Resolved – Pictures on SD Card not Showing on Computer

You connected your SD card to the system, but pictures on SD card not showing. You try connecting with a card reader, and exploring other USB ports, but are still unable to view any files. In this article, we will help you recover the pictures from your SD card using easy and proven methods.

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SD Card

Once the memory cards are full, it is natural to transfer all the files to a computer to make space. The reasons for the “Pictures on SD card not showing” error may vary. The reasons can include-

  • virus infections
  • hidden files
  • corrupt cards
  • bad card readers

How to Fix “Pictures on SD Card not Showing on Computer”?

1. Use a different card reader

If you can view photos on your camera, try connecting the SD card to your system via a different card reader. If you can access these photos on the system, there is definitely a problem with an earlier card reader.

2. Enable hidden files on your memory card

At times, files on your memory card can be hidden and hence not visible on your computer.

  • Click Start
  • Type Control Panel in the search box. Hit Enter > Appearance and Personalization > Show hidden files and folders under Folder Options.
  • Check Show hidden files, folders, and drives.
  • Click Apply and OK.

3. Remove write protection using the diskpart utility

  • Click Start Type cmd in the search box and hit Enter.
  • Once the Command Prompt opens, type diskpart and hit Enter.
  • After diskpart opens, type list disk and hit Enter.
  • Now type select disk X (Replace X with the number from the first column in the list for SD card) and hit Enter.
  • Type attributes disk clear read-only and hit Enter.
  • Type Exit and hit Enter.

4. Using Disk Management

  1. Open Disk Management

    Click on My Computer or This PC > Manage > Disk Management

  2. Locate Device in Viewer

  3. Access Run Command

    Press Windows + R to open the Run window. Type cmd and hit Enter.

  4. Use CHKDSK Command

    Now type chkdsk X: /F and hit Enter. (Replace X with the drive letter).

  5. Finish The Process

    Type Exit and hit Enter.

5. Update your SD card reader

  • Press Windows button+R to open the Run window.
  • Type MSC and hit Enter.
  • Click Disk Drives.
  • Right-click your SD card. Choose Update Driver Software.
update driver
  • Select Search automatically for updated driver software.
  • If Windows does not return any results, you can look for the driver on the device manufacturer’s website.

If the above steps of updating the driver won’t work, right-click on the device and select Uninstall. Restart your system. Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver.

Recover Data Using the Yodot Photo Recovery Tool

You can recover lost or deleted pictures from your SD card with Yodot Photo Recovery tool.

If the SD card is corrupted and it is not accessible on your computer, you can format it and re-insert the card. Before hitting that format button, you have to recover the data first.

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  • Download and install the latest version of Yodot Photo Recovery software.
  • On the home screen, click the Lost Photo Recovery option.
choose lost photo recovery
  • The software shows a list of hard drives connected to the system.
  • Select the drive from which photos are lost or need to be recovered.
select the drive
  • In the next screen, select the photo file types that you want to recover or click Skip to select all files by default.
  • The software performs a scan. During the scan, the Preview feature shows the list of recovered files.
preview the recovered files
  • You can then save the recovered files to a destination folder of your choice.

Conclusion:

We hope this guide helped you resolve the issue of pictures on your SD card not showing on your computer. To prevent such problems, ensure your SD card is properly handled and maintained.

Frequently Asked Questions

1: Why is my SD card not displaying?

Corrupted file system, physical damage, faulty card reader, or improper insertion. Try reinserting, using another reader, updating drivers, or formatting (after data recovery).

2: Why is my SD card showing in Device Manager but not in My Computer?

Corrupted file system, unassigned drive letter, or unsupported format. Assign a drive letter in Disk Management or use a recovery software.

3: What to do when the SD card cannot be accessed?

Reinsert the card
try another reader
recover files with Yodot Photo Recovery
assign a drive letter
or format the device
Replace if physically damaged.