Has “SD card not showing up on Windows 10/11” problem ever hit you like a sledgehammer? It’s same as when you misplace some object which is very special to you. But deep inside you know it’s there but cannot be accessed.
Therefore, if you’re questioning yourself, “Why isn’t my SD card showing up?” there can be many reasons behind it and it cannot be just one.
Don’t you be worried, though. In this guide, further below, we’re going to disclose reasons for an undetected SD card and then, 9 solutions accordingly that will help you fix problem for good.
Table of Contents
Part 1: Why Is My SD Card Not Showing up on Windows PC?
If you’re thinking about, “Why is my SD card not showing up?” it could be because of following reasons:
- The SD card’s side switch may be set to write-protected, stopping it from being read or detected.
- If an SD card’s partition is deleted, it shows as unallocated space in Disk Management, causing it not to be recognized by system.
- Your memory card might not be connected properly, making its files invisible.
- If an SD card’s driver is outdated or corrupt, it may show a yellow mark in Device Manager but won’t be recognized in File Explorer.
- Frequently removing or inserting a memory card while in use and without proper ejection can corrupt it, even though most support hot-plugging.
- If an SD card’s drive letter is missing, it won’t appear in system.
- Physical damage, like exposure to water or fire, can prevent a memory card from working.
Part 2: Easily Recover Data From Undetected/Unrecognized Memory Card
When your SD card does not show up on Windows 10/11, it means it’s undetected and you’ve got very little chance of recovery data. However if nothing of following solutions helps to resolve it then you might have to format it which will definitely erase all memory card files permanently. Unless you have an application like 4DDiG Data Recovery to recover files in different data loss situations such as, corruption, formatting, deletion, virus attack, lost partition, system crash, etc. Here’s more about this SD card data recovery software:
- Can recover various hidden, and missing files with high success.
- Can retrieve 2000+ file types including audio, images, documents, archives, videos, and so on.
- Regains data from various types of memory cards, such as SD cards, Micro SD cards, CF cards, SDHC cards, and more.
- Offers free preview of recovered files, regular updates, and technical support.
- Supports all versions of Windows.
Here’s how you can reclaim files from an undetected SD card with help of 4DDiG Data Recovery:
Step 1: After installing 4DDiG, execute it and attach your SD card to your computer.
Step 2: Once your memory card is detected by tool, select it and press “Scan.”
Step 3: After scanning, preview recovered files beneath “Tree View” or “File View.” Choose ones you want to export to your computer. Hit “Recover.”
Part 3: 6 Quick Methods for SD Card Not Showing up on Windows 10/11
Before testing out advanced solutions that either result in data loss or require some technical knowledge, try out these 6 quick fixes. Many times they’re able to resolve “SD card not showing up on Windows 10/11” issue successfully. So apply them individually, until one of them does the job:
- Eliminate Connection Issues
Poor or damaged contact points between a memory card and its reader or between a card reader and a USB port can cause connection issues. This could result in “SD card not showing up on Windows 11/10” problem. Therefore, first, insert SD card reader into a different USB port or use a different reader to see if issue is with reader or port.
Also, test by inserting another SD card into reader to examine whether the problem is with card or reader. Furthermore, you can plug reader into another computer to check if it functions. Lastly, clean your memory card and its reader to remove dust buildup that might be causing a poor connection.
- Reboot Your Computer
If your SD card does not show up on Windows, try restarting your PC. Sometimes temporary software glitches or programs running in background can stop Windows from recognizing your memory card. But that’s something that a simple reboot can fix. Restarting your PC will re-establish connections between your SD card and computer. Here’s how:
- Simply, click “Start.” Then, tap “Power” icon. Press “Restart.”
- Remove Write Protection From SD Card
When your SD card has write protection enabled, you won’t be able to add or delete data, which can cause an “SD card not showing up in File Explorer” issue. To turn off write protection, eject your memory card and find lock switch situated on its side. Slide switch upwards to disable write protection. Then, reconnect memory card to see if your computer can detect it. If it doesn’t you can remove write protection through Device Manager. Here’s how to do that:
Step 1: Right-click “Start.” Then, choose “Device Manager” and open it.
