How to Resolve the Nikon 'This Memory Card Cannot Be Used' Error

"My Nikon D5200 is using a 16GB SD card. This morning, I received an error message stating [this memory card cannot be used, card may be damaged, insert another card]. When I inserted the card into a card reader and connected it to my computer, it didn't show up. What should I do now?"

Translation: "This memory card cannot be used - Nikon D5200"

Why does this memory card suddenly become unusable? Typically, when a memory card fails to work on devices like digital cameras, Android phones, or game consoles, it might be due to being locked, corrupted, damaged, or experiencing a hardware failure.

如何修复“此内存卡无法使用”的问题

If you encountered an error message on your Nikon camera, attempt the following methods first to address the issue.

Method 1: Ensure the Card is Inserted Properly

Remove the SD card from your camera and reinsert it, ensuring that you insert it in the correct orientation. With some cameras, you'll hear a clicking sound when the memory card is properly inserted (typically for SD cards).

Method 2: Ensure the Card is Approved

Refer to Nikon's approved memory card compatibility charts, ensuring that the SD card you use is officially supported by Nikon.

Method 3: Check the Memory Card Contacts

Remove the card and gently clean the contacts with a soft dry cloth (this does not apply to CF-type cards). Make sure no fibers or dust from the cloth remain on the contacts. Reinsert the memory card.

If the above methods don't work, then your memory card might be corrupted or damaged. In this case, to fix a damaged SD card, you have two options to explore. Continue reading for more information.

Repair Damaged/Corrupted Memory Card

Similar to Canon's "card cannot be accessed" error, there are remedies available for Nikon's "this memory card cannot be used" issues. Now, you can address the problem with two effective solutions.

Fix 1: Format a corrupted SD card

1. On your PC, right-click "My Computer" or "This PC" (Windows 10) > Manage > Disk Management. 2. Right-click the SD card and select Format. 3. Choose a file system such as NTFS, FAT, or FAT32, and perform a quick format.

Fix 2: Repair a damaged SD card using Command Prompt

Press the Windows + X key combination, and click "Command Prompt (Admin)".

Enter the command: chkdsk [sd card drive letter]: /r, and press Enter. For example:

Fix Device using CHKDSK Alternative

Download the tool CleanGenius and install it on your computer. Let's begin by scanning and repairing file system errors on your device.

Step 1. Click "File Showing" to proceed to the next step.

Step 2. Select the target device and check the box for "Check and fix file system error." Click "Execute" to begin fixing the problematic device.

Step 3. When the repair process finishes, click "here" to open and use your device.

"After fixing the file system error, click to open and use the device."

"Recover Memory Card Data after Formatting"

Upon formatting the memory card, all the pictures stored on it will be erased. If no new data has been written onto the card, you may still be able to recover the lost files using a professional data recovery tool. We recommend utilizing the Data Recovery Wizard for this purpose.

Let's explore some remarkable features of this tool first:

• Recover lost or deleted files following formatting, partition loss, OS crash, virus attack, etc.
• Offers both quick scan and deep scan to cater to all your recovery requirements.
• Allows users to preview lost files prior to recovery.
• Supports repairing damaged or corrupted JPEG/JPG photos during the recovery process.