Facing the problem of an unreadable or damaged SD card is quite common. However, there is a way to fix this. If your computer can’t detect an SD card, it may indicate that the card is damaged and needs repair. In this article, we’ll explore solutions for SD cards or memory cards that don’t appear in Windows 10 / 11. We’ll also talk about why SD card not showing up.
Here are the 12 solutions to troubleshooting SD cards that were not detected in Windows 10/11.
1. Try another USB port
Sometimes the problem may not be with the SD card, but with the computer. To confirm this, try inserting the card into another USB port on your computer. If it works on different ports, the problem is that the computer is not the card.
2. Test the SD card on another PC or use a new card reader
To check if the problem is occurring with your computer, please try using an SD card on another PC. Connect it to another USB port and see if it will be recognized. Otherwise, you can also try using a different card reader.
3. Clean the SD card and card reader
If SD Card not showing up on Windows, there can be a possibility that it has became dirty or dusty. It may cause poor connection and prevent SD card from appearing in Windows 10/11. Clean both the card and the reader and try inserting the card again.
4. Disable write protection
If your computer can read an SD card but can’t fix it, it may have written protection. Check that the small switch on the sides of the SD card is turned off. In some cases, writing protection on SD cards that don’t have a switch can be disabled using the device manager:
- Open the run window by pressing Windows + R
- Print “devmgmt.msc” and click OK
- “Drive” extension
- Search and right click on your SD card.
- Select “Properties” and go to the “General” or “Politics” tabs.
- Disable the write protection policy and click OK.
- Change the font of the SD card drive
- Change the drive font of an unknown SD card
5. Change the drive letter of an unrecognizable SD Card
If your SD card does not have a specified drive message, it will not appear on your computer. To solve this problem, follow these steps:
- Right-click on the Start button and select “Manage Disk”.
- Find your SD card. Right click on it and select “Change mail and drive route”.
- Select a drive character from the list and click OK.
- If the SD card does not have a drive message, click on the “Add” button.
6. Enable CHKDSK to detect SD cards
It is one of most recommended and widely used method when SD card not showing up on your PC. Run CHKDSK to make the SD card detectable.
You can use the CHKDSK tool to scan and fix errors that may make the SD card undetectable. Follow these steps:
- Right-click on “This PC” and select “Manage”
- Click “Manage Disk”
- Press Windows + R. Print “cmd” and press Enter.
- Enter “chkdsk D: / f” and press Enter.
7. Updating SD card drivers
If you see a yellow complaint mark on the card reader page in the Device Manager, that means there may be a problem with the SD card driver, updating the SD Card driver will help solve this problem. Here are two ways to update the driver:
Method 1
- Connect your SD card to your computer
- Go to Control Panel > System > Device Manager > Drive
- Find your SD card. Right-click on it and select “Scan for Hardware Changes” to update the driver.
Method 2
- Connect the SD card and go to “Control Panel > System > Device Manager > Drive”
- Right-click on the SD card and select “Properties”
- In the “Drivers” tab, click “Update Drivers”.
8. Reinstall Universal Serial Bus Controllers
The reinstallation of the USB controller may have to fix the problem of the SD card following these steps:
- Right-click on the Start button and select Device Manager
- USB Controller Extension
- Right-click on the driver and select “Uninstall”. Click OK to proceed.
- Restart your computer to automatically install new drivers
9. Diagnosis and troubleshooting of SD card
If the problem persists, you can use the built-in troubleshooting feature in the control panel to diagnose and fix SD card problem of not showing up by following these steps:
- Enter “Control Panel” in the search bar and select it.
- Select Troubleshooting
- Choose “Hardware and Sound” and then select “hardware and Devices”.
- Follow the instructions and wait until the problem is fixed.
10. Disable and enable SD card reader
If the SD card is still not detected, try disabling and enabling the SD Card Reader. Here’s how:
- Right-click on the Windows icon and select “Device Manager”
- Select “Memory Technology Device” and double-click the card reader.
- Go to the driver tab, click “Disable Device” and then click “Yes”.
- Double-click the card reader again. Go to “Properties” and click “Enable Device” to reactivate the driver.
11. Remove the virus or malware that affects the SD card
If your SD card is virus-infected or encrypted by malware, it may not appear on your computer. Follow these steps to clean the software and remove the virus or malware:
- Insert your SD card.
- Go to the start menu, type “cmd” in the search bar, and press Enter.
- Right click on “cmd.exe”
- Enter “attrib -h -r -s /s /d” drive:.” To recover files
12. SD card format
Even after following all above mentioned steps, if SD card is not showing up, the formatting may be the last way. Follow these steps to formatting your SD card on your computer:
- Click Windows + D to open the Desktop View
- Click Windows + E to open “Computer”
- Search “Device with removable storage” and find your SD card.
- Right-click and select “Style”
- Choose a quick formatting option and click Start.
Data Recovery from SD Card not detected
Couldn’t access your data? Use WinfrGUI, a SD card recovery software to recover deleted data from various storage devices. Follow these steps to restore music, photos, videos, and emails from multiple sources using this powerful tool:
- Step 1: Select the location to recover missing files from
- Step 2: Scan location for deleted files. You can select multiple files at once.
- Step 3: View the scanned files and click the Recovery tab to restore them.
WinfrGUI has an increased recovery feature that is highly recommended. It supports additional recovery designed specifically for video files. This feature can scan and match parts of your corrupted video to ensure a higher recovery rate.
The main features include scanning and matching pieces of video, integrating pieces from the same video, recovering videos while keeping 95% of the content untouched and ensuring no damage during the recovery process. To take advantage of these increased Recovery features, click on the option to recover corrupt video files easily.
Why SD card not showing up / cannot be recognized in Windows 10/11?
There are several reasons why your SD card is unrecognized in Windows 10 / 11. Common reasons include:
- Verify that the card, adapter or USB port is dirty or damaged, causing a faulty connection.
- Make sure the SD card’s write-proof switch is turned off.
- Normally connecting an SD card may cause file system damage or metal folding.
- If the driver is not registered, the partition will not be accessible in Windows Explorer.
- If the SD card has a yellow complaint mark in the device manager but cannot be detected, it may indicate that the driver is defective.
- Deleting the partition of an SD card may make it appear as an unallocated area.
- Physical damage such as water damage or broken plastic shell may make the card unrecognizable.