Sd Slot Not Working Mac
Many Mac users are reporting a problem with their SD card. Their SD card is not showing up when they connect it to their Mac computer. If you’re experiencing this problem, don’t worry. You’re not the only one and you should be able to fix the problem quite easily using one of the solutions we’ve listed below. (SSD modules that work with other computers can be as little as $150 for the same capacity, but those aren’t compatible with Apple’s slot.) Apple Older MacBooks have useful SD Card slots.
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Summary: SD card not showing up on Mac indicates you can't see the SD card on desktop, in Finder, or Disk Utility. This post will tell you how to fix SD card not showing up on Mac.
It's a common problem that SD card not showing up when connected to Mac. Then, where you can find the SD card on Mac? By checking the following lists, you'll know how to find and open an SD card in these cases:
- 1. SD card not showing up on Mac desktop.
- 2. SD card not showing up in Mac Finder
- 3. SD card showing up in Disk Utility but not mounting
- 4. SD card not showing up in Mac Disk Utility
- 5. Files on SD card not showing up on Mac
SD card not showing up on Mac desktop, how to fix?
By default, the detected external disks will be mounted on the desktop of Mac. This setting works for SD cards, memory cards, external hard drives, USB flash drives and much more. However, sometimes such settings may have been changed by accident. As a result, the external drive won't show up on Mac as you expected.
Here is how to change the settings showing SD cards, so that you can find and open the SD card on Mac desktop.
- 1. To show the SD card on Mac's desktop, open Finder.
- 2. Click on the Finder at the top menu of your Mac and choose Preferences….
- 3. Click on the General tab.
- 4. Check the External disks option.
Then, you'll be able to see the SD card on the Mac desktop.
SD card not showing up in Mac Finder, how to fix?
All attached and detected internal disks and external disks can be accessed in the sidebar of Finder. If your SD card is not showing up in the Finder, you can also check if the Finder Preferences have been set up properly.
- 1. Open Finder.
- 2. Click on the Finder at the upper left of your Mac and choose Preferences….
- 3. Click on the Sidebar tab.
- 4. Check External disks option under Locations so that you can locate SD card on Mac's Finder.
- 5. Launch the Finder and check if you can find the SD card showing up in the Finder sidebar.
If the SD card is still not showing up, the storage devices might be hidden by accident. Here is how to unhide the SD card.
- 1. After you properly connected the SD card to your Mac, wait a second so that Mac can recognize the SD card.
- 2. Then open the Finder by clicking the smile face on your desktop.
- 3. Find Locations in the left sidebar. If no storage device is listed here, the SD card is hidden in the Finder.
- 4. Simply point your mouse at the Locations, and then click Show. Then your SD card will show up and the option will become Hide.
Then the SD card will appear in the Finder. But if you still cannot see it on the desktop and in the Finder, where else to find the SD card on Mac? You can check if the SD card is showing up in Disk Utility.
SD card showing up in Disk Utility but not mounting, how to fix?
One case is that the SD card is showing up in Disk Utility, but it's grayed out. The SD card is not mounting. That's probably the reason why you can't view SD card on your Mac.
Though the unmounted SD card might suffer from SD card corruption, luckily, the SD card is recognized by Mac Disk Utility. So, you can try thoese solutions to fix the corrupted SD card, which helps mount SD card on Mac.
Solution 1: Mount the SD card manually
You can right-click on the SD card and choose the Mount icon beside it, or click on the Mount button on the top of Disk Utility window. Either way, you can mount the card and access pictures, videos or other files stored on it.
Solution 2: Repair the SD card with First Aid
If the SD card is showing up but you can't mount the SD card manually, then the SD card is corrupted for some reason. An effective strategy is to repair it with First Aid in Disk Utility. First Aid can repair disk-related issues on Macs, which include SD cards failing to show up on your Mac.
To use First Aid:
Step 1: Launch Disk Utility by going to Launchpad and then Others.
Step 2: Select the SD card that happens to be unmountable and click First Aid at the toolbar.
