[2025] How to Fix SD Card Won’t Read Error

You just connected your SD card reader to your computer, wanting to access footage you’ve just shot. However, your SD card won’t read. On top of that, when you try to fix it you can’t seem to rectify this problem. So, where do we start from? Unfortunately, if you don’t know why your memory card has turned unreadable you won’t be able to repair it. That’s why let’s have a look at what makes your card unrecognizable and how you can fix SD card won’t read error in 6 ways. We’ll also share how you can extract files from it and some prevention tips to stop your card from becoming unreadable again!

Part 1: Why Won’t My SD Card Read?

When you’re contemplating “Why won’t my SD card read,” the answer is that most times this issue is due to reasons mentioned beneath:

1. Poor Connection – Worn-out metal pads on SD card can disrupt communication with devices.
2. Write Protection – Accidentally enabling card’s write-protection switch can block reading or writing.
3. Faulty SD Card Reader – A malfunctioning reader might prevent access even if the card is fine.
4. Corrupted File System – Issues with the SD card’s file system can cause errors, especially if it’s incompatible with your device.
5. Software Glitches – Windows or other systems might fail to recognize SD card due to minor software bugs.
6. Driver Issues – Outdated or incompatible SD card reader drivers can make your memory card unreadable.
7. Unsupported File System – An incompatible SD card file system can make it unrecognizable to your computer.
8. Physical Damage – Bent, broken, or damaged cards from dropping, crushing, or extreme conditions may stop working.

Part 2: Recover Data When Computer Won’t Read SD Card

When your computer won’t read SD card this means you can’t access its content. So, that leaves you with only one choice. You’ll have to extract all crucial files from your memory card. But how to do that when you can’t even access it? Luckily, you can with a data recovery tool such as Tenorshare 4DDiG. It can extract data from unrecognizable/unreadable memory cards with high success. Here’s a glance at this tool’s capabilities:

• It supports various types of SD and micro SD cards from popular brands such as SanDisk, Kingston, etc.
• Can recover files from memory cards that are formatted, accidentally or permanently erased, corrupted, and so forth.
• Other than memory cards, it supports other storage devices such as HDDs, USBs , SSDs, etc.
• Can handle various file systems well, such as FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, and more.
• Can reclaim 2000+ file types consisting of audio, video, images, archive files, etc.
• Offers a free frial for Windows users.

Follow instructions beneath to extract files from a Micro SD card that won’t read with this tool:

Step 1: Download and install this unreadable SD card recovery tool on your computer. Then, run it. Plug in your SD card to same PC.

Step 2: Pick your inaccessible SD card when it appears on tool’s interface. Click “Scan.” The tool will scan your inaccessible SD card to locate files.

Step 3: You can pause or stop scan once your find your desired ones. After scanning, select recovered files you want to export, and click “Recover” to shift them to your computer.

Part 3: How to Fix an SD Card That Won’t Read?

Here’s how to fix an SD card that won’t read with 6 solutions given below. Start with basic checks and advance to other methods according to whether it’s logically or physically damaged:

Fix 1: Perform Basic Checks

Most often it’s the basic checks that can solve ‘SD memory card not reading’ issue and you won’t have to proceed to any advanced solutions. Here are a number of things you might need to do such as:

1.     Check Your SD Card Reader

Inspect any visible damage to SD card or reader, as dust or debris might block its connection with your memory card. If possible, test card with another reader to discern whether issue is with card or original reader.

2.     Use a Different USB Port/USB Adapter

Switch to a different USB port to rule out power or data transfer issues. If you’re using a USB adapter, try another one to be sure whether it’s the adapter that’s causing problem.

3.     Restart Your Computer

Rebooting your computer can give it a fresh start. This will fix temporary glitches, background apps, or software conflicts blocking access to your SD card.

4.     Turn Off Write Protection

Your SD card might have a physical switch that’s set to write-protect mode, making it read-only. Slide it to unlock. If there’s no such switch on your card, check your device settings or disk management tools to turn off any software-based write protection.

Fix 2: Reinstall Disk Driver

A corrupted SD card reader driver can also cause a ‘Micro SD card won’t read’ malfunction. Therefore, reinstall and install it again to fix it. But before that clear your doubt by using another memory card with your reader. If it works fine, then you’ll need to update reader. To do so:

Step 1: Right-click “Start.” Pick “Device Manager.”

Step 2: Expand “Disk drives.” Choose your memory card beneath it. Then, right-click it and press “Uninstall device.”

Step 3: Select a new drive letter for your SD card. Then, confirm it.

Fix 3: Assign a New Drive Letter to SD Card

Conflicts with drivers or software can lead to an ‘SD card won’t read’ issue. Thus, assign a new drive letter to fix this. Sometimes, Windows bugs also prevent recognition of your memory card, which changing its letter can resolve. Here’s how to fix an SD card that won’t read by assigning it a new drive letter:

Step 1: Right-click “Start.” Pick “Device Management.”

Step 2: Right-click your memory card. Then, choose “Change Drive Letter and Paths…”

Fix 4: Use CHKDSK to Repair SD Card

Bad sectors or file system errors can be the reason you’re stuck with ‘SD memory card not reading’ error. But Windows has the right tool to scan and repair your memory card in form of its built-in tool called CHKDSK. Follow steps below to use this tool to fix ‘computer won’t read SD card’ malfunction:

Step 1: Right-click “Start.” Then, pick “Windows PowerShell (Admin).”

Step 2: Type in following command. Hit “Enter” afterward:

• chkdsk j: /f /r /x. (Here replace j with your memory card’s letter. While R command will examine all bad sectors on card and fix them).

Fix 5: Run Hardware and Devices Trouble Shooter

Execute another Windows-embedded tool, the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter. It can fix ‘Micro SD card won’t read’ issue by detecting and fixing hardware conflicts. It can automatically identify hardware malfunctions, like a faulty SD card or reader, and fix them accordingly.

However, you might not be able to see this tool in latest version of Windows 10. But you can still open it through “Command Prompt.” Here’s how:

Step 1: Right-click “Start.” Then, pick “Windows PowerShell (Admin).”

Step 2: Type in following command. Hit “Enter” afterward:

• msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic

Step 3: This will execute the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter. You can follow on-screen prompts to inspect any hardware issues in your memory card and fix them.

Fix 6: Send It for Repair

Still stuck with your query, “Why won’t my SD card read?” It might be that you’re unable to fix it because it’s physically damaged. In such a scenario, no troubleshooting solution can save it.

You’ll have to reach out to technical support. All popular SD card manufacturers such as SanDisk, Kingston, etc, provide repair services. But you can also seek out a professional disk repair services near you to resolve SD card corruption. However, keep in mind that these services are not free and can be expensive based on complexity of damage to your memory card and how difficult it is to repair it.

Part 4: Tips to Protect Your Memory Cards

After you finish fixing ‘computer won’t read SD card’ error successfully, you must also follow some best practices. This is to make certain your memory card is always safe from data loss, mechanical damage and being inaccessible in future. Here are some tips:

1. Store your SD card in a protective case to prevent physical damage.
2. Always eject your SD card properly before removing it to avoid file corruption.
3. Use several memory cards to reduce file loss risk.
4. Format SD card while it’s inserted in a device it’s intended for to ascertain proper settings and performance.
5. If your memory card is corrupted, stop using it immediately to prevent further damage.
6. Stick to trusted brands like SanDisk, Kingston, and Samsung for better reliability.
7. Avoid filling card completely to maintain its performance.
8. Using same SD card on different devices can corrupt due to a file system error or a virus attack.
9. Make certain your device has enough power to avoid interruptions during file saving.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this post was able to answer your queries, “Why won’t my SD card read, how to fix it and extract files from it” in this post. By diagnosing reasons behind and knowing how to fix SD card won’t read malfunction, and following troubleshooting steps explained above, you can resolve this problem. However, first, you must extract files from your unreadable memory card lest you lose them permanently. For this purpose, use a specialized tool such as 4DDiG Data Recovery to reclaim files from your inaccessible SD card with high success. It can retrieve content from a variety of data loss scenarios, types of SD cards, and file formats.