How to Fix a Broken SD Card Switch with 5 Practical Methods (No Data Loss)

Are you a Nintendo Switch lover? The Nintendo Switch is a wildly popular handheld gaming console that lets you play some of the best games out there, like Mario vs. Donkey Kong, making it a favorite gaming device after the iPad.

However, every Switch owner faces a particular issue – lack of storage space. For those who frequently download and play new games, the available storage is not sufficient. In such cases, players opt for an SD card to expand their storage capacity.

Use Software to Recover a Damaged Switch SD Card

Though an SD card is useful for downloading and saving games to play, it can also lead to data loss. There are various reasons why your SD card might become damaged, such as handling it roughly, virus infections, or removing the SD card while files are being written.

If the Switch fails to read the SD card, you can insert it into a card reader and connect to your Mac. Then, a professional SD card data recovery tool can help retrieve the lost data. For that, check out the tool from Data Recovery Wizard for Mac.

Rated as one of the most powerful data recovery tools for Mac, this software is user-friendly and helps with corrupted SD card recovery on Mac. This potent data recovery program supports various devices like SSD, HDD, fusion drives, SD cards, USB drives, and more.

There are numerous scenarios that can lead to data loss. You can choose the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac tool to come to your aid in any of these situations:

• Virus Infection: A malware attack on your system can lead to data loss. In such cases, you must quickly use a data recovery tool to restore the lost information.
• System Crash: Errors within the system, like macOS Sonoma issues, can result in sudden and unexpected crashes. The only way to recover your data is by opting for a professional data recovery program.
• Accidental Deletion: Accidents do happen, and deleting data can lead to significant losses. Choosing the best data recovery software can come in handy.
• Formatting: Sometimes, formatting an SD card can result in data loss. You can use an efficient data recovery tool torecover a formatted SD card on Mac.
• Unmounted Drive: Mounting issues are another reason for data loss. Opt for a professional solution to recover data from anunmountable SD card on Mac.

Here are the steps to recover data from a damaged Switch SD card:

Step 1: Select the SD card

Connect your memory card to your Mac correctly. Start the Disk Drill for Mac data recovery wizard. Choose "SD Card Recovery", find your Canon/Nikon/GoPro/DJI/Sony SD card, and click "Search for lost files".

Note: Before you proceed with data recovery, it's recommended that you click “Disk Backup” from the left pane to create a backup of your SD card to prevent further data loss. After backing up the SD card, the software can restore data from the SD card backup, after which you can remove the SD card and use it again.

Select the location to scan for lost SD card data

Step 2: Filter for Lost Data from the SD Card

When the scan is finished, all the files will be displayed on the left panel of the scan results. Find the photos, videos, and other files you want.

Step 3: Preview and recover the data

Preview the SD card data and select the files you want. Then, click on the “Recover” button. To avoid overwriting your data, do not save the recoverable files to the SD card itself.

How to Fix a Broken SD Card Switch [With 5 Repair Methods]

Are you worried about fixing a damaged SD card on your Switch? While professional data recovery tools can help retrieve your data, there are other methods you can try. Here are five solutions to address the issue:

Solution 1: Restart your Nintendo Switch

The most direct way to fix a corrupted SD card on your Switch is to restart it. Corrupted system files might be causing the issue. Restarting your Nintendo Switch will clear these files and resolve the problem.

Please restart your Nintendo Switch by following these steps:

Step 1: Locate the power button in the top-left corner and press it for a few seconds.

Step 2: Choose Power Options, and then select Shut Down.

Wait a while, then turn on your Nintendo Switch. Allow the Nintendo Switch to boot up and load everything. After that, check if the SD card issue is fixed. If not, try the following.

Please share this article on social media to help others learn how to fix a broken SD card on their Nintendo Switch.

Solution 2: Clean the SD Card Slot and Reinsert the Switch

Sometimes, a buildup of dust or grime can damage the SD card switch. The best solution is to clean the SD card and reinsert it.

Step 1: To avoid damaging the card, make sure the Nintendo Switch is turned off before removing the microSD card.

Step 2 Push on the top of the SD card to pop it out. When you hear a click, you can remove the SD card from the slot.

Step 3: The next step involves cleaning the SD card. Gently wipe the card with a cloth and clean the slot to remove any debris.

Step 3: Once it's clean, reinsert the SD card into your Nintendo console. Make sure it's facing the right way.

Fix 3: Check Switch SD Card Compatibility

One of the reasons for corruption could be an incompatible SD card. It's possible that your current SD card stopped working after an update or major upgrade. Here's a list of cards compatible with the Switch:

• microSDXC cards (64 GB and above).
• microSDHC cards (4 GB to 32 GB).
• microSD cards (up to 2 GB).

You must use a high-speed microSD card and check the microSD card's compatibility to avoid any issues later on.

Fix 4: Update your Nintendo Switch

Another simple solution to fix the corrupted SD card issue is to update your Nintendo Switch. The only requirement to pull this off is a stable and fast internet connection.

Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Choose System Settings > System > System Updates.

If an update is detected, the download will start immediately.

Note: The Nintendo Switch usually has an option for automatic system updates. Enable this to avoid updating manually.

Fix 5: Format the Switch SD Card using Disk Utility

The last solution you can try is formatting the Switch's SD card. You can use the built-in Disk Utility on your Mac to manage and format external and internal storage devices.

Here are the steps to format your Switch SD card using Disk Utility:

Step 1: Connect the Switch microSD card to your Mac.

Step 2: Launch Disk Utility. Click on Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.

Step 3: Select your SD card. From the top menu, choose "Erase."

Click “Erase” to format the SD card.

When the pop-up menu appears, reset the formatted SD card's name and format. Tap “Erase” again to confirm.

Step 5: When the formatting is done, click "Finish."

Caution: Formatting the SD card will erase all data, so try using a Mac Data Recovery Wizard to format the SD card on a Mac!

Conclusions

There could be various reasons behind a corrupted SD card switch, but don't worry. In this tech-savvy age, there are multiple solutions to help address drive issues. You can try restarting your Nintendo Switch, cleaning the SD card slot, or formatting the card, among other options.

Lastly, you can always opt for a professional data recovery tool. Check out Data Recovery Wizard for Mac, a great data recovery app that can recover different types of data.

Q&A: How to Fix a Broken SD Card Switch

For more information about fixing a broken SD card switch, see this question and answers:

1. Can I fix a corrupted SD card on Mac?

You can use the “First Aid” tool to repair a damaged SD card. This utility is built into macOS, and if the damage is only to the file system, it should be able to fix it.

< b > Where is the bad data on the Nintendo Switch?

To check for corrupted data on your Nintendo Switch, first, tap on 'System Settings' from the main menu. Next, select 'Data Management' and then choose 'Software.' After that, pick the game title whose data you want to inspect. Finally, hit 'Check for Damaged Data.'

How do I reset the SD card switch?

To reset an SD card on a Switch, you can use Disk Utility. This built-in tool will erase all existing data, restoring it to its original state. However, you will lose any data on the card.