Step 2: Locate your SD card. Right-click it, and select “Properties.”
Step 3: Beaneath “General” or “Policies” window, locate writing policy, and turn it off. Hit “OK.”
- Update Disk Driver
The “PC not recognizing SD card” problem could also be because of corrupted memory card reader drivers. This is because an old driver cannot support communication between card reader and PC thus causing problems in identification and use of memory card. Consequently, you have to update your disk driver to repair “SD card not showing up Windows 11/10”. Then, follow instructions below to update memory card reader driver.
Step 1: Right-click “Start.” Then, choose “Device Manager” and open it.
Step 2: Extend “Disk drives.” Then, right-click your memory card. Choose “Uninstall device.”
Step 3: Afterward, pick “Action.” Then, tap “Scan for hardware changes.” This will reinstall memory card reader driver.
- Scan for Viruses
A malware or virus attack can also hide your memory card from plain sight, resulting in an “SD card does not show up Windows 10/11” error. In such a case, you can use CMD to unhide your memory card files. To do so:
Step 1: In Windows search field, type “cmd.” Then, right-click “Command Prompt.” Execute it with admin privileges.
Step 2: Then, input following commands. Hit “Enter” after each one:
- Type “cd.”
- Input drive letter (e.g., “E:”) followed by a colon (:).
- Type “dir/ah.” This command will display hidden files.
- Type “attrib *. -h -s /s /d.”
Wait for process to fix “SD card not showing up in File Explorer.” When it does, CMD will unhide files if any are found concealed.
- Send It for Repair
If you’re still getting a “PC not recognizing SD card” malfunction after trying out all solutions mentioned earlier, then it might be physically damaged. That being said, it is good to send it to a professional memory card repair service. However, before doing so, we have some advanced solutions for you to try out to fix “SD card not showing up Windows 11/10”error.
Part 4: 3 Advanced Solutions for SD Card Not Showing up on Windows 10/11
- Assign a Unique Drive Letter
Your computer assigns each connected memory device a drive letter automatically. Once drive letter of your memory card is missing, you will not be able to access files. It will lead to an “SD card not showing up in File Explorer” problem. However, you can assign a new drive letter to your memory card using Disk Management utility:
Step 1: Right-click “Start.” Then, choose “Disk Management” and open it.
Step 2: Check whether your SD card reader is listed there with a drive letter. If not, right-click SD card reader.
Step 3: Select “Change Drive Letter and Paths.” After this, pick “Assign the following drive letter.” Tap “Add” to assign a new letter.
- Run the CHKDSK Utility
Your SD card file system might have gone kaput which is why you might be facing a“PC not recognizing SD card” issue. To repair it, run CHKDSK, a Windows utility for fixing file system issues and repairing bad sectors on drives. Here’s what to do:
Step 1: In Windows search field, type “cmd.” Then, right-click “Command Prompt.” Execute it with admin privileges.
Step 2: Input “chkdsk [drive letter]: /f /r.” (This command will check integrity of your memory card, detect errors, or bad sectors, and repair them). Hit “Enter.”
- Reformat Your SD Card
Finally, reformat your SD card if neither basic fixes nor advanced solutions seem to work. Reformatting will clear away the current file system to create a new one, also removing corrupted metadata and files along the way. To reformat your SD card follow steps below:
Step 1: Right-click “Start.” Then, choose “Disk Management” and open it.
Step 2: Locate your memory card beneath “Volume.” Right-click it and select “Format.”
Step 3: Set only “Volume label” and “File system” leaving rest as default. Click “OK.”
Bottom Line
From basic fixes to advanced methods, we’ve discussed 9 solutions to fix SD card not showing up on Windows 10/11 issue, each one for a specific situation. But before you do that, try 4DDiG Data Recovery to help you recover files from undetected memory cards. It can also retrieve 2000+ file types from various data loss scenarios and internal/external drives with high success.
