Unable to Format SD Card? Fix SD Card Won't Format [2024 Tutorial]

Error: Unable to Format SD Card on PC & Mobile Phone

Symptoms of 'Unable to Format SD Card' Error

When you attempt to format an SD card on your phone or PC, and the device displays an error message stating "Unable to Format the SD Card," as shown below, it indicates that you are encountering this issue with your SD card.

The issues of "SD card won't format", "SD card not formatted error", or encountering the message "Windows was unable to complete the format" on an SD card have become increasingly common topics of discussion in recent years. Everyone is seeking an explanation for why they cannot format an SD card and a solution to format a memory card that refuses to format.

The most efficient method to format an SD card that won't format in Windows is to utilize a reliable formatting tool like tools Partition Master Free. This tool aids in checking and fixing file system errors, making your SD card functional again with just a few simple clicks.

Why Can't I Format SD Card - Causes

When a memory card encounters issues and requires formatting to work properly, it's largely due to a problem with the file system.

For instance, only the FAT32 SD card can be utilized on certain devices. The SD card file system might suddenly become raw, rendering it unreadable by Windows. The SD card may fail to appear as a mass storage device, instead showing up as unallocated space, and so on.

However, it suggests that formatting the SD card can fix such issues, so why did the formatting fail eventually? We have compiled a few straightforward reasons that could cause the SD card to fail to format.

• The SD card is write-protected, preventing Windows from making any changes to it.
• The SD card has bad sectors, causing it to become corrupted. Windows is unable to format a corrupted SD card.
• The SD card's storage media is infected with a virus, making it difficult for Windows to format the card in order to remove the virus.
• The SD card's file system has errors or is corrupted, resulting in the Windows computer being unable to format it to fix the issue.

How to Fix SD Card Won't Format Error on Windows PC (6 Efficient Methods) 1. **Try Formatting with Built-in Tools:** - Connect the SD card to your computer using an adapter or built-in card reader. - Open File Explorer, right-click on the SD card, and select "Format." - Choose the file system (FAT32, NTFS, or exFAT), check the "Quick Format" option, and click "Start." - If it fails, try "Full Format" instead. 2. **Use Disk Management:** - Press `Win + X` and choose "Disk Management." - Locate the SD card, right-click, and select "Format." - Follow the same steps as above. 3. **Check for Errors and Repair:** - Right-click the SD card in File Explorer, then choose "Properties." - Go to the "Tools" tab, click "Check," and let it scan for errors. - If issues are found, follow the on-screen instructions to repair. 4. **Command Prompt Formatting:** - Open Command Prompt as an administrator. - Type `format drive letter:/fs:file_system /q`, replacing "drive letter" with the SD card's letter and "file_system" with the desired format (e.g., `format G:/fs:FAT32 /q`). - Press Enter and wait for the process to complete. 5. **Third-Party Formatting Tools:** - Download and install a reliable SD card formatting tool, like tools Partition Master Free. - Launch the tool, select the SD card, and choose the format type. - Click "OK" or "Format" to proceed. 6. **Factory Reset the SD Card:** - Download and install a utility like H2TestW or SD Memory Card Formatter. - Connect the SD card and run the software. - Select the card and choose the "Format" option, then confirm. After each method, check if the issue is resolved. If none of these work, there might be hardware problems with the SD card, and it may need to be replaced.

Applies to: Solving the "SD card won't format" error on Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 and earlier Windows computers.

那么，如何解决“无法格式化SD卡”的错误呢？如何格式化无法格式化的SD卡呢？

In total, we present six quick solutions aimed at resolving the issue. Feel free to employ the suggested methods to troubleshoot the error when encountering a similar situation where a memory card fails to format on a Windows PC or an Android smartphone.

Regardless of whether you are encountering a similar issue on other types of storage devices listed here, you can follow the solutions below to resolve the problem immediately:

Method 1: Format SD Card Using Third-party SD Card Formatter [Easiest]

Free partition manager - Partition Master is a reputable third-party SD card formatter that flawlessly formats corrupted, damaged, inaccessible, or unformatable memory cards on all Windows platforms.

• Right-click the external drive or USB you plan to format and select "Format."
• Set the Partition label, File system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and Cluster size, then click "OK."
• Click "Yes" to proceed.
• Press the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button and click "Apply" to format the hard drive partition.

This tool can also be applied to the following annoying issues:

?扩展阅读：已解决：Ender 3无法读取SD卡 [快速修复方法]

Method 2: Format SD Card using Windows Disk Management

For many of us, the first attempt to format an SD card is often through Windows File Explorer. This provides a convenient way to quickly format a removable hard disk or a hard drive partition. However, there might be instances when Windows is unable to complete the format process. In such cases, you need to employ a more advanced disk formatting method. In this situation, try formatting your SD card using Windows Disk Management, another built-in Windows program capable of formatting disks.

Step 1. Access Disk Management in Windows 10/8/7 by navigating to This PC/My Computer > Manage > Disk Management.

Step 2. Find and right-click on the SD card, then select "Format."

Step 3. Select a suitable file system such as FAT32, NTFS, or exFAT, and check "Perform a quick format". Then click "OK".

[Solved] Cannot Write to SD Card on Windows 10/8/7

Learn how to fix issues with writing to an SD card on Windows 10, 8, and 7. Discover effective solutions if you're unable to write to your SD card. If you encounter the same error, delve into this guide for assistance.

Method 3: Use Diskpart to Clean and Reformat the Unformattable SD Card

Step 1. Press Windows key + R keys simultaneously, type cmd in the Run dialog box, then press Enter to open the Command Prompt (cmd.exe).

