit.
Step 8: Seal with the H method. Tape all box seams using two-inch wide, heavy-duty shipping tape across the center seam and all side edges to reinforce the box against the considerable weight of the contents.
Never ship with installed GPUs. Leaving a heavy graphics card connected to the PCIe slot during shipping almost always results in a snapped motherboard or cracked PCIe interface. Remove all graphics cards without exception before packaging.
Remove server rack rails. Do not ship a rackmount server with sliding rails attached. The sharp metal edges will tear through bubble wrap and slice open the cardboard box during transit, leaving the chassis completely unprotected.
No loose packing peanuts. Do not use Styrofoam peanuts as packing fill. The combined weight of a desktop tower or server will cause it to sink straight to the bottom of the box during transit, leaving the base entirely unprotected against impact.
Not sure how to package your device or have questions before shipping? Our team is available around the clock to walk you through the process and ensure your device arrives safely. Call us at 800-388-1266 for step-by-step guidance, find your nearest recovery center, or request a free prepaid shipping label and we will take care of the rest.
Ready to talk?
Our core value is to support you in every way possible. Whether it’s answering your questions, setting up a case for your failed media, or sharing as much information as we can about the data recovery process - even if you decide not to use our services.
If you’re experiencing data loss, don’t hesitate to reach out to us right now.
Ready to talk?
Our core value is to support you in every way possible. Whether it’s answering your questions, setting up a case for your failed media, or sharing as much information as we can about the data recovery process - even if you decide not to use our services.
If you’re experiencing data loss, don’t hesitate to reach out to us right now.
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