Now, sit back and wait for the repair process to finish. Hopefully, it works its magic.
Solution 3: Format your SD card
If you still have not any luck in getting your Mac to mount the SD card successfully, it's time to reformat it. Reformatting gives the corrupted SD card a chance to rebuild the disk structures. It is a very sound strategy to solve most of SD card problems like SD card not showing up on Mac properly.
• How to format an SD card on Mac?
But before you go any further, you need to pause to think about the data stored on your SD card. Reformatting will erase all of the data stored on the SD card and leave you a blank SD card. So, do you have any data on the SD card that you are desperate to keep? If you have, you should rescue files off the SD card first.
If you have performed a regular Time Machine backup of your SD card files beforehand, you should be able to recover lost data from Time Machine.
If not, you should utilize a reliable and trusted piece of SD card data recovery software to recover lost data first. iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac, for example, is highly recommended here. Keep reading to see what it can do for you.
• How to recover data from SD card on Mac?
SD card not showing up in Disk Utility, how to fix?
By default, you will see all disks and volumes at the left sidebar in Disk Utility window. But if the settings are changed somehow, you can't see the SD card in Disk Utility. Then you might think your SD card is not showing up here.
Try these steps to make the SD card visible in Disk Utility.
1. Launch Disk Utility.
2. Click View at the top menu bar.
3. Choose Show All Devices.
4. Check if your SD card shows up in Disk Utility.
If you still see the SD card not showing up in Disk Utility, another option is to restart your Mac. A simple restart often can fix this problem.
However, if both solutions fail to show up your SD card in the Disk Utility, you can try to connect it to a Windows PC. Then you can check if Windows disk management can recognize it. If unfortunately, the SD card is not showing up on Windows PC either, likely, your SD card or card reader is physically damaged.
If SD card reader not working
You can try another card reader to access the SD card. If it's recognized and working, then it's the old card reader that stops your SD card from showing up. Using other media devices like a camera and accessing the SD card via USB port would be a solution.
If SD card is physically failed
If you have important files stored in this SD card, please send it to a local data recovery specialist for help. If not, buy a new one and replace it.
Files on SD card not showing up on Mac, what to do?
Another trouble you might find that your SD card is detected by your Mac but your pictures or videos files don't show up. It is common when you connect an SD card from a digital camera or a mobile phone. We also have included three quick solutions here to help you out.
1. Try a different card reader, a different USB port, even a different Mac computer or operating system and see if the pictures or videos on the SD card will show up. If yes, you're suggested copying the pictures, videos and other files off the SD card.
2. Check if you have set up your Mac to hide files. You can follow the detailed steps to recover and show hidden files on Mac.
3. Recover data from SD card with a data recovery software, such as iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac.
• How to recover data from SD card on Mac?
Understanding why SD card not showing up on Mac
Some users connect SD cards directly to the SD slot (if any) on their MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. And some access it through an external SD card reader. But either way, the SD card should be detected by the computer and then appear in Finder, on desktop, and in Disk Utility. However, sometimes, it seems that Mac doesn't see the SD card because you can't find it anywhere.
Why isn't the SD card showing up on Mac then? Well, many factors are possible. And some might leave your Mac not recognizing the SD card.
You use the SD card in the wrong way. When you insert the card into a card slot, make sure that the metal contacts face down and point toward the card reader. If you plug it in the wrong direction, the SD card won't show up and the card slot will be damaged. So, it's important to learn how to use SD cards on Mac in the right way.
Your card reader is out of date. Many SD card manufacturers like Lexar and Sandisk produce new types of memory cards with new features all the time. But your old card reader may not read new designed SD cards. You can't open the SD card on Mac computer until you replace it with a new SD card adapter.
Sd Card Reader Not Working Macbook Pro
The SD card format is not compatible with your card reader. Many users need an extra adapter to access their memory cards like Standard SD, SDHC, SDXC, MMC, and Micro SD cards. But different card readers have different tech specifications. So, make sure that the card reader conforms to the SD card's transfer rate, read-write speed, dimension, type, storage capacity, etc.
