How To Fix ‘SD Card Not Detected’ on Windows?

Many times when you insert your SD card into your Windows PC, there pops up an error message saying ‘SD card not detected’ or ‘SD card not showing up’. Wondering what to do in such a case? Do not worry, we are here to help you resolve this error, and if in case you lose any data, you can recover it using Systweak’s Advanced Disk Recovery tool. It is an all-in-one data recovery solution that helps you retrieve all lost data from your hard drive, USB and other storage media.

If you encounter an issue with your SD card detection, don’t despair, there are fixes to everything, and so is this case. This is one of the common Windows 10 problems, and you can quickly resolve this in no time.

What is an SD card? SD card is a medium that is used to store photos, videos, documents or any other data in a digital format in any device with memory card support. Since we all know there is always a reason behind everything, similarly there is always a cause that leads to ‘SD card not detected’ or ‘SD card not recognized’ error.

Why Is My SD Card Not Showing Up?

There are numerous reasons why SD cards are not detected. Here are listed a few of them:

1. The file system is not compatible with Windows. It means that the SD card is formatted abruptly.
2. Read or copy errors.
3. Damaged due to any virus attack.
4. A broken SD card.
5. USB port is not working, or the port is incorrect.
6. SD card driver is not updated or is lost somewhere.
7. SD card is physically damaged or is not compatible with the device.
8. File manager needs to be changed.
9. Connection issue.
10. Partition loss.

Whatever is the reason, there is always a solution to every problem. Let us proceed further to learn how to fix the SD card, not detected errors. Try these hacks one by one, if one doesn’t fix probably another would.

How to Fix ‘SD Card Not Detected’ Error?

Method 1: Update your drivers

The first and the foremost method to resolve issues like SD card not showing up is to update the device drivers. Now, when it comes to updating device drivers, there are two methods to conduct the process. One is updating driver manually, and another is an automatic driver update. The manual update involves the use of Device Manager while for automatic updates, we recommend using an ultimate tool like Smart Driver Updater.

1. Update Device Drivers Manually

• Open Run window (Win+R) and type in devmgmt.msc and hit Enter.
• It will open the Device Manager on your system.
• Now, locate the driver you are facing issues with, expand the list, and right-click top open further options.
• Now, click on Update Driver to update.

• Then click on ‘Automatically Search For Outdated Drivers’.

• And that’s it! Your PC will search for available drivers and install it on your device.

If this doesn’t work, you can opt for the automated tool like Smart Driver Care and to learn how to use it, read the article further.

2. Update Device Drivers Automatically Using Smart Driver Care

It is a tool that makes your work easy and smart by automatically detecting all the outdated drivers and updating them within no time. Smart Driver Care, is a smart tool as the name itself says, regularly keeps a check on your device drivers and updates them keeping in mind the latest Windows updates.

Here’s how to use Smart Driver Care to update outdated drivers and fix ‘SD Card Not Detected’ errors. Follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Download Smart Driver Care from the download link below and get started with this amazing tool.

Step 2: Once the download is complete, click on the file and run the setup. Give a ‘Yes’ to all the permissions asked.

Step 3: Wait until the installation is complete, and then you’ll see the software run a full system scan. Once it is completed, the tool will show you the list of outdated drivers.

Step 4: Either select particular drivers from the list, if you know the name, or otherwise you can simply click on Update All button at the top-right. This will update all the drivers on your system that are either broken, incomplete or missing and replaces them with the latest and updated versions.

Step 5: After the updates are done, you’ll be asked to restart your computer to apply changes. Confirm Restart, and you’re all set.

Once done, you’ll see that you can now use SD card on your system and the issue of ‘SD card not recognized’ is resolved and is no longer restricting you from performing your tasks.

Method 2: Clean And Check Your SD Card & Reader

A dirty SD card is another reason for it not being recognized by your computer. It restricts the connection between a card and a reader, and therefore, it is essential to check if your card is dirt free and is not disabled. To clean your card, follow the steps below:

• Take a clean cotton cloth and dip it in a little alcohol/water and very slightly wipe the dirty area.
• To clean your reader, you can use a compressed air device. It will blow out the dust making your reader clean.

Now, check again if your computer is recognizing the SD card or not. If not, try another hack. Also, learn what to consider while buying an SD card.

Method 3: Test Your SD Card In Another PC

If one system is not recognizing your SD card, try and test it in another device. If it works, the fault is in your system’s card reader, and if it doesn’t work all, then the card is at fault, and you need to replace it.

Method 4: Update Card Reader Driver

Last but not least, you can try updating the card reader driver by following the steps below:

• Press Win+R and type in devmgmt.msc.
• Locate Disk Drives, expand for more options.
• Now, right-click on the driver name and tap Scan for hardware changes to refresh drivers.

That’s all! Try these quick hacks to resolve ‘SD card not showing up’ on your PC.  just a gentle reminder, rely on Smart Driver Care to auto-detect and update device drivers within no time. It is one of the best ways to execute the driver update regularly. The automated tools keep you away from hassles of timely system scan and driver updates. Therefore, it is always better to use a smart tool for smart work.

We hope this article helped you fix  ‘SD card not detected’ error on your PC. Do not forget to share your views on this article. Your opinions and suggestions will help us improve this and our further posts.

We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note in the comments section below. Follow Systweak for posts such as tips and tricks, along with solutions to common issues related to technology.