Step 2. Type diskpart to launch the Diskpart Utility.

Step 3. Type list disk to display a list of the drives on your computer.

Step 4. Type select disk 2 (Replace the number with the exact drive number of your SD card).

Step 5. Type clean to run the clean utility (this will erase all data on the SD card, so make sure you've saved a copy or backup of the card's data).

Step 6. Type create partition primary to create a new partition on the SD card.

Step 7. Type format fs=ntfs (or format fs=fat32) to format the partition with the desired file system.

In comparison to the Diskpart utility and Disk Management, Partition Master functions more like an intuitive, wizard-driven, simple, and straightforward SD card formatting tool that enables ordinary users with minimal computer knowledge to easily resolve SD card formatting errors.

Method 4: Change Drive Letter and Paths to Make the Undetectable SD Card Format Recognizable

Occasionally, we might be unable to start the formatting process because the SD card doesn't appear at all. To address this issue where the SD card won't format, we first need to make it recognizable. Here's the procedure to achieve this:

Step 1. Connect the unformattable SD card to your PC.

Step 2. Right-click on "This PC" or "My Computer" and select "Manage," then choose "Disk Management."

Step 3. Right-click on the SD card and select "Change drive letter or path."

Step 4. Assign a new drive letter to your SD card and click OK to confirm.

Method 5: Remove Write Protection from an SD Card that Won't Format

When a hard drive, memory card, or USB flash drive is write-protected, it signifies that you can no longer utilize the storage devices as before or format them. Write protection is the root cause of most "SD card won't format" issues on Windows PCs and mobile devices. If this is the problem you're encountering, you can either remove write protection from the SD card using the command prompt or opt for the simplest method recommended here.

If you don't consider yourself a power user and are unfamiliar with command lines, don't worry. There are graphical-based solutions to help you remove write protection from your hard drives, USB drives, and even SD cards.

CleanGenius is one of these tools that helps you fix the aforementioned issues on your drives without knowing a thing about command-line.

Here's a simple step-by-step guide on how to utilize this tool to address your concerns:

Step 1: DOWNLOAD and install the tool CleanGenius (free) on your computer.

Step 2: Run CleanGenius on your PC, select Optimization, and choose the Write Protection mode.

Step 3: Select the device that is write-protected and click Disable to remove the protection.

Method 6: Check and Repair Bad Sectors Causing the "Unable to Format SD Card" Error

Bad sectors on your storage media are invisible, yet they hinder smooth access to your device and the utilization of files. A typical solution to fix bad sectors is to format the disk. However, what if you can't directly format the SD card with bad sectors in Windows? You'll need to run command lines to determine the number of bad sectors and subsequently repair them. Once you've removed the bad sectors from the SD card, you can easily format it using any method.

Step 1. Press the Windows key + R keys simultaneously, type cmd in the Run dialog box, and press Enter to open the command prompt (cmd.exe).

Step 2. In Command Prompt, type the command: chkdsk E: /f /r /x. Replace E with the drive letter of your SD card.

As you can observe, the Diskpart commands can be intricate. Therefore, providing a detailed guide would be beneficial to assist more individuals.

Other 3 Cases of "Can't Format SD Card" + Solutions Included

Aside from the scenarios mentioned above, you might also encounter issues where you can't format the SD card and have no solutions in hand. In this case, we will outline the specific problems and provide you with direct solutions. You can simply refer to the tutorials above to instantly resolve the errors.

#1. How to Resolve the RAW SD Card Formatting Issue

When you encounter an SD card displayed as RAW in Disk Management, you must convert the RAW file system to a functional one like NTFS or FAT32 to use it normally. To change a RAW SD card to NTFS or FAT32, a disk formatting process is required. You can effectively address the issue of a RAW SD card not formatting in Disk Management by trying the alternative recommended methods:

• Format RAW SD card using Diskpart command prompt
• Format RAW SD card using Partition Master tool

#2. How to Fix SD Card Not Formatting on Android/Cannon Camera

First of all, remove the card from the mobile phone or camera, and re-insert it again.

仍然无法格式化SD卡？这次取出SD卡并将其连接到Windows PC或笔记本电脑。选择以下方法之一在Windows 10/8/7计算机上格式化SD卡：

• Format Android SD card using Disk Management
• Format external SD card using cmd
• Format an unformatted SD card using Partition Master tools

#3. How to Solve the Problem of SD Card Not Formatting to FAT32

Windows does not permit formatting SD cards larger than 32GB to FAT32 due to file system limitations. However, a convenient and straightforward method to format a 64GB, 128GB, or 512GB SD card to FAT32 is by using the tool Partition Master. This tool can successfully format the card without impacting its usable storage.

Frequently Asked Questions About Unable to Format SD Card

If you still have questions lingering in your mind, browse and find the answers as shown below:

**1. How do you fix a SD card that won't format?**

First, make sure your SD card is correctly connected to your PC. Next, resolve the SD card error by running the chkdsk /f /r /x command in Command Prompt. Lastly, format the SD card in File Explorer by right-clicking it and assigning a new file system format to it.

If the method doesn't work, proceed with the solutions on this page one by one, and you'll get the SD card functioning properly again.

2. How do I format a corrupted SD card?

Translate the following text into English:
• Properly connect the SD card to your PC.
• In File Explorer, locate the SD card and right-click on it. Select the option to format it.
• Check the "Quick format" option and then click "Start" to begin formatting the SD card.

3. Why can't I format my SD card on my Android device?

There could be two reasons preventing you from formatting the SD card: one is that your Android phone does not support formatting the SD card directly; the other reason is that the SD card is locked, and the mobile phone does not have permission to format it.