Last updated on April 19, 2024

"Hello everyone! I've just purchased a Toshiba UHS3 128GB micro SD card. Currently, when using it on my computer, the read speed is 35.74MB/s and the write speed is 10.72MB/s, which is significantly lower than the card's advertised maximum read speed of 90MB/s. Am I expecting too much or could there potentially be an issue with my tablet? Would a factory reset help to improve the performance?"

How to Fix a Slow SD Card: 6 Solutions to Try

Has your SD card, USB flash drive, or external hard drive slowed to a crawl after some use? Full storage space on an external device can also slow down data and file transfers on a Windows computer. If you're experiencing these issues, or simply want to speed up transfers to your SD card, try the following tips.

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Workable Solutions
Workable Solutions Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
Solution 1: Change the Card Reader A memory card reader is a device used to access data on a memory card...Full Steps
Solution 2: Convert SD Card to NTFS Format Install and launch the Partition Master tool on your computer...Full Steps
Solution 3: Format SD Card to NTFS Right-click "This PC" or "My Computer," then choose "Manage"...Full Steps
Solution 4: Update the SD Card Driver Connect the SD card to the computer. Navigate to Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager...Full Steps
More Solutions Optimize SD Card Performance > Clean Up Junk Files on SD Card...Full Steps

Slow SD Card Transfer Speed Cover

Solution 1: Improve SD Card Speed with a New Card Reader If you find that your SD card is performing slowly, one possible solution is to replace the card reader. Different card readers can significantly impact the performance of an SD card. Opt for a high-quality reader that supports fast transfer standards, such as USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt, to boost data read and write speeds. Ensure the new reader is compatible with your SD card type, whether it's SDHC, SDXC, or UHS-I/UHS-II. Follow these steps: 1. Disconnect the existing card reader from your computer. 2. Purchase a high-quality card reader that supports fast transfers and is compatible with your SD card. 3. Connect the new card reader to your computer. 4. Insert the SD card into the new card reader. 5. Test the read and write speeds of the SD card to see if there's a noticeable improvement. You can use software like CrystalDiskMark or HD Tune for this purpose. Keep in mind that even with a new reader, if your SD card has a low speed class, its performance might still be limited. Therefore, it's crucial to ensure that your SD card meets your requirements, such as Class 10 or U3 ratings, for high-speed data transfers.

A memory card reader is a device used to access data on memory cards, such as CompactFlash (CF), Secure Digital (SD), or MultiMediaCard (MMC). Most card readers also allow for writing, effectively turning the card into a USB flash drive when inserted. With the right SD card reader, you can enjoy:

    • Full-speed read/write for optimal performance
    • Quick backup of high-resolution images and 4K videos
    • Built-in USB-A port for cable-free connection to your PC

How to increase SD card transfer speed

This is the easiest fix that might help speed up your SD card. Click below to let more people know.

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Fix 2: Convert the SD card from FAT32 to NTFS

Another way to fix a slow SD card is to convert it from FAT32 to NTFS without losing data. The FAT file system is commonly used on removable storage devices like digital cameras, smart TVs, and other portable gadgets. However, it comes with several limitations:

    • FAT32 has a maximum file size of 4 GB and a maximum volume size of 2 TB.
    • FAT32 is not a journaling file system, so it's more prone to damage.
    • FAT32 does not support file permissions.

Though FAT32 has certain limitations, NTFS supports very large files, recovers consistency using a log file and checkpoint information, and allows file compression when disk space is scarce. You can use a free tool like the Free Partition Master to convert FAT32 to NTFS. This free utility lets you convert a drive from FAT32 to NTFS without formatting.

Step 1. Install and launch Partition Master on your computer.

(2) In Partition Manager, right-click on a FAT32 partition and select Advanced -> Convert to FAT.

Convert FAT32 to NTFS

Step 3: Click "Proceed" in the dialog box to continue.

Convert FAT32 to NTFS

Click the "Apply" button to start the process. Wait for it to finish.

Convert FAT32 to NTFS

If your SD card speed increases with this method, do share this online. It will help your friends boost their SD card transfer speeds by changing the file system format.

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Fix 3: Format SD card from FAT32 to NTFS

If your SD card is still slow, you can format it to NTFS in Disk Management.

Step 1. Right-click on "This PC" or "My Computer," and select "Manage."

Step 2. Go to Device Manager, and then click on Disk Management.

Step 3: Open Disk Management, right-click on the SD card, and select "Format."

Step 4. Select “NTFS” as the file system for your drive, check the box for “Quick Format,” and then click “OK” to confirm.

