Fix: Windows Not Reading SD Card or SD Card Reader

Is Windows not reading your SD Card? Or the SD Card Reader is not visible in File Explorer? Then this post will help you resolve the problem.

Causes of the Problem

  • Corrupted or outdated driver: If PC’s driver is corrupted or outdated, Windows will not read the SD card. Check whether the SD card is compatible with your current operating system.
  • Damaged SD card or SD card reader: Windows will not read your SD card or SD card reader if it is physically damaged. So, check whether the USB port is working correctly by inserting the SD card into different ports of your PC.

Windows Not Reading SD Card or SD Card Reader

Fix: Windows not reading SD card or SD Card Reader

Below are the six fixes to solve the issue of the SD card not reading on your Windows PC.

  1. Insert SD Card on Another Device
  2. Check SD Card in Disk Management
  3. Update or Reinstall Driver
  4. Run Hardware and Device Troubleshooter
  5. Enable SD Card Reader
  6. Format the SD Card

You will need an administrator account to execute these suggestions

1] Insert SD Card on Another Device

Often, the PC’s interface issue rather than the SD card prevents the SD card from appearing in Windows. So, connect your SD card to a different PC in this situation. Similarly, test the reader with a different SD card and check whether the issue resolves.

2] Assign Drive Letter via Disk Management 

If your SD card is not visible in File Explorer, then it’s possible that a driver letter has not been assigned to it. Unless storage has a drive letter, it will remain invisible to all users.

  • Right-click on the Windows logo and choose Disk Management from the context menu.
  • In the Disk Management windows, the SD card you have connected will appear as a removable disk. Next, check whether its drive letter is D or E.
  • If not, right-click on the removable disk and choose the Change Drive Letter and Paths option from the context menu.Change Driver Letters and Paths
  • Next, click the Add button and choose a drive letter from the drop-down box next to Assign the following drive letter.
  • Click OK, and both local drives and your SD card will function in the file system.

3] Update or Reinstall Driver

In this method, update or reinstall your driver to check whether the SD card reads. Below are the steps to update or reinstall the driver for the SD card reader. You can go to optional updates to update your driver:

  • Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
  • Click on the Windows Update option from the left pane. Next, click on Advanced options on the right.Choose Advanced Options From Windows Update
  • Scroll down and under Additional options, click on Optional updates.
  • Click on Driver updates, and it will expand to show the drivers that need updating.
  • You can choose the driver, scroll down, and click the Download & install button. Follow the on-screen instructions.Click on Driver Updates and Download

You can disable the automatic driver update via Windows Update if it breaks your device too often.

To reinstall the driver using Device Manager and OEM

  • Right-click on the Windows logo and click on Device Manager from the context menu.
  • In the Device Manager window, locate your driver, right-click on it, and choose the Uninstall option.Reinstall Device From Device Manager
  • You can restart your PC and reinstall the driver again.

Note: The above method may not install the OEM driver but a generic driver. It is also possible that the driver available via Windows may not be the latest as it has to pass the compatibility tests. We would suggest that you download the driver directly from the OEM website.

4] Run Hardware and Device Troubleshooter

Hardware and Devices Troubleshooting

Perhaps a hardware issue is to blame for the Windows SD card reader not working. If so, please use the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter program equipped with Windows. This tool will identify the device problems quickly. Follow this post to run a hardware troubleshooter in Windows.

5] Enable SD Card Reader

If your SD card is still not working, follow the steps given below to check and enable the SD card reader in the Device Manager.

  • Right-click on the Windows logo and choose the Device Manager option from the context menu.
  • Find your SD card from the displayed list, and right-click on it. If you see the option Disable device on the context menu, you have already enabled the device and do not need to do anything further.
  • If it shows the Enable device option, you can choose it and check whether Windows detects the SD card.

6] Format the SD Card

The last method you can use to detect an unreadable SD card is to format it. Check out the steps below to format the SD card to resolve any issues with the file system.

  • Right-click on the Windows logo and choose Disk Management.Format SD Card from Disk Management
  • Locate your SD card, right-click on it and choose the Format option from the context menu.

After formatting, reinsert your SD card and check whether the SD card reads.

Conclusion

While it is not common, Windows not reading SD card or SD card reader can happen, especially when it’s been a tool for a long using them. In this post, we have shared how you can use various methods, including checking on hardware and updating via software. At times, it can b a glitch, and reinserting gets the job done, but if not, these suggestions should be helpful.

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