how to repair micro sd card not detected

If you’re experiencing issues with your memory card, you’re probably wondering how to repair micro SD card not detected problems.

It is always frustrating to imagine losing your documents or multimedia files. Don’t worry. I’m going to take you through a couple of quick solutions.

You can repair most “Micro SD card memory not detected” issues by:

  1. Checking for faulty ports.
  2. Update your PC’s SD card drivers.
  3. Using Disk Management in your pc format the Card.
  4. Repair the card using CMD/Windows PowerShell.
  5. Scan for any malware in the card and repair it.
  6. Change the drive letter.
  7. Carry out android fixes.

With that basic overview of how to repair micro SD memory card not detected, let‘s dive right into the details and also find out why this nuisance could be occurring.

4 Ways On How to Repair Micro SD Card Not Detected?

repair micro sd card not detected

Before we get started, there are several reasons why you could be getting this error message.

These include:

  • The Card could be loosely connected.
  • It could be mechanically damaged.
  • A dirty or clogged SD card slot.
  • Outdated Pc drivers.
  • No assigned drive letter.

The card may fail to show once you plug it in. The problem can also present itself in the following ways:

  • Various error messages.
  • The card is detected but cannot be opened.
  • Android phone indicates no valid media.
  • The card does not register in a digital camera.
  • The micro-SD card shows 0 bytes in space available.

Now, let’s take a look at a couple of solutions.

Solution #1: Check for Faulty Ports

check faulty ports

Sometimes there might be an issue with the card reader, connecting cables, or the respective ports that you are using to link your card. The pins might be bent, the ports clogged or a cable damaged.

In this case, ensure you:

  1. Inspect the card readers, the cables, and the ports for mechanical damage.
  2. Clean the ports and try again.
  3. Replace broken card readers and damaged wires.
  4. Test the card using different ports and readers on another PC.
If the bug persists even after trying all the above steps, proceed to the next solution.

Solution #2: Update SD Card Drivers

Your Micro SD card may fail to be detected because the drivers installed on your PC are outdated. In this case, updating your Micro SD drivers will resolve the issue.

To update your drivers, follow these steps:

On windows:

  1. In the search bar, Search and launch windows update.
  2. In the setting window, click Check for updates.
  3. Click install update.

Your machine now looks for all available updates from the internet and installs them.

Note: If on Windows XP, you might not be able to check as Microsoft no longer provides the updates.

Alternatively, you could update the Micro SD card driver from the device manager with the following steps:

  1. Plug in the Micro SD card.
  2. Right-click This PC/My Computer.
  3. Click on Device Manager/Manage.
  4. Right-click on the card and press update driver.
  5. Follow the update wizard to completion.

On Linux:

  1. Open a terminal and reinstall the package Udisks2.
  2. Reboot the system.

If the driver update was successful, you can now read and write on the sd card data from My Computer/This PC.

Solution #3:  Format Micro SD Card Using the Disk Management Tool

format micro sd card

In instances where the Micro sd card is new, contains broken partitions and sectors, or is corrupted, you can fix the drive by formatting it using windows disk management tools.

You can do this with the following steps:

  1. Search for the Control Panel in the search bar.
  2. Click on Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management.
  3. Find your Micro SD card in the drive viewer.
  4. Right-click and select Format.

If successful, then the SD card should now be readable.

Note: You will lose any data contained in the card after formatting.

To maintain the integrity of the SD card, it is recommended that you safely eject it from the pc before plugging it out.

Solution #4: Repair Micro SD Card Memory with CMD

As pointed out earlier, the drive might contain broken partitions and sectors, making it unreadable. You can scan and repair using Windows PowerShell or CMD.

You can achieve this with the following steps:

  1. Search for Windows PowerShell or the command prompt in the search bar.
  2. Right-click and select Run as administrator.
  3. Type one of these commands (“chkdsk /X /f H:” or “chkdsk H: /f”) replacing H with your drive letter.
Windows now look for any corruption in the drive and repairs it. The Micro Sd card should be accessible after this procedure.

Solution #5: Scan The Card for Malware

scan card for malware

Sd cards are in high demand due to their portability. They allow us to share files from one device to another seamlessly. This however makes them great carriers of malware.

Malware may embed itself in the card and mask the drive letter making the micro sd card unrecognizable.

Here is what to do:

  1. Install good antivirus software.
  2. Plug in the micro sd card memory.
  3. Open This PC/My computer.
  4. Right-click on the particular drive.
  5. Tap scan and follow steps to completion.
The antivirus software scans and deletes any malware that may be hindering the devices from accessing the drive.

Solution #6: Change The Drive Letter

Sometimes, you may be unable to access the drive from the system because it is missing a driver letter. In case it’s missing, you can resolve the issue by simply changing the drive letter.

Launching Run with shortcut keys:

  1. Click Windows + R  to start the Run prompt.
  2. In the run prompt, type msc and press OK.
  3. Identify the micro sd card.
  4. Right-click on the sd card.
  5. select Change Drive Letter and Path and assign it a letter.
  6.  Click Add then OK to save.

Launching Run from the taskbar:

  1. Right-click on the taskbar.
  2. Click on task manager.
  3. Click on file > Run new task.
  4. Then follow steps 2 to 6 above.
With the new drive letter, the micro sd card should now be readable on your PC.

Solution #7: Android Fixes

All the methods I’ve highlighted above are Pc centered. So, what happens when your micro SD card is not detected on your android phone.

You can implement the methods below:

  • Reboot your Android device.
  • Test the card on a different phone.
  • Update to the latest android version.
  • Unmount the Micro SD card.
  • Format the Card.

How to Recover Data if SD Card is Unreadable?

card is not readable

Whether the methods above work for your case, it is doubtful that you’ll find your data intact.

There are multiple software available online that you can use to retrieve lost data. Install any of them on your machine and perform a disk recovery.

They include:

  1. Disk drill SD card recovery (Windows & macOS)
  2. Recuva
  3. R-Studio (Windows ,Linux & macOS)
  4. IObit Undelete (Windows)
  5. MiniTool Power Data Recovery
  6. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

Essential Tips For Keeping Your Micro Sd Card Safe

It is not guaranteed that any of these methods will work to perfection.it is essential to take note of the following tips:

  1. Always backup your SD card to avoid total data loss.
  2. Stop using the card at the time of the error to prevent further damage.
  3. Safely eject the card from your pc before unplugging it.
  4. Use multiple cards.
  5. Don’t fill up the Micro Sd card.
  6. Format the card on every new device you use.
  7. Properly handle and maintain the card.

Read Next: How to Get Rid of SIM Card is Not from Verizon Notification?

Final Thoughts

We’ve discussed the errors and their causes. We have also seen several techniques on how to repair micro SD card not detected.

I believe you will be able to resolve most issues that may arise. As shared earlier, properly using and maintaining your Micro Sd card prolongs its life.