How to make SD card faster by formatting 

Click the link below to learn why your SD card might be slowing down.

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Why Is My SD Card Slow? [A Comprehensive 2023 Guide to the Reasons]

In this article, we'll delve into the reasons behind a slow SD card so you know how to fix and prevent this issue.

USB Speed

Fix 4: Update the SD card driver if the card is slow

To improve the transfer or write speed of your SD card, you can update its driver. Here's how:

Step 1: Connect the SD card to your computer

Step 2. Go to Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager -> Disk Drives.

Step 3: Right-click on the SD card and select “Eject.” Then choose “Scan for hardware changes” to refresh the drivers.

Update SD Card Driver to Speed Up SD Card Transfer

You can update your SD card driver this way.

Fix 5: Optimize SD performance to fix slow Micro SD card

After updating the SD card driver, you can optimize SD card performance and increase data transfer speeds by changing the settings as described here:

Step 1. Right-click on the SD card and select Properties.

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Step 2. Switch to the “Hardware” tab, select your SD card, and click “Properties.”

How to fix slow micro sd card-2

Step 3. Click on “Change settings” under “Generic Multi-Card USB Device.”

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Step 4. In the Settings window, go to the Policies tab and under Removal Policy select Better Performance.

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5. Click “OK” to confirm the action, and then click “OK” again to save all changes.

Step 6. Restart your computer to apply all the changes.

Aside from the above, you can also try to wipe data on your SD card with the free Partition Master to improve its data transfer speed.

If you liked this manual method, remember to share it online on Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin to help more people and get your SD card fixed faster:

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Solution 6: Clean Up Junk Files on the SD Card to Speed It Up

If you want to make your SD card even faster, you can speed it up by deleting junk files with a few simple steps.

Step 1. Download and install the Partition Master tool for free, and then run it on your Windows PC.

Hover the mouse over the “PC Cleaner” icon, and click the download icon to install and launch the CleanGenius tool.

Start Clean Genius Tool

Step 2: In CleanGenius, tap “Clean” on the main screen, and then tap “Scan” to begin scanning.

Large File Cleanup - 1

Step 3: After the scan, select the unnecessary large files and click "Clean" to delete them.

Large File Cleanup - 2

4. When CleanGenius has finished cleaning the selected files, click on “Finish” to end the process.

Large File Cleanup - 3

Extra tip – Backup your files/data before formatting

It is highly recommended to extract and back up all important data stored on your USB, SD card, or external hard drive to a secure location on your computer or another storage device to prevent any unnecessary data loss.

You can use professional backup software for assistance, or manually copy and save your files step by step to the target storage device on your Windows PC. You can refer to this tutorial page for a step-by-step guide:

Related Articles

How to Backup SD Card Before Formatting

It's important to back up SD card before formatting to avoid unnecessary data loss.

Backup SD Card

Conclusions

The reasons for "Why is my SD card slow" can vary, like having an old USB port, using the wrong SD card reader, or a dated SD card driver. To fix a slow SD card or boost its speed, you can try different things, such as getting a new SD card reader, optimizing the card's performance, converting it to NTFS format, and so on.

Now, your SD card will have faster transfer speed on Windows 10/8/7, and you can move all the data back to the SD card and keep using them.

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How to speed up file transfer on an SD card? FAQ

If you have any questions, you can refer to the FAQ below:

1. What is the fastest SD card?

With up to 275MB/s transfer speeds, the SanDisk Extreme PRO microSDXC card is the world's fastest. The SanDisk Extreme PRO microSDXC UHS-II card reads up to 275MB/s for super-fast file transfers.

2. How do I fix a corrupted micro SD card?

To fix and recover data from an SD card:

Step 1: Run the SD Card Recovery software and scan the card.

Step 2. Preview the recovered SD card data.

Step 3: Recover data from SD card...

SD card speeds may vary depending on the brand, format, and available space left on the device. Here's a list of average SD card speeds provided by Wikipedia:

    • Standard: 12.5 MB/s
    • High Speed: 25 MB/s
    • UHS-I: 50 MB/s or 104 MB/s
    • UHS-II: 156 MB/s full duplex, or 312 MB/s half duplex
    • UHS-III: 312 MB/s full duplex, or 624 MB/s half duplex
    • Express: ≥ 985 MB/s full duplex

You can check the list to see what type of read mechanism your SD card uses and determine its speed. If your SD card is old or has been used before, you can also refer to this guide to run an SD Card Speed Test on Windows 10/11.