Other reasons. SD card not showing up on Mac could be caused by virus infection, macOS system error, or even an SD card corruption.
What's more, you should also examine the SD card carefully to see if it is overly dusty or greasy. If so, you can give it a quick wipe down with a clean, dry cloth and try again. Alternatively, you can try another SD card reader/slot to decide which one is to be blamed for the issue.
Conclusion:
Hopefully the 'SD card not showing up on Mac' issue has now been solved after you have followed our instructions. If you say 'SD card not showing up on Mac' but actually you mean the SD card can't be mounted, simply recover data from the SD card with iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac and then reformat it.
Summary: Have you encountered the SD card not mounting issue on macOS Catalina/Mojave/High Sierra? This post will show you 8 feasible solutions to mount SD cards on Mac again. In addition, you can also learn about how to recover lost data when SD card won't mount on Mac.
SD cards are widely used to store photos and videos. But sometimes you can't access your files as the SD card won't mount on computers, digital cameras, or Android phone. Focusing on Mac computers, this post offers 8 solutions to fix SD card not mounting on your MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini or iMac.
- Test SD card on another Mac or with a new card reader
- Restart your Mac computer
- Check the SD card format (file system)
- Update software on Mac
- Check whether the mounted SD card is set to show up on Mac
- Repair unmountable SD card with Disk Utility
- Recover lost data and reformat the SD card
- Look for help from the local repairing professionals
Usually, once you connect an SD card with a USB adapter or an SD card reader on Mac, the SD card should be detected and then mounted by your Mac. It means you can access the SD card and transfer files from it. However, you may find the SD card not mounting on Mac or not seen in Disk Utility. Here is a real example from a forum:
Hello everyone! I'm having some issues mounting an SD card on my 2016 MacBook Pro via a USB-C SD Card reader. The problem is that the card does not mount at all, not in Finder nor on the Desktop. I can't mount the SD card in Disk Utility either. So I'm reaching out to see if any of you might have an idea of how to fix this.
Have you ever experience the above-mentioned scenario? Where is the problem? Why does this issue happen? How to fix it? Just keep reading and get your SD card mounted.
• Check this guide if your SD card is not showing up on Mac.
Solution 1: Test SD card on another Mac or with a new card reader
Whenever you meet SD card problems, the first thing you should check is whether the SD card has a connection issue. You can change a new SD card reader or USB adapter. If the card works well, then it's the faulty SD card reader or USB adapter that stops your SD card from mounting.
While if the SD card won't work on another computer or the new SD card reader/USB adapter, there is something wrong with your SD card.
How to fix SD card reader not working on your Mac?
Here is a guide to fix SD card reader not reading or working on your computer, which works for Windows PC and Mac. Read more >>
Macbook Air Sd Card Slot Not Working
Solution 2: Restart your Mac computer
If you encounter a problem with your computer or connected disks, an IT folk always asks 'Have you tried rebooting your Mac computer?'
Why? Because a restart wipes away the current state of your operating system/software and starts everything from scratch. Just remove your SD card from your Mac computer. Completely shut down your Mac computer and remove the power cable (if you own a laptop, please remove the battery). Then turn on your computer and replug your SD card to your computer. The SD card should be mounted after the restart.
Solution 3: Check the SD card format
If the SD card is encrypted by Windows BitLocker, then your Mac won't read SD card. Because BitLocker drive encryption is developed by Microsoft for the Windows operating system and it can't be supported by macOS.
To check this issue, you can insert it to a PC to see if the SD card can be recognized. If you are asked to input the BitLocker password, the SD card is a BitLocker encrypted drive. To resolve this problem, you can decrypt it on Windows, replug it to your Mac and then it can be mounted.
Sd Slot Not Working On Mac
Solution 4: Update software on Mac
Out-of-date software (e.g. disk driver) can cause various issues on Mac, and that SD card won't mount is one of them. It's possible that the operating system will become sluggish and the connected device may not function properly. Then, the external hard drive won't show up on Mac. Fortunately, you can easily update the software on Mac.
1. Update the software on macOS. If you have upgraded to macOS Mojave or above, you should choose 'System Preferences' from the Apple menu, then click 'Software Update' to check for updates. If any updates are available, click 'Update Now'. Then, restart your Mac and insert your SD card again.
2. Update the software on earlier macOS versions. Just launch the Mac App Store, click the 'Update' tab on the top and then choose the 'Update All'.
Solution 5: Check whether the mounted SD card is set to show up on Mac
Some people say their SD card won't mount, they indicate that when they insert the SD card on Mac, they can't see it on desktop or in Finder. But technically, this case can't be called 'SD card not mounting on Mac'. How can you check if your SD card is not mounting for real, or just not showing on Mac? You can try the following actions to determine.
- 1. Check your Finder preference. First of all, you need to make sure your Finder preference is set to correct. Go to Finder > Preferences > General and ensure that 'External disks' are selected. Then go to the Sidebar tab and check External disks option as well. This will show the mounted SD cards as external disks on your desktop and in Finder.
- 2. Go to Applications folder > Utilities > Disk Utility. After launch Disk Utility, you need to identify if your SD card is listed on the left-hand side of the interface. If the SD card is listed but grayed out, the card is not mounted due to some file system errors.
Meanwhile, chances are that the SD card won't show up on Mac. In this situation, the card might have been physically damaged.
Solution 6: Repair unmountable SD card with Disk Utility
If your SD card is listed in Disk Utility but can't be mounted, you can try right-clicking the card and select the Mount button. If this operation doesn't work, it means the file system of the SD card is corrupted. Don't worry! There are still ways to repair it.
Sd Card Reader Not Working Macbook Air
- 1. Go to Application/Utilities/Disk Utility.
- 2. Click 'View' in the top menu bar (Or click 'View' on the top window). Then select 'Show All Devices'.
- 3. Select the unmountable SD card from the left sidebar and click 'First Aid' on the top of the Disk Utility window.
- 4. Click 'Run' to perform hard disk diagnostics and fix the not mounting/not working Seagate Backup Plus.
Solution 7: Recover lost data and reformat the SD card
It's very common if Disk Utility is unable to repair disks on Mac because Disk Utility is built in repairing minor errors on a disk. Under this circumstance, the simplest solution is to reformat your SD card. But this operation will cause irreparable data loss problem. So hope you have backed up before. If you forgot, with a Mac data recovery tool, you can also restore lost data from unmountable SD card.
Step 1: Recover lost data from the unmountable SD card
Here recommend you iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac, it is a free SD card data recovery software.
It can recover data from unmountable SD memory cards, including SDXC, SDHC, and SD cards that are used in digital camera and computers. You can recover files from SD cards formatted with APFS, HFS+, HFS+, exFAT, FAT32. So, try this SD card recovery software on macOS Big Sur 11/Catalina 10.15/Mojave 10.14/High Sierra 10.13/Sierra 10.12/10.11/10.10/10.9/10.8/10.7.
Mac Sd Card Slot Not Working
• How to recover data from unmounted SD card on your Mac?
This video will guide you on how to recover data from unmountable SD card on Mac:
Step 2: Reformat the unmountable SD card
Sd Card Reader Not Working Macbook
The SD card can be formatted by Disk Utility. Follow the below tutorial to complete the format process:
• How to format an SD card on your Mac?
Solution 8: Look for help from the local professionals
If you say SD card not mounting and mean that you can't even see the SD card on Mac, you are out of luck. When SD card is showing up nowhere of the Mac, the SD card might be physically damaged or have hardware issues. In this case, you can only send the SD card to local professionals for help.But if the SD card appears in Disk Utility, just not mounting though, you have an opportunity to prevent data loss by using data recovery software, like iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac.