What to do if the memory card is not. How to determine why the phone does not see the memory card

Manufacturers today are producing more and more perfect smartphones. However, regardless of the model or brand of the phone, as well as the duration of its operation, it happens that the phone no longer sees the connected memory card. There may be several reasons for this situation. This can happen due to a faulty flash drive or problematic flash reader. Without verification and analysis, it is difficult to take corrective action.

The essence of the problem is that at one point the smartphone stops reading the media; the information saved to the device is loaded directly into the built-in memory, which is often not much. This situation causes inconvenience and the problem urgently needs to be resolved.

So, before you take your gadget to service center, you need to carry out home diagnostics, in most cases the problem is easily solved.

The main reasons why the phone no longer sees the memory card

The most common reasons include the following:

The card reader is faulty.
The flash drive is burned out (in in this case manipulations to restore it are futile).
The operation of the file system is disrupted, in this case formatting can be a solution to the problem.
The contacts do not fit tightly, you need to insert the media more tightly and reboot the device.

Before drawing conclusions, you should conduct an analysis and determine what exactly is wrong with micro sd. The first step is to try rebooting the device. No matter how simple it may sound, very often this is what solves the problem.

If this doesn't help, then it's time to check other options.

Invalid file system format

If the file system fails, the media may not be displayed. There are several reasons why the drive is not visible due to a failure of this system:

The file table has been corrupted.
The card was formatted by the user and the phone stopped recognizing it.
There is an unknown system.

If the storage capacity is more than 32 GB, then most likely the card is formatted as exFAT. This system Not supported by all versions of Android OS. To quickly bring the flash drive back to life, you need to reboot the device via recovery and select the partition Wipe cache partition in service menu. With this operation, all the contents of the flash drive will be cleared, and the flash drive itself will be formatted in the supported FAT32 format, which is optimal for storing data on a smartphone.

Important! This method suitable only experienced users, because in case of an error there is a risk of losing all data on the phone, including those saved on internal memory.

You can also try formatting the flash drive via your computer and special programs eg SD Formatter.

Memory card is faulty

This can happen with absolutely any flash drive, no matter what brand or cost it is, the equipment sometimes malfunctions. If the phone does not see the flash drive due to a malfunction, it may have been damaged mechanically or as a result of thermal effects. Accordingly, it will be unreadable on all other devices.

Memory card doesn't work

This is exactly the case when nothing can be done. The only thing left is to purchase a new flash drive for the gadget. The unpleasant thing is that the data on it cannot be restored or transferred to another device, since a failed card will not be detected either on other phones or by connecting to a personal computer.

Incompatibility with phone

This doesn't happen often, but it does happen. The situation can be detected when trying to connect new map to the device. The phone may not support a flash drive due to generation differences. Another reason is an attempt to connect a larger capacity to the smartphone than allowed; for example, not all gadgets support cards with a capacity of 256 GB.

Types of media

To solve the problem, simply insert a card that the device supports. All necessary information and the maximum amount for memory expansion is indicated in technical specifications to the device.

Memory card contacts are coming off

After reconnection or displacement, the drive cannot be read by the phone.

To solve the problem, you will need to remove the flash drive from the slot. After this, you should carefully connect the card so that all contacts are tightly connected to the socket. Also, if you have sufficient knowledge in this industry, you can replace the contacts yourself. If you do not have such experience, then it is better not to undertake this procedure.

If the contacts are worn out directly in the phone, then purchasing a new device or having it repaired at a service center will help.

Software glitch

If the program installed on Android does not read the card, and the others, in turn, see the storage medium, then the reason lies in a software glitch.

The phone does not see the memory card

Perhaps the operating system does not see the card due to the application settings, namely due to the choice of the main source for saving the internal memory of the device. To change the path for saving, you should go to the application settings and change the saving from internal memory to external memory - a flash drive.

How to understand that the problem is in the card?

A very simple method is used to check. You should remove the memory card from the slot of the gadget you are using and connect it to a personal computer via a card reader, or, if there is none, connect it to any other portable gadget.

Memory card installed in the phone

If another device reads the flash drive without difficulty, then the problem lies in the gadget, and if no device is able to recognize the card, then the problem is in the media and all the above options can help solve the problem. Another reliable way is to format the SD card.

