4 Fixes for SD Card Not Showing up on Windows 11

Quick Tips

• Run Hardware Troubleshooter by opening the Run window > type msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic > click Ok > click on Hardware and Devices > click Next > follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
• Every internal and external storage drive on your Windows 11 PC is assigned a drive letter. So, you can also check if there’s one assigned for your SD card.
• Update the SD card driver by going to Device Manager > Disk Drivers > Update Driver.

Basic Fixes

• Unlock SD Card: Every SD card has a tiny sliding switch on one side that helps lock the card to prevent data modification or deletion.
• Check your card reader: If you use a separate SD card reader for your Windows 11 computer, the reader may be faulty.
• Update Windows 11 version: Installing the latest version of Windows 11 will remove any bugs causing this issue.

Fix 1: Run Hardware Troubleshooter

Hardware Troubleshooter is a built-in tool for Windows 11 users to fix issues with physical components and ports like the SD card slot.

Step 1: Connect your SD card to your Windows 11 PC.

Step 2: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run window, type msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic, and click on Ok.

Step 3: In the Hardware and Device window, click on Next at the bottom-right corner to start the troubleshooting.

Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process.

Step 4: After that, check if your SD card appears in File Explorer.

Fix 2: Change the Drive Letter of Your SD Card

Every internal and external storage drive on your Windows 11 PC is assigned a drive letter. You can check if one is assigned for your SD card as well.

Step 1: Connect your SD card to your Windows 11 PC.

Step 2: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run window, type diskmgmt.msc, and press Enter.

Step 3: Select your SD card drive from the list of options at the top.

Step 4: Right-click on your SD card drive at the bottom and select Change Drive Letter and Paths.

Step 5: Select your SD card drive and click on Change.

Step 6: Select a new drive letter from the drop-down menu and click Ok to save your choice.

Step 7: Close the Disk Management window and open File Explorer to check if your SD card shows up.

Fix 3: Update SD Card Driver

These drivers keep installing with new updates of Windows 11, but you can also manually check and update them. A case in point is the SD card driver.

Step 1: Connect your SD card to your Windows 11 PC and open Device Manager.

Step 2: In the Device Manager window, click on Disk Drivers.

Step 3: Right-click on your SD card and select Update Driver.

Step 4: Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process.

Fix 4: Run Disk Utility Using Command Prompt

Running Disk Utility using Command Prompt is an advanced method for scanning and detecting issues with your SD card not showing up in Windows 11.

Step 1: Connect your SD card to your Windows 11 PC and open Command Prompt by choosing Run as administrator.

Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter.

chkdsk /f (drive name):

The drive name is of your SD card drive.

Step 3: Wait till the scan is complete. You will see a message for the same.

Step 4: Close the Command Prompt window and check if the problem is solved.