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Are you facing issues with your SD card? Do you want to erase everything on it and store new files? Do you want to know how to format an SD card on a Mac? Then you are in luck, you are reading the right article.
Today, we are going to take a look at why you should format your SD card and the methods required to do so on a Macbook. New macOS users might find it a little confusing compared to Windows, but it is actually pretty simple. With that out of the way, let’s jump right into it.
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Contents
- 2 How to Format SD Card on Mac?
Why Should You Format an SD Card?
It is common knowledge that formatting an SD card empties the storage device, making it appear new. It also changes the existing file system of an SD card and replaces it with a new one. This is important because devices support different file systems and the SD card cannot be used in a device that cannot support it.
This is why some devices make you format an SD card before you can use it. An SD card format can also fix a corrupted memory card. Formatting in a Mac is pretty simple and it does not require any paid apps.
How to Format SD Card on Mac?
You can use two easy methods to format SD card on Mac. However, if you want to use the SD card with a camera, then we recommend that you format the SD card using the format option on the camera.
Requirements
- SD card of dimensions 32mm by 24mm by 2.1mm. These are your normal SD cards. You can also use thinner cards (like MMC) but avoid using thicker cards.
- If you have a MicroSD card (a small card that you put in phones), then you can use the SD adapter that comes with the MicroSD card.
- A card reader, if you own a newer Mac that does not have an SD card slot.
1. Use the SD Card Formatter
This is an app provided by the SD Association. We recommend that you use this app because of its simplicity. It automatically detects the SD card in your Mac and chooses the appropriate file system based on the size of the memory card.
- Download the SD Card Formatter for the Mac using this link.
- Open the downloaded file and follow the instructions to install it.
- Insert the card into the card reader slot.
- Open the SD Card Formatter program.
- The program will detect the SD card.
- Choose the Quick Format option. If you have sensitive data on the SD card, we recommend that you choose the Overwrite Format option. However, the overwrite format option is far slower than the quick format option.
- You can change the name of the SD card in the New label box.
- Click Format and keep an eye on the progress bar. The SD card will be formatted.
This is the easiest way to format an SD card on Mac. It makes sure that you don’t format your other storage device by accident.
2. Using Disk Utility
Disk Utility comes pre-installed with macOS. It is a tool that is used to manage all storage devices. You can also use it to format SD card on Mac.
- Insert the SD card into the SD card slot.
- Open up your Applications folder.
- Click Utilities and then open Disk Utility.
- Select the name of your SD card from the list. Make sure that you have the right name, otherwise, you might end up formatting your storage drive.
- Click the Erase icon on the top.
- You can enter a new name for your SD card.
- Select the new file format from the drop-down menu. Select MS-DOS(FAT32) if your SD card storage is smaller than 32GB. If You have a larger storage size, go for ex-FAT. Mac OS extended filesystem is only supported on Macs and the SD card will not work on Windows if you choose this option.
- Click Erase and wait for a few seconds.
Things To Do If You Run Into Problems
Now you know how to format an SD card on Mac. However, you can come across some issues and this section will help you deal with them.
- If your SD card is not recognized by the system, reinsert it. If you insert the card slowly, then the Mac will have trouble reading it.
- ExFAT is not supported by OSX version 10.6.6 or older versions. Update the system to make it work.
- If your Mac does not read the SD card, insert another SD card to make sure that the card reader is working fine. Swap the adapter if you are using a MicroSD card.
Final Take
That’s all there is to know about formatting an SD card on a Mac. I hope that you found this article helpful and informative. You can use this guide to format almost every normal SD card. If you have any doubts or suggestions, please let us know in the comments section down below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
What is SD?
SD describes devices that conform to SD standards for non-volatile memory cards. See the SD Association website for details.
Are there size limitations for the cards that can be inserted into the SD slot?
Yes. The SD card specification for a memory card is 32mm by 24mm by 2.1mm. You can also use thinner cards, such as MultiMediaCards (MMC). Avoid using cards that have a thickness greater than 2.1mm, as they might damage the SD card slot if you try to insert them.
Which SD card formats work in the SD card slot?
Cards that conform to the SD 1.x, 2.x, and 3.x standards should work. The SD card slot can use:
- Standard SD, 4MB to 2GB
- SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity), 4GB to 32GB
- SDXC, 4GB to 2TB
- MMC (MultiMediaCards)
- UHS‑II, up to 2TB (iMac Pro only)
You can use a passive adapter like the one shown here to make MiniSD, MicroSD, and higher density formats like MiniSDHC and MicroSDHC conform to the width and thickness specifications listed above:
How fast can my Mac read or write to an SD card in the SD card slot?
![Mac sd card recovery Mac sd card recovery](/uploads/1/2/6/7/126746531/744318220.jpg)
Mac notebooks use the USB bus to communicate with the SD card slot. They have a maximum speed of up to 480Mbit/s. Mac desktops use the PCIe bus to communicate with the SD card slot. Desktops can transfer data at a faster rate.
Check the packaging that came with your SD media to determine the maximum transfer rate that your specific card uses.
To determine the maximum transfer speed of your Mac, you can use System Information. Choose Apple () menu > About This Mac and then click System Report.
If you use a Mac notebook:
- Select Hardware, then select USB.
- Select Internal Memory Card Reader and look for the Speed entry.
If you use a Mac desktop computer:
- Select Hardware, then select Card Reader.
- Look for the Link Speed entry. Computers that use the PCIe bus express their speed as GT/s.
Does the SD slot work with cards that exceed 32GB?
Yes. However, most media manufacturers preformat the media using common block-and-cluster sizes that don’t approach the theoretical limits of a given file system.
Most SD cards use the FAT32 file format, and preformatted FAT32 SD media is commonly available up to a capacity of 32GB. Media that exceeds 32GB usually uses the exFAT file system, while some smaller capacity cards use the FAT16 file format. Preformatted FAT16 media is generally available up to a capacity of 2GB.
If you use OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.5 or later, you can find out which file system you’re using:
- Insert the media into the SD card slot.
- Choose Apple menu > About This Mac.
- Click System Report.
- In the Hardware section, click Card Reader, and find the File System field.
Will the SD card slot work with SD cards that use the exFAT file system?
Yes. Any Mac that has an SD card slot and is running OS X 10.6.5 or later can use the exFAT file system.
exFAT is also supported in Boot Camp with Windows 7, 8.1, or 10 on any Mac made in 2011 or later with an SD card slot.
How do I insert media into the SD card slot?
When you insert the card, make sure that the metal contacts face down and point toward the computer. Don’t force media into the SD card slot, as this might cause damage.
How does my Mac use the media inserted into the SD card slot?
Your computer recognizes a card inserted into the SD card slot as a USB storage device. You can mount, read from, and write to the SD card just like you can with any other USB storage device.
I put the card in the slot, but it didn’t mount. What should I do?
Remove the card and insert it again. Sometimes the SD card won’t mount properly if you put it into the slot too slowly.
When I try to write content to the card, I get a 'cannot be modified' message. How can I fix this?
You see this message when you try to edit data on an SD card that’s locked. You need to use the lock slider to unlock the card before you can edit the data.
To eject the card, drag the icon that represents the card to the Trash. After the icon disappears from the desktop, you can remove the card from the computer. Adjust the lock slider tab to unlock the card, then reinsert the card into the slot. See the manufacturer’s instructions for the location of the slider tab.
Can I use Disk Utility to reformat an SD card?
You can use Disk Utility to partition and format an SD device as FAT32 (using the MS-DOS FAT setting) or Mac OS Extended. The Mac OS Extended format can be used only on Macintosh systems. Non-Apple systems won’t recognize cards formatted to Mac OS Extended.
You might have to format a card that’s larger than 32GB with exFAT if you want to use it with a digital camera, GPS, or another device. When in doubt, format the card in the device that you intend to use it with.
Can I install macOS on an SD storage device and use it as a startup volume?
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Use Disk Utility to change the default partition table to GUID. Then format the card to use the Mac OS Extended file format.
How do I remove a card from the SD card slot?
Before you remove the card, allow any data transfer to SD media to complete. To eject the card, drag the icon that represents the card to the Trash. After the icon disappears from your desktop, you can remove the card from the slot.
Don't remove a card while your Mac is sleeping, as this could lead to data loss. Always wake your computer and eject the SD card before removing it from your Mac.
Can I use Secure Digital Input Output (SDIO) cards?
Can I use macOS to see the specifications for the interface hardware and media inserted in the SD card slot?
You can get information about the interface hardware and the media that you inserted in the slot from the System Information:
- Choose Apple menu > About This Mac.
- Click System Report.
- In the Hardware section of System Information, select USB.
- In the list of USB devices, select Internal Memory Card Reader to access information about the interface hardware and the media inserted into the SD card slot.
Can I use the SD card slot while running Windows using Boot Camp?
The SD card slot works with Boot Camp in all supported versions of Windows. You’ll need to download and install the Windows Support Software to use the SD card slot with Windows.
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Learn more about using Windows on a Mac.
Can I use an SDXC card on my Mac with Windows?
You can use an SDXC card in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 with these Mac computers:
- MacBook Pro (Early 2011 and later)
MacBook Pro models from 2016 and later don't have a built-in SD card slot. You can use a USB-C card reader, or a combination of a USB-C to USB Adapter and a USB card reader. - MacBook Air (Mid 2011 and later)
- Mac mini (Mid 2011 and later)
Mac mini (Mid 2010) doesn't support SDXC cards. - iMac (Mid 2011 and later)
iMac (Mid 2010) doesn't support SDXC cards.
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Can I use an SD, SDHC, or SDXC card to install Windows on my Mac?
No. You can’t use SD, SDHC, or SDXC cards with Boot Camp to install Windows software on Mac computers.