Solution for SD Card Not Showing Up in Finder on macOS Big Sur/Monterey

You're probably used to storing photos and documents on an SD card. When you connect the SD card to your MacBook Pro or Air, the SD card should show up in the Mac Finder sidebar and on your desktop.

Yet, many users report that their SD card is not showing up in Finder:

Users running macOS Monterey and macOS Sonoma have reported issues with SD cards not showing up in Finder. Until Apple fixes this issue, a workaround is to rename the SD card from the desktop, which actually slows down their workflow.

Read on and fix your issue with the SD card not showing up in Finder. Congratulations in advance!

Why doesn't my SD card show up in Finder?

There can be several reasons why your Mac is unable to read an SD card and, as a result, doesn't show it in Finder. Here are some possible causes:

• ⚙️Incorrect settings on MacBook Pro/Air.
• ?Memory card reader not functioning properly.
• ?SD card is locked.
• ❌Incorrect formatting of the SD card.
• ?Physical damage to the SD card.
• ⚠️Corrupted data on the SD card.

Preparing to Show an SD Card in the Finder

It's advised to start by checking your system settings. Before troubleshooting the issue of an SD card not showing up in Finder on MacBook Pro, make sure the card isn't damaged and the reader is functioning properly.

Check your Finder preferences

Please check the following settings to make sure the SD card appears in the Finder's sidebar:

Step one: Open the Finder, choose Preferences, and then click on Sidebar.

Step 2: In Finder Preferences > Sidebar > Show these items in the sidebar, check External Disks.

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Confirm that the SD card reader is working on your MacBook Pro or Air

As we mentioned, the reader might be damaged, rendering it unusable on your MacBook Pro/Air. To check if it's working correctly, you can test it with another SD card or device.

If the reader and other memory cards work fine on your computer, then the problem is with the SD card. If the reader isn't working on any devices, it might be damaged, in which case you'll need to get a new reader to access the SD card on your Mac.

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Check the connection issues.

If the SD card and reader work in another Mac, the issue might be with the connection. In macOS, USB drivers control the transfer of data between devices, including SD card readers and USB drives, over the Universal Serial Bus (USB).

If the USB zombie process is not working, your Mac might not recognize your SD card, and therefore, it won't show up in Finder, Disk Utility, or on the desktop.
To fix the USB zombie process, you can enter the following command in the Mac Terminal:

Check if the SD card is locked

If the SD card is locked, your computer might not recognize it. Full-sized SD cards have a slide switch along one edge that prevents them from being written to. This shouldn't prevent them from showing up in Finder, though.

To unlock an SD card, slide the physical switch on the lock side of the card to the unlocked position.

How to Fix the Issue of SD Card Not Showing Up in Finder

After confirming that your system settings are correct, the SD card isn't damaged, and the reader is working, try these practical solutions to resolve the issue of the SD card not showing up in Finder.

Restart your Mac

As most novices to computing know, restarting your MacBook Pro/Air can resolve most process issues, including one where an SD card is not recognized by the Mac.

Format your SD card.

Formatting the SD card can resolve most SD card formatting issues, including those caused by improper formatting or data corruption that prevent your Mac from reading the SD card. You can format the SD card on your Mac to APFS, FAT32, or HFS+, the latter of which is compatible with macOS.

Perform Mac SD card recovery before formatting. Otherwise, you'll permanently delete data from the SD card. You can only recover data after formatting with professional data recovery software like the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac tool.

Data recovery software tools make it incredibly convenient to quickly retrieve data across various devices, regardless of the file type. To make the process more comprehensible, you can follow these steps:

Step 1. Select the disk to scan

In the main “Data Recovery Wizard” tool window, all drives connected to the Mac will be listed. Select the drive from which you need to recover lost/deleted files and click on the “Search for Lost Files” button.

Note: Before data recovery, it's recommended that you click “Disk Backup” from the left sidebar and create a backup for your Mac to prevent further data loss. After the backup, the software can recover data from the Mac backup, and your computer can write new data again.

Step 2: Choose the lost data/files that you wish to recover

Data Recovery Wizard for Mac will scan the disk volume you select immediately, and display the scanning results in the left pane. If you are looking for specific files, you can sort the results to locate the files you need.

Select the data/files you lost:

Step 3: Recover Lost or Deleted Data

Once the scan is finished, preview the found files and click on the “Recover” button to start restoring your deleted or lost Mac files.

