12 Fixes: Pictures Won't Load From SD Card [2025]

Eleanor Reed

May 07, 2025 • Filed to: Recoverit Topic • Proven solutions

Wondering why your pictures are not showing up on your SD card?  In our fast-paced digital world, SD cards are crucial for storing our precious moments. But what happens when these pictures won't load suddenly? Don't worry, we've got you covered. This article will guide you through simple yet effective solutions to fix and recover photos that are not showing up on your SD card, ensuring your memories are never lost.

Part 1: Why Are My Pictures Won't Load from SD Card?

There are several reasons why it fails to load photos on an SD card, often causing frustration for users. Key causes include:

• Bad USB Connection: Issues with the connection between the SD card and the SD card adapter, or between the adapter and the USB drive.
• Format Incompatibility: The image format on the SD card may not be compatible with the device trying to read it.
• Corrupted SD Card: Corruption within the SD card can prevent it from displaying pictures.
• Virus Infection: The SD card might be infected with a virus, affecting its functionality.
• No Assigned Drive Letter: The SD card may not have been assigned a proper drive letter.
• Outdated Drivers: The drivers for the SD card or reader may be outdated and require updating.

Despite these challenges, there are effective solutions available. You can recover corrupted or even deleted photos from an SD card. The rest of the article will guide you through these solutions.

Part 2: How to Fix Pictures Won't Load from SD Card Error?

As discussed earlier, your SD card may not load your essential and memorable pictures for a lot of reasons, but usually, all technology errors have some kind of solution. So we have some workable solutions to deal with your problem. The solutions are as follows:

Solution 1: Check the SD Card connection and change the adapter

The most common reason for the issue in which your SD card would not load your pictures can be the poor connection between the adapter and the SD card. Re-establishing a stable and workable connection will help to solve the issue in this case. To perform the process, you will need to follow the following steps, and then you will get your work done.

1. If your device is a smartphone, unplug and then re-plug the SD card.
2. You can also check if the adapter of your smartphone works properly.
3. In the case of a PC, unplug the SD card reader.
4. Change the SD card and then reconnect it.
5. Even if it does not work, try connecting the SD card to another USB port of the PC.
6. The final step to make it work is connecting it to another PC.

If the issue is because of the connection between the SD card and adapter, then this solution will help you to deal with the problem. In this way, you will get your data back without the process of recovering deleted photos from the SD card. If this solution does not work, move on to Solution 2.

Solution 2: Remove SD Card Write-Protection

This allows the card to become writable and readable again, which might be necessary for accessing the photos.

1. Locate the Write-Protection Switch: Find the small switch on the side of the SD card.
2. Toggle the Switch: Move it to the opposite position to unlock the SD card and remove write-protection.
3. Reinsert the Card: Put the SD card back in your device and check if the pictures load.

Solution 3: Check out the compatibility of the picture format with the available format

Sometimes the picture would not load because their already available format is not compatible with your device's format. But relax because we have got a solution to this problem. All you have to do is to follow the following simple steps. So, let's begin!

1. Connect the SD card with an adapter.
2. Now connect the adapter to the computer.
3. Open the SD card from the Windows file explorer.
4. Check out the already format of the pictures on your SD card.
5. Check whether your device supports the format.
6. If no, then change the format, and then the images will automatically be visible to you.

Most of the time, the pictures are available in the usual format, for example, PNG, JPEG, AVI, GIG, and JPG, etc. When your photo is available in some special format, then you can change the format to make it compatible with the format of your device. Establishing compatibility among the formats will help you to deal with the issue if the problem is the format. If this solution also does not work, then it means the reason behind the problem in the SD card is something else. In this way, you can jump on to the next solution.

olution 4: Reinsert the SD Card

Sometimes, connection issues lead to the SD card not showing pictures, and it can be resolved simply by reinserting the SD card and ensuring proper contact in the card slot.

1. Turn off the device (camera, phone, or computer) where the SD card is used.
2. Carefully remove the SD card and reinsert it, ensuring it sits properly in the slot.
3. Turn the device back on and check for the photos.

Solution 5: Try changing the SD card Drive Letter

Sometimes the SD card does not have the drive letter. In this way, the SD card does not appear on your device. In this card, the notification will pop up, showing "Windows cannot detect SD card." This situation may seem tough to you, but you do not have to lose hope. We have a solution to this problem. After following the steps written below, you will get rid of this horrible issue. Then you will not have to recover deleted photos from the SD card. You can change the drive letter by following these steps.

1. Right-click "My Computer" or "This PC" and click on the option of "Manage."
2. Click on the option of "DISK Management."
3. Find out the SD card icon and right-click on it.
4. Click on "Change Drive Letter and Path."

5. Then among the popped-up notifications, click on "Add" to assign the respective drive letter to the SD card.
6. Click on the "OK".

Once the process is completed, try opening the SD card. If the problem is due to a drive letter, then the solution will surely work. But if it does not work, then the problem is not due to a drive letter. It may be something else. So, to proceed to deal with the problem, try solution 4.

Solution 6: Run CHKDSK Command

This Windows command checks the file system integrity of the SD card and fixes logical issues and errors, helping you fix the "photos on SD card not showing" issue.

1. Connect to PC: Insert the SD card into your PC's card reader.
2. Open Command Prompt: Search for 'cmd', right-click on it, and select 'Run as administrator'.
3. Run CHKDSK: Type chkdsk [drive letter]: /f and hit Enter (replace [drive letter] with the actual letter assigned to your SD card).
4. Wait for Completion: Let the CHKDSK utility run and check for errors.

