How to fix Windows 11 not recognizing SD card issue?

Insert your SD card into a built-in or external card reader, only to find that your Windows 11 PC can't read or recognize it.

SD card is your best companion when you want to store some important data like photos, videos, documents, etc. as a backup so that you have a copy of them in case something goes wrong on your PC .

While USB and HDD are available, not everyone invests in them because most modern devices, including smartphones and cameras, come with SD card slots.

It can be frustrating when your phone or camera’s SD card is plugged into your Windows 11 PC’s card reader and nothing shows up and you can’t transfer files from it.

There are several reasons why your Windows 11 PC is not reading the SD card. Well, that's exactly what we'll be discussing in this tutorial.

Here we will list down some of the best solutions that can help you fix Windows 11 cannot read SD card issue. Let's jump right into it.

Why is my Windows 11 computer unable to read an inserted SD card?

If you encounter this problem, then, for better or worse, you are not alone. There are multiple user reports on the official Microsoft forums indicating that many users are facing similar issues on their Windows 11 PCs.

Just like all other Windows 11 issues, your PC cannot read the inserted SD card may occur due to a number of reasons, some of which are as follows:

• Your external The SD card reader is not properly connected to your PC.
• The external SD card is damaged.
• The pins of the built-in SD card reader are damaged.
• The SD card you are using is damaged.
• The SD card is infected with a virus or malware.
• You are not using an updated device driver.
• The correct driver is missing on your PC.
• The drive letter is missing from the SD card.
• The write protection switch is not disabled.
• There are bad sectors on your PC.
• The SD card you are using is physically damaged.

The above list may include all the common reasons why you encounter Windows 11 not reading SD card.

The good thing about this is that we have listed many solutions in this tutorial that can help you solve the problem at hand.

How to solve the problem that Windows 11 cannot read the SD card?

1. Clean the SD card and reinsert it

#If the SD card you have is not clean and contains dust or small debris, your PC will not be able to Identify it.

The reason is simple, the pins of your SD card and the card reader you are using are not connected correctly, so the correct connection is not established.

Dust can cause a poor connection and you will encounter multiple other issues even if your Windows 11 PC is reading the SD card.

To resolve this issue, we recommend that you clean the SD card's pins as well as the SD card reader's pins and then try reconnecting the card.

2. Try on another computer

The issue with Windows 11 not reading the SD card may be due to an interface or support issue. If your PC does not recognize your SD card, it is possible that your PC does not support the SD card's interface.

We recommend that you try plugging it in or using it with another PC, if it detects your card then you can continue with your task. Unfortunately, if this doesn't help, then you can check out the next solution.

3. Download the latest driver

1. Open the start menu and search Device Manager.
2. Expand the Disk Drive section.
3. Right click on your SD card. If your PC doesn't recognize it, it will have a yellow exclamation mark.
4. Select Update Driver.
5. Select Automatically search for drivers.
6. Restart your computer.

Alternatively, you can use a trusted third-party tool called DriverFix. It is a one-stop solution for all your driver related needs. The application interface is clean and easy to understand.

You just need to click and the software will scan all outdated and missing drivers. Additionally, it displays any outdated or missing drivers and prompts you to install or update them. All this happens without you having to exit the software.

Other features of DriverFix include fixing errors related to bad or corrupt driver files, updating old device drivers, finding missing drivers, and more.

⇒ Get Driver Repair

4. Change the SD card drive letter

1. Right-click the start menu icon and select Disk Management.
2. Right click on your SD card and select Change Drive Letter and Path.
3. In the Add Driver or Path window, click Add.
4. Select a drive letter and click OK.
5. Close the disk management tool.

After using the Disk Management tool to assign a drive letter to your SD card, you can now check if your unrecognized SD card shows up in File Explorer.

If everything is fine, the SD card will appear in File Explorer with the other disk drives on your Windows 11 PC using the set drive letter.

5. Run CHKDSK to repair damaged files

1. Press the Win R key to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type the following command and press Enter. cmd
3. Execute the following command. chkdsk C: /f /r /x
   Make sure to replace /x with the drive letter of the SD card.
4. Close the command prompt.
5. Restart your computer.

CHKDSK utility scans the file system for any errors and automatically fixes any logical system file errors if found.

Your Windows 11 PC may not recognize the SD card due to corrupted system files. So, to resolve this issue, just run the CHKDSK command and see if this resolves the issue.

6. Make sure your card reader supports SD cards

One of the main reasons for pop-up Windows 11 not reading SD card issues is because the user has inserted an SD card that is not supported by the card reader .

High-capacity SD cards (such as SDHC or SDXC cards) require a modern SD card reader that supports them. Make sure you have an SD card reader that supports the format of the card you insert.

7. Format SD card

1. Right-click on the Start menu icon and select Disk Management.
2. Right click on your SD card and select Format.
3. Click Yes on the warning message that appears.
4. Select the file system and click OK.
   • Please note that to store files larger than 4GB, you need to select the NTFS file format instead of FAT32.
5. close the window.

After formatting the SD card, your Windows 11 PC should recognize it. Formatting can repair corrupted sectors of the SD card, which can cause problems.

8. Disable write protection

1. Press the Win R key to open the run command.
2. Type the following command and press Enter. devmgmt.msc
3. Place your SD card under the "Disk Drives" section.
4. Right click on it and select Properties.
5. Under the Policies tab, make sure the box next to Enable write caching on devices is checked.

A write-protect switch or feature is provided on the SD card to prevent deletion of stored data or addition of new data on it.

Typically, SD cards have a physical write-protect switch on the side. If the SD card has a button, it should be slid to the OFF position.

If your SD card does not have a write protection switch, then you can follow the steps above to disable write protection for your card.

9. Scan your PC for viruses or malware

1. Click the Up Arrow button on the taskbar in the lower right corner.
2. Select Windows Security.
3. Click Virus and Threat Protection.
4. Click the Quick Scan button to let Windows Security scan your PC for viruses and malware.
5. You can also select the Scan Options button.
6. Under Scan Options, select Full Scan to deeply scan your PC for viruses or malware.

You can use Windows Security Defender to scan your Windows 11 PC for viruses or malware. However, you can install several third-party antivirus applications and scan your PC for viruses.

For example, ESET Internet Security is one of the best antivirus software you can use. It comes with payment protection, firewall, parental controls, anti-phishing, multi-layered protection, and more.

But the above steps will give you an idea of ​​how to perform a scan to check if there is any virus or malware on your PC.

How to avoid SD card getting corrupted or not detected in Windows 11?

If your SD card is worn out or used improperly, there is a good chance that you will encounter Windows 11 unable to read the SD card issue from time to time.

While you can always buy a new SD card and continue your mission, we provide you with some tips that you can apply to your existing SD card and make it suitable for long-term use.

• Keep your SD card away from moisture or places where water may enter.
• Prevent exposing the SD card to extreme hot or cold temperatures.
• Make sure to protect the pins of the SD card. You can store SD cards using the bag, case, or plastic cover that usually comes with them.
• After each data transfer session, please ensure that the SD card is properly removed from the card reader.
• Avoid using the SD card on a PC infected with viruses or malware. Perform frequent quick scans to detect viruses and fix them.

Let us know in the comments below that one of the above solutions helped you resolve Windows 11 cannot read SD card issue.

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