Make sure to save your data to a secure location, not the SD card. Then, you can format the SD card to show up in Finder by following these steps:

Step 1: Connect the SD card to your Mac.

Step 2: In the Finder, click Go > Utilities, and then double-click Disk Utility.

Step 3: Select your SD card from the left pane, and click on “Erase.”

Step 4: Name your SD card and choose a file system format in the dialog box that appears.

Step 5: Choose the file system for your formatted SD card; for example, if your SD card is larger than 64 GB, choose ExFAT.

Step 6: Wait for the formatting process to complete, and then you should be able to use your SD card on your Mac; you can view it in Finder.

Of course, I can help you translate English into Chinese. Please provide the English content you would like translated.

 

[Mac Tutorial] How to Format an SD Card on Mac

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Software update: Fixes issue with SD card not being recognized

A Mac software update can offer benefits like improved performance, additional features, enhanced security, and fixes for minor issues. Updating your macOS might help resolve the problem of the SD card not showing in Finder. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Choose About This Mac.

Step 2: Click “Software Update.”

Step 3: Choose “Check for Updates.”

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Mac Software Update: How to Update Software on Your Mac [Automatically and Manually]

This article discusses how to update software on a Mac using both automatic and manual methods, as well as how to prevent data loss during Mac software updates. Read More >>

Conclusions

The main reasons why an SD card doesn't show up in Finder include incorrect settings on your Mac, a damaged card reader, the SD card being locked, incorrect formatting of the SD card, physical damage to the SD card, or data corruption.

Before troubleshooting, check the Finder preferences on your Mac to make sure the card reader is working properly, and that the SD card isn't locked. Also, check for connectivity issues with your Mac.

You can resolve the issue of SD card not showing up in Finder using any of these three practical methods: restart your Mac, format the SD card, or update your Mac software.

"Frequently Asked Questions: 'SD Card Not Showing Up in Finder'"

Here are some additional questions people ask when their SD card doesn't show up in Finder:

1. How to Fix SD Card Not Showing Up in Disk Utility?

You should go to Finder > Preferences > General, and make sure that “External disks” is checked.

2. Why is my SD card not showing up in Finder?

The main reasons why an SD card doesn't show up in Finder include incorrect Mac settings, a damaged card reader, the SD card being locked, improper formatting of the SD card, physical damage to the SD card, or data corruption.

3. How do I make my SD card show up in Finder on my Mac? To display your SD card in Finder on your Mac, follow these steps: 1. Insert the SD card into your Mac's SD slot or connect an SD card reader to a USB port on your Mac. 2. Make sure your Mac recognizes the SD card. You should see a pop-up notification near the battery icon in the top-right corner, or you can check in "System Preferences" > "Security & Privacy." 3. Open Finder (usually located in the Dock). 4. In the left sidebar of Finder, ensure that "Devices" or "Disks" is selected. If not, click "Go" in the top-left corner, and then choose "Devices." 5. In the "Devices" list, you should see the name of your SD card. Click on it, and Finder will open the root directory of the SD card. If your SD card still doesn't appear, try these troubleshooting steps: - Restart your Mac. - Check if the SD card is damaged by attempting to read it on another device. - In Finder, choose "File" > "Show All Files and Folders" to ensure the SD card isn't hidden. - In "System Preferences" > "Desktop & Documents," uncheck "Hide iCloud Drive in Sidebar," as this sometimes hides external devices. - If none of these work, you may need to use "Disk Utility" to check and repair the SD card. Open "Disk Utility" (found in "Applications" > "Utilities"), select your SD card, and click "Verify Disk." If needed, click "Repair Disk." Hopefully, these steps will help you locate and access your SD card.

You should check the Finder preferences on your Mac to make sure the card reader is working properly and that the SD card isn't locked. You should also investigate connectivity issues with your Mac and ensure all settings are correct.

You can resolve the issue of SD card not showing up in Finder using any of these three practical methods: restart your Mac, format the SD card, or update your Mac software.

How do I find the SD card on my MacBook Air?

When you connect the SD card to your MacBook Pro or Air, it should appear in the Finder sidebar and on the Desktop. If it doesn't, you'll need to:

Step 1: Open Finder, choose Preferences, and then click Sidebar.

Step 2: In Finder Preferences > Sidebar > Show these items in the sidebar, check External Disks.