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How to Fix SD Card Reader Not Working on Windows 10?

Wondershare Recoverit Authors

Jan 27, 2024 • Filed to: Answer Hard Drive Problems • Proven solutions

Nowadays SD Cards are one of the most common removable storage devices, mainly Micro SD, which are used as an extension of storage space in many models of cell phones and digital cameras, among others. The practicality of having a large number of Gigabytes of information on a plate of a few millimeters results in a very practical utility for users and they simply need an SD card reader to transfer their data to a computer. However, like any device, the SD Card reader may stop working and multiple reasons which origin this situation will be described here.

Why Does Your SD Card Cannot Work on Windows 10?

Q: I often use my Micro SD Card to transfer my photos to my computer. Some days ago, the SD Card reader did not recognize my Micro SD Card and I can't buy a new one right now. Could you help me to find a solution?

SD Card readers can connect to your computer through a USB port. After reaching your computer, it can read data. However, if any condition prevents the power from flowing smoothly, the data stored on the SD card cannot work.

And except for the power transmission issue, there are other factors that will lead to SD card paralysis. And I will continue to tell you how to confirm the specific causes in the next part.

The Reasons Why Your SD Card Stopped Working:

1 Check the SD card reader: First, you should check if your SD card reader is damaged. Check that the slot where the card is inserted is not dirty; it is common for the dust to be stored and the user may not be aware of that due to the small dimensions of the space, so using a lamp is absolutely necessary. If you notice dirt, you can use compressed air to remove it; if you do not have one on hand you can also use a cotton swab and soak it in antiseptic alcohol (isopropyl), this way you can put the swab and clean the dust. Do not use your device until you are sure it has dried, so waiting for some minutes is recommended.

2 Check the USB cable: USB cables are the means by which electricity reaches the SD card reader. The constant use of them, as well as the continuous connection and disconnection, causes them to wear out, bend or tear, this may be minimal, but enough so that there is no correct operation. Check all the cable in detail and find if it is stripped, bent or frayed; if that's the case, you can try to connect another it to another SD card reader (if you have one) and check if it works, or you can buy a new one, generally, these types of USB cables are not expensive and are easy to get in any computer store and also in online stores.

3 Check the SD card: first, you should check that the connection pins of your SD card are clean and free of scratches. On the other hand, you must bear in mind that SD cards have a useful life and that for each file that is stored, deleted, or transferred, it will generate minimal "wear". This is because in this type of storage unit the information is stored in tiny cells, due to the fact that the data is energy interpreted in binary language. Thanks to flash technology, high read speeds are possible to perform, however, SD cards, like all of flash memory devices, have a limited life cycle, which will be defined by how much-stored data can be in the cells of the memory until reaching the limit to retain it. So, the life cycle is shortened if more and more information is stored; although of course this usually takes a long time to happen as SD cards are made to last for quite a few years. If you have recently acquired the one you use, it is very difficult to present problems of this type.

4 Check the USB port: with the exception of some PC cases that have protectors that cover the ports, they generally have contact with the air, an aspect that causes dust particles to constantly enter. When dust accumulates, it can isolate the connection or making intermittent, since the dust is an element that interferes with the passage of electrical energy. As with the SD card reader, using compressed air is the most effective and practical option, however, you can also use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Remember that you should not turn on your computer until you make sure that the USB ports you have cleaned are completely dry.

Hint: You should also check whether the operating system and drivers are compatible with your SD card or not. If your computer system does not update in time, it will cause the SD card to not working properly. Once you are sure of the reason, just perform a quick update on Windows immediately.

How to Repair "SD Card Not Work" Error And Get Data Back?

If you have confirmed that your SD card is not working correctly, you will surely be worried about your information and think that you are at risk of not being able to recover it. Until not so long ago when a removable storage device (such as a removable SD Card) did not work properly, it was a headache for users, so it was not uncommon to have the bad luck of losing stored information. Of course, the most advisable thing is to make a daily and constant backup of your data, but, if for some reason you are not used to it or you have forgotten to do it, you should not worry, since you can use the Wondershare Recoverit software to recover your information, even from a damaged device.

recoverit feature list

Recoverit is an application dedicated to recovering information from all kinds of storage devices. It can even retrieve data from damaged SD cards, due to the sophisticated technology it has. It will only be a matter of giving a few simple clicks, so there will be no greater difficulties for you to recover your files. Next, I will show you some simple steps to carry out this process:

Step 1: Select the external device

external-device-recovery

To recover lost or deleted files from the removable storage media, please select the devices as the target location. And then hit on the "Start" button to move forward. Even though the partition on the device has got lost, you can still use Recoverit to bring the lost data back.

Step 2: Scan the external device

scan-external-device

An all-around scan will be launched on the external storage media. Wait a few minutes to finish the scanning. During the process, you can locate the targeted files, as well as pause or stop it.

Step 3: Preview and recover files

preview-recovered-photos

Once the scanning ends, you can preview the files from the scanning result. To get the files back, click "Recover" and save them into another safe location.


Conclusion

SD cards are very useful and popular removable storage devices today. Despite being below flash drives in terms of general preferences, its micro SD version is a widely used option in electronic devices such as cameras and cell phones. It should be remembered that they need a reader to transfer information to a PC, however, it is easy to acquire one and very simple to use. If you have had problems with your SD card you can always use Recoverit, since thanks to its sophisticated technology you can recover your information very easily.

Recoverit author

Theo Lucia

chief Editor

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