Solution 7: Try uninstalling the Disk Driver

Sometimes the issues in the SD card driver lead to the concerned problem. But a solution exists for this annoying problem. So, let's try to fix the issue together. You do not have to go through a lengthy procedure to restore the SD card and restore deleted photos from the SD card in this case. Just follow the easy steps, and you will get through it.

1. Connect your SD card to the adapter.
2. Connect the adapter to the PC.
3. Right-click on the option of "My Computer" or "This PC."
4. Click on the "Device Manager."
5. Expand the menu and then click on "Disk Drivers."
6. Right-click on the SD card and then click on "Uninstall'.
7. After completing the process, click on "Scan for hardware changes" to refresh the drivers.

If your SD card is not showing your pictures because of the SD card driver, then trying this solution will help you. Otherwise, try Solution 5 for further assistance.

Solution 8: Unhide Hidden Photos

Hidden files will not show up in a normal view. Changing settings to display hidden files can reveal your missing photos.

1. On a connected computer, go to the View tab in the folder options.
2. Select 'Show hidden files, folders, and drives'.
3. Apply the changes and check the SD card for your photos.

Solution 9: Try formatting the SD card

Pictures Won't Load from SD Card, it could be corrupted. Most people think that when the SD card is corrupted, their data is lost, but they can recover photos from the SD card through formatting. Isn't it amazing? When your SD card is corrupted, the PC detects the SD card but shows the notification displaying "SD card is not formatted, format it now." You can format the SD card, and then you will be able to get all your data back without losing anything. So let's begin this magical process with some workable steps to follow.

1. Press the "Window Key" + "E" at a time. It will open "Windows Explorer."
2. Right-click on the SD card.
3. Click on the option of "Format."
4. Choose the required file system, which is to be set as NTFS for 32GB and ex-FAT for 64GM SD card.
5. Then select the option of "Quick Format."
6. Click on the "Start."

Once the format is done, you will get access to your SD card without going through the process of recovering photos from the SD card.

Solution 10: Delete.Nomedia file on Android

The .Nomedia file is used to instruct the Android system and media scanner to ignore the folder containing it. This file, when present, prevents media files from being displayed. Deleting it can make the photos visible again.

1. Install a file manager app from the Google Play Store, such as ES File Explorer or Solid Explorer, if you don't have one already.
2. Open the file manager app and grant it the necessary permissions to access your files.
3. Navigate to the folder containing your pictures on the SD card.
4. Look for a file named ".Nomedia" in the folder. If you find the .Nomedia file, tap and hold on it to select it.
5. Tap the delete or trash icon to delete the .Nomedia file.
6. Restart your device to allow the media scanner to rescan the folder and update the Gallery app.

Solution 11: Use Windows Troubleshooter

The Windows Troubleshooter is designed to automatically diagnose and resolve various hardware and software issues. When you run the Windows Troubleshooter, it checks for common problems related to the SD card, such as file system errors, driver issues, or compatibility problems. If it detects any issues, it will attempt to fix them automatically, which may resolve the "photos on SD card not showing" error and allow your pictures to load properly from the SD card.

1. Connect your SD card to the PC.
2. Go to 'Settings' > 'Update & Security' > 'Troubleshoot'. Select 'Hardware and Devices' and run the troubleshooter.
3. The troubleshooter will scan for any issues with the SD card and attempt to fix them automatically.
4. If the troubleshooter finds and fixes any problems, disconnect the SD card and reconnect it to see if the pictures load properly.

Solution 12: Run an antivirus

If the reason behind the invisibility of the pictures is a virus, then scanning your SD card can help. This will help to load your pictures, and you will not lose your data also. There is a lot of software available for free, which can help in this regard. Let's begin the scanning process with some easy and practical steps.

1. Download and install the desired antivirus software.
2. Connect the SD card to the adapter.
3. Connect the SD card to the PC.
4. Right-click on the SD card and click on "Scan."

Your SD will be free of malware and virus once it is scanned. Then you can easily recover pictures from an SD card.

Part 3: Recover Photos from SD Card That Won't Load.

SD cards have made it very easy for us to store our data and information. But sometimes, due to malware, virus, or other reasons, our important data like pictures and videos, gets corrupted. Usually, people lose hope with this issue and think that their memories are lost forever. But this issue has a workable solution. Wondershare Recoverit Photo Recovery software will help you to deal with your issue, and you will be able to recover photos from SD card. Hence let's introduce you to this amazing software and the process to follow to continue the process. Let's begin it all with the steps to be followed.

Recoverit Data Recovery - The Best Photo Recovery Software

• Recover corrupted files from computer, USB hard drive, memory card effectively, safely, and completely.
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• Recover any data and file types with a high success rate and without any quality loss.
• Supported OS: Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista and Mac OS X 10.10 or later.

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Step 1: Select your SD card

Open the Wondershare Recoverit Photo Recovery software and then click on the SD card and then click on the start. While performing the step, make sure that your SD card is connected to the device. Let the software scan your SD card. The process will take time.

Step 2: Recover Deleted Data

Once the scanning process is completed, preview and search for the desired files to recover. Select the concerned file and select the option of "Recover" to recover deleted photos from SD card. You will get your photos back after completion of the process.

Conclusion

SD card is usually used to store data, including pictures and videos, as memories, but sometimes SD card does not load the pictures. There can be various reasons behind this problem, including drive issues, format compatibility, virus or malware, etc. The issue can be fixed by checking the connection between the adapter and the device, updating the drive letter of the SD card, uninstalling the SD card driver, scanning for malware, or formatting the SD card. Furthermore, sometimes your data gets corrupted due to some reasons. But you can recover photos from the SD card using Wondershare Recoverit Photo Recovery Software.