Formatting will completely reset all data that was previously saved on external memory. Therefore, if there are doubts about the cause of the problem, it is better to initially check and analyze why the phone does not see the inserted flash drive, and only then take radical measures.

To format, you will need personal computer. The whole procedure is simple and even a beginner can handle it easily.

Formatting using a personal computer

Procedure:

The first step is to remove the card from the slot in the phone and connect it to the card reader, which is then inserted into the slot provided for this purpose. system unit or a laptop.
In a couple of minutes (after searching and installing drivers for correct operation) the computer will display the memory card launch window. If nothing has changed, then it should be opened manually. To do this, you need to go to the “My Computer” section, where the new connected device will be displayed.
Need to choose this device and clicking right click Select the “Format” column on your mouse.

Formatting a memory card on a computer

The next step is to select a file system. There are two options: “FAT” or “NTFS”. Most cards have a default format of FAT, however, if formatted by this type did not eliminate the error, then you should try choosing a different type - “NTFS”. This is what it should look like:

Selecting a formatting type

After this, you need to click “Start” and wait until the procedure is completed.

When formatting is complete, it’s time to check the flash drive in the gadget. It happens that even after these steps it still does not appear, then you should try another option.

Formatting using a smartphone or tablet

If the smartphone detects the presence of a flash drive, but cannot open it, then you can format it directly in this gadget. What to do:

Insert the flash drive into special slot in the device. Make sure that all necessary contacts are saved on internal media. After this, you can safely go directly to the settings.
All gadgets on the Android operating system have similar controls; the attached screenshots may differ slightly, however, the general picture of the actions has the same sequence. You need to go to the “Memory Settings” section, which is located in the memory parameters.
In the settings, select the “Disconnect or eject” option. It looks like this:

Remove the drive

After this, you need to select the “Clear” section. The procedure is quite quick and will take no more than a couple of minutes (depending on the occupied memory capacity of the drive).
The final step is to connect the formatted flash drive to the system. To do this, in the open menu you need to click the “Connect” option.

At this point, the formatting process is considered complete, and the media should work like new.

If none of the listed and tried actions brought the flash drive back to life and the phone still does not recognize it or cannot save information to it, then the only the right decision will take it to a service center or purchase a new one if the cause of the malfunction is in the media. This option is simpler, you don’t have to wait, and the result will definitely be positive - after all new flash drive will definitely be correctly perceived by the device.

Now we will look at the reasons and what to do in a situation when your Android does not see a flash drive or hard drive via USB OTG cable.

This article is suitable for all brands that produce phones on Android 9/8/7/6: Samsung, HTC, Lenovo, LG, Sony, ZTE, Huawei, Meizu, Fly, Alcatel, Xiaomi, Nokia and others. We are not responsible for your actions.

TO Android device you can connect a flash drive and even external hard disk via an OTG adapter, but this is not always possible to do the first time. The reasons may be different, from an incorrect file system to partial damage to the connector on the smartphone.

Most often, you can fix the problem yourself, but in severe cases you have to contact a service center.

Attention! In the comment there is another piece of advice from a reader with experience in solving this problem. Don't forget to check it out.

Reasons why Android does not see via OTG adapter

If you're trying to understand why Android doesn't see USB flash drive, then the first thing you need to do is make sure that the smartphone can work with USB Flash.

To do this, it must support USB On-The-Go technology. This means that microUSB supplies power to external storage via OTG cable, so that it becomes visible in Android, just like in Windows 7/10/XP.

To make sure that the hardware characteristics allow you to connect a modem, flash drive, keyboard or any other USB device to your phone, install the application on Android.

If the program shows that the phone is ready to work with external devices through the hub, then you can connect OTG cable and through it establish a connection with the flash drive.

Increase

Apart from the lack of support USB technology On-The-Go there are other reasons why Android does not see the flash drive through the cord, even if the indicator is on:

Inappropriate version OS. To work with equipment that supports USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, the device must have Android version 3.1 and higher.
The volume of the connected storage device is too large.
If there is connection sound, but the equipment cannot be detected (or it is just charging), make sure that its file system is in the appropriate Fat32 format. NTFS and ExFat are not readable on Android.
Flash drive malfunction. Try connecting it to your computer to make sure the drive works.
Damage to the connector on the phone/tablet. Even if, this does not mean that the connector is completely intact - the contacts responsible for data transmission may be damaged.
Damage to the OTG cable or adapter. To make sure it is working properly, connect another flash drive to another phone that is known to be suitable for this task.

In some cases, you will not be able to connect your device without root. This happens if specific model phone cannot automatically mount external storage. To eliminate the shortcoming, you need third-party software - for example, an application that can work with flash drives, modems, cameras and other devices.

Increase

When connecting equipment via an OTG cable, the program will automatically detect and mount it. You can find the contents of the drive in the /sdcard/usbStorage/sda1 folder. For safe removal drive, you must select the “Unmount” option in StickMount.

Most users of mobile phones and smartphones are faced with a situation where the phone does not see the memory card. Sometimes this question arises immediately after purchasing the device, but most often it fails later, having already become an integral attribute. everyday life and accumulate important files. There are many reasons why a flash drive is not displayed on the screen and, with some effort, the owner can always eliminate them.

If the phone does not see the memory card, it may be a software problem; this is the factor that is detected in half of the situations. Just as often, defects are the result of a banal flash drive failure; here only a replacement will help, although modern capabilities make it possible to recover data from damaged media.

If there is a lack of time and desire, there is always the option of contacting specialized services service center, but they cost money and will cost more than the flash drive itself. Instructions for restoring browsing functionality apply to all generations mobile devices, including older versions. In these cases, in response to the question: why doesn’t the phone see the memory card, one can only throw up one’s hands: he’s tired, he’s leaving. But! Data can always be reproduced in full!

In extreme situations, a reading device will help, from which they can all be easily transferred to a PC.

Factors due to which the phone does not see the memory card

When wondering why the smartphone does not see the memory card, its owner needs to analyze the following points:

Why did it fail;
Find out the current state;
Clarify the causes of failures;
If they touch software, then why doesn’t Android see the memory card.

Then based on the results

Format via PC;
Format via smartphone.

It must be remembered that when installing a flash drive for the first time, difficulties are often caused by its capacity. This is especially true for outdated models that are unable to support modern products.

If new phone does not see the memory card, what to do will tell you the following list, which lists the main problems and ways to eliminate them.

File system failures. The most common problem, which can be eliminated by reformatting the flash drive;
Poor connection to flash reader. The flash drive must be inserted more tightly, and then the mobile phone must be rebooted;
The phone does not see the memory card because the reading connector is completely faulty. Only contacting the specialized services of a repair center will help here;
The flash drive simply burned out. It will no longer be possible to revive it, but there is still hope for data recovery. Modern features allow you to do this.

The phone does not see the memory card. Procedure

First of all, it needs to be rebooted. Usually this procedure is enough to correct software failures and other difficulties. If after rebooting the phone does not see the microSD memory card, you need to remove the outer cover and take out the battery, behind which the flash reader is located and check the contacts. In other models, the socket is located on the side, here you also need to try to press it more tightly to the contacts. The main thing is not to overpress, so as not to cause mechanical damage.

When there are no positive results, the product is tested on another device. The ideal option is a card reader connected to a computer. Another mobile device would work just fine. If it and all the stored information are available, it means that the problem is in the smartphone and repairs are no longer possible. The main causes are caused by software flaws or damaged contacts.

When another phone does not see the memory card, we're talking about or about defects file structure, or the flash drive simply burned out. In this case, it can no longer be restored, whereas file failures can be easily eliminated by simply formatting the product.

Format using PC

You must remember that during the process all information from the drive will be deleted. If you are sure that the memory card is not visible on the phone due to software problems– no, but the stored information is important, it is better to take it to the repair service.

In another situation, you need to format the flash drive in the following sequence:

It is placed in the reader and then in the computer connector;
The launch should start automatically. If this is not the case, it means that the phone has stopped seeing the memory card due to its problems. You need to go to “My Computer” and look at the list of available connections. The absence of a storage device in it indicates that it has burned out;
When there is a display, right-click it and activate the “Format” option;
A menu appears on the screen where the user must select a format. It is represented by 2 NTFS types and FAT. The lion's share of flash drives belongs to the FAT standard, which is chosen from the very beginning. If there are no positive results, you can try NTFS;
Having determined the format, the owner activates the “Start” option and waits for the operation to complete;
Next, the formatted flash drive is checked again to see if it works. It happens that at this stage all questions are removed.

In the absence of a card reader, all actions can be easily performed using a mobile device.

Format without a computer

So, what to do if you don’t have a card reader, PC or laptop. It doesn’t matter, the product can be easily formatted using a mobile phone, you just need to go to Android “Settings”. They are located in the corresponding list, where the owner can use the “Disable” and “Remove” functions. Most current devices immediately prompt the owner to format the drive. You should not perform the operation right away, because, just like in the case of a computer, the operation completely erases all stored files.

Before doing this, you need to check your contacts again, eliminating the version weak connection. Having made sure that the connection is sufficiently dense, the user proceeds to direct process.

– Select the “Clear” option from the menu. It takes little time and usually takes one minute. Then the “Connect SD card” function is activated in the menu and if mechanical faults no, she's ready to go.

When understanding the reasons, you should remember different versions Android firmware. The order of actions depends on this. In other operating systems, the procedure is performed in a similar way; just find the “Settings” category

SD cards are a type of storage device used in phones, cameras and video cameras. In some cases, a problem arises when the computer or card reader does not see the memory card of the camera or phone. The user inserts it into the appropriate port, but it is not displayed in Explorer.

Checking whether the card is supported by the card reader

Users often confuse different types drives, on at the moment there are only three of them: “microSD”, “miniSD” and “SD”. Moreover, each device requires a specific format because... Requirements for operating speed and memory capacity are different.

Briefly about the types and characteristics of memory cards:

Working with a card reader, checking compatibility:

microSD can be used as an SD card using card readers. But this is not always recommended (due to different speeds data exchange);
SD card readers have backwards compatible: i.e. if you take a device that reads SDHC, it will read SD cards of 1 and 1.1 generations, but will not be able to read SDXC. Pay attention to which drives are compatible with the adapter.

Checking the flash card and card reader for serviceability

To check the flash drive for serviceability, just install it on another device. If there is another card of the same model, check whether it is recognized on the computer. There are several reasons that affect the operation of a memory card: incorrect extraction device, physical wear, or damage. In the first two cases, you can try to restore the performance of the media using special utilities low level formatting.

We use the SDFormatter program to recover flash drives in SD, SDHC and SDXC formats:

If the problem is with the card reader itself, then in this case you will need to contact a service center. If you need to use the drive immediately, purchase a special USB adapter, equipped with a card reader, it can be connected to a laptop.

The problem may also occur due to incompatibility, at the moment there are several types of flash drives: SD with byte addressing and SDHC with sector-by-sector addressing. To avoid incompatibility, it is better to use USB SD-MMC adapter. With it you can use several types of memory cards.

Operating system errors

In some cases, a computer or laptop does not see the SD card due to operating errors operating system, we provide a list of common failures:

Viruses on your computer

The reason why the SD card is not detected may be the presence of viruses that can interfere with USB operation ports. Install antivirus program, for example, “Kaspersky Antivirus” or “Dr.Web Cureit” and scan the system. When found malicious files It is recommended to remove them.

Important! To prevent files from being deleted from the flash drive, perform a backup.

Checking the drivers

When MicroSD is not detected, you can use programs to determine outdated drivers and update them to current version. DriverPack Solution is a utility that allows you to check the system configuration and update drivers. Download the utility, install it on your PC and run it. After starting the program will analyze the system and check that the drivers are up to date. Select the tab " Configure components automatically" and wait until the required files are installed.

Checking whether the card is detected on the computer

Let's check whether the system was able to detect the drive:

open explorer via the shortcut " My computer» on the desktop;
select menu " This computer" and expand the section " Devices and drives»;
if appeared new disk, the flash drive has been detected.

Second way:

Computer hardware problems

If, when connecting the Micro SD via an adapter to the computer, it does not open or is not detected, it is worth checking the card reader for functionality. First of all try insert into adapter a known working flash drive, if it is not detected, then reinstall the drivers on the card reader.

Checking the drivers:

File system conflict

In some cases, the flash drive may be detected, but it cannot be opened. The cause is a file system conflict or a damaged file system on the media itself. If the data stored on the flash drive is not important, you can format the card in file system NTFS:

Already used partition letter assigned

This situation occurs when you connect an SD card to a computer, when the system assigns a letter to it already existing disk. Because of this, a failure occurs and the flash drive is not displayed in Explorer.

Instructions: