{"id":32953,"date":"2020-12-17T19:15:18","date_gmt":"2020-12-17T19:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?p=32953"},"modified":"2026-06-11T15:51:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T15:51:17","slug":"did-you-accidentally-lose-important-data-or-a-corrupted-sd-card-learn-how-to-easily-fix-this-common-issue-and-recover-lost-files","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd-card-mac.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Fix a Corrupted SD Card and Recover Data on Mac"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When an SD card becomes corrupted on macOS, your stored photos, videos, and documents may be completely inaccessible. Below, we explain how to recover files from a corrupted memory card and restore it to working condition using Mac-compatible tools that don&#8217;t require any technical expertise.<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-33005 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/How-to-Fix-a-Corrupted-SD-Card-on-Mac.jpg\" alt=\"How to Fix a Corrupted SD Card on Mac\" width=\"1806\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/How-to-Fix-a-Corrupted-SD-Card-on-Mac.jpg 1806w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/How-to-Fix-a-Corrupted-SD-Card-on-Mac-300x179.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/How-to-Fix-a-Corrupted-SD-Card-on-Mac-500x299.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/How-to-Fix-a-Corrupted-SD-Card-on-Mac-768x459.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/How-to-Fix-a-Corrupted-SD-Card-on-Mac-1536x919.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1806px) 100vw, 1806px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"signs_of_a_corrupted_sd_card_on_a_mac\"><\/span>Signs of a Corrupted SD Card on a Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Before you try any software tool or solution, you should first confirm that the symptoms you&#8217;re experiencing really align with the suspected problem. And if they do, it&#8217;s important to determine whether you&#8217;re dealing with logical or physical corruption because it will help you pick the right approach.<\/p>\r\n<p>Here are some of the signs that you might need to fix a corrupted SD card on a Mac:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f4bd; The <a href=\"\/help\/sd-card-not-showing-up.html\">SD card is not recognized by your Mac<\/a>, camera, or mobile device.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f914; You suddenly see strange filenames on the card.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x2753; Files or folders are missing, appear empty, or are not opening correctly. In some cases, the file system may appear as &#8216;Unknown&#8217; or show a &#8216;Not mounted&#8217; status in Disk Utility instead of the expected format.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x26d4; The SD card incorrectly displays no files.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f627; You experience read or write failures when accessing the card.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x274c; You receive error messages when attempting to access or use the SD card, such as &#8220;The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer,&#8221; or other errors indicating failure to read or write to the disk.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x2b1b;&#xfe0f; You get a black screen on a digital camera being used with the SD card.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x1f512; The card unexpectedly becomes write-protected (read-only) even when the physical lock switch is in the unlocked position.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>&#x2699;&#xfe0f; The SD card remains uninitialized when connected, showing as an SD card uninitialized in Disk Utility.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Generally, if the card appears in Disk Utility but won&#8217;t mount or shows file system errors, the corruption is most likely logical, and DIY solutions like First Aid, formatting, or data recovery software can often resolve it. On the other hand, if the card doesn&#8217;t show up at all in Disk Utility or in <b>System Information<\/b> (Apple menu &gt; About This Mac &gt; More Info &gt; System Report, under USB or Thunderbolt), the problem may be hardware-related. In that case, a professional data recovery service may be your best option.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-success\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f4a1; <b>Note:<\/b> If you have an SD card that is experiencing signs of corruption, we strongly recommend that you stop using the device immediately to prevent further data loss. Your first priority should be recovering important files using <a href=\"\/\">Mac data recovery software<\/a>. Once your data is safe, you can try repair methods like running <a href=\"#firstaid\">First Aid in Disk Utility<\/a> or testing the card on another computer.<\/div>\r\n<h2 id=\"recover-data\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_recover_corrupted_sd_card_data_on_a_mac\"><\/span>How to Recover Corrupted SD Card Data on a Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Corruption is logical damage that has been done to the data or file system on a storage device. In many cases, the actual data is still intact on the card and is recoverable through data recovery software or a data recovery service. We are going to show you how to perform a corrupt SD card recovery on a Mac using either of these methods.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x26a0;&#xfe0f; <b>Important<\/b>: Take a moment to rule out simple connection problems by trying a different card reader or USB port, and testing the card on another Mac if one is available. If the card is detected but its contents remain inaccessible, you&#8217;re most likely dealing with logical corruption that recovery tools can handle.<\/div>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"recover_files_from_a_corrupted_sd_card_on_mac\"><\/span>Recover Files from a Corrupted SD Card on Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><a href=\"\/memory-card-recovery-mac.html\">SD card recovery software for Mac<\/a> can be your best first option when faced with corruption because your files are often still physically present on the card in a way that makes them inaccessible to your Mac&#8217;s operating system. Recovery software uses sophisticated scanning algorithms that analyze file system information or search for known file signatures in order to locate and extract your valuable photos, videos, and documents even when macOS can&#8217;t normally access them.<\/p>\r\n<p>Best of all, you don&#8217;t need any technical skills to use SD card recovery software for Mac, at least not if you use the right solution. Disk Drill, for example, can recover files from a corrupted card in just a few steps.<\/p>\r\n<p>The following steps demonstrate how to retrieve data from an SD card using Disk Drill:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"\/download.html\">Download<\/a> and install Disk Drill Recovery Software for Mac.<div class=\"relative bottom download__block\">\r\n            <div class=\"d-flex align-center download__block__inner\">\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__image-wrapper\">\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__image\">\r\n                    <img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/sidebar-ban-96.png\" srcset=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/sidebar-ban-2x-1.png 2x\" alt=\"Disk Drill\" width=\"96\" height=\"96\">        \r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__announce\">\r\n                    <b>download-block-title<\/b><br>\r\n                    download-block-text\r\n                <\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"download__block__action\">\r\n                    <a href=\"\/\/download.html\" data-href-mac=\/\/disk-drill-mac.html data-href-win=\/\/disk-drill-win.html class=\"button button-green btn-md osreplace\">\r\n<svg width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\r\n<path d=\"M11.9546 7.293C11.8736 7.114 11.6956 7 11.4996 7H9.49957V0.5C9.49957 0.224 9.27557 0 8.99957 0H6.99957C6.72357 0 6.49957 0.224 6.49957 0.5V7H4.49957C4.30357 7 4.12557 7.115 4.04457 7.293C3.96257 7.472 3.99457 7.681 4.12357 7.829L7.62357 11.829C7.71857 11.938 7.85557 12 7.99957 12C8.14357 12 8.28057 11.937 8.37557 11.829L11.8756 7.829C12.0056 7.682 12.0356 7.472 11.9546 7.293Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\r\n<path d=\"M13.5 11V14H2.5V11H0.5V15C0.5 15.553 0.948 16 1.5 16H14.5C15.053 16 15.5 15.553 15.5 15V11H13.5Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\r\n<\/svg>\r\ndownload-block-button-text\r\n<\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Connect the corrupted SD to your computer and start the application.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select the memory card from the displayed disk list.<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56203 size-full border-gray border-radius-10\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-card-in-disk-drill.jpg\" alt=\"recover deleted files from a corrupted SD card using Disk Drill\" width=\"2864\" height=\"1782\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-card-in-disk-drill.jpg 2864w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-card-in-disk-drill-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-card-in-disk-drill-500x311.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-card-in-disk-drill-768x478.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-card-in-disk-drill-1536x956.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-card-in-disk-drill-2048x1274.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2864px) 100vw, 2864px\" \/> Alternatively, for an added layer of data protection, we recommend creating a disk image of your SD card before proceeding with the recovery. This process will help you <a href=\"\/help\/dmg-iso-backup.html\">create a byte-to-byte copy<\/a> of your SD card, which can be used for safe data recovery.<img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-56199 border-gray border-radius-10\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/disk-drill-backup-process.jpg\" alt=\"Disk drill byte to byte backup process\" width=\"2864\" height=\"1782\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/disk-drill-backup-process.jpg 2864w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/disk-drill-backup-process-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/disk-drill-backup-process-500x311.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/disk-drill-backup-process-768x478.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/disk-drill-backup-process-1536x956.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/disk-drill-backup-process-2048x1274.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2864px) 100vw, 2864px\" \/> After creating the disk image via Disk Drill, select <b>Attach disk image<\/b>. Select the loaded disk image from the displayed disk list.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the <b>Search for lost data<\/b> button to initiate the data scanning process. In most cases, <b>Universal Scan<\/b> will be sufficient. However, if you are dealing with video files, we recommend scanning the memory card again using <b>Advanced Camera Recovery<\/b> if the video files are recovered damaged.<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56197 size-full border-gray border-radius-10\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-scan-method.jpg\" alt=\"restore data from SD card using a software for Mac\" width=\"2864\" height=\"1782\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-scan-method.jpg 2864w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-scan-method-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-scan-method-500x311.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-scan-method-768x478.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-scan-method-1536x956.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-scan-method-2048x1274.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2864px) 100vw, 2864px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Preview the recoverable files and choose the ones you want to retrieve from a corrupted memory card. Scans of corrupted storage tend to produce files with generic names, duplicates from different scan methods, and a mix of media types like RAW photos, JPEGs, and MP4 videos. By previewing the found files, you can decide which to select and which to leave behind. To speed things up, use Disk Drill&#8217;s filtering options to narrow results by file type, date, size, or keyword.<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56201 size-full border-gray border-radius-10\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/preview-found-files.jpg\" alt=\"retrieve lost data from a corrupted memory card on a Mac computer\" width=\"2864\" height=\"1782\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/preview-found-files.jpg 2864w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/preview-found-files-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/preview-found-files-500x311.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/preview-found-files-768x478.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/preview-found-files-1536x956.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/preview-found-files-2048x1274.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2864px) 100vw, 2864px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select a new location to save the recovered data and click the <b>Recover<\/b> button. Don&#8217;t use the affected SD card to store anything until the recovery process is complete.<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56196 size-full border-gray border-radius-10\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-recovery-lcoation.jpg\" alt=\"data recovery process from a corrupted SD card on Mac\" width=\"2864\" height=\"1782\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-recovery-lcoation.jpg 2864w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-recovery-lcoation-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-recovery-lcoation-500x311.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-recovery-lcoation-768x478.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-recovery-lcoation-1536x956.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-recovery-lcoation-2048x1274.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2864px) 100vw, 2864px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>After you have recovered the data from a corrupt SD card, you should reformat it if you plan to use it again. We suggest taking care with storing important information on it until you are certain it has not been permanently damaged.<\/p>\r\n<p>Disk Drill has several features that make it especially well-suited for recovering data from SD cards:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><b>File previews<\/b> allow you to check the integrity of photos, videos, and documents before committing to recovery, so you only restore files that are actually intact and useful.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Advanced filtering<\/b> by file type, creation date, size, and search keywords helps you sort through the large number of results that corrupted card scans typically produce.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Broad format support<\/b> covers not just common file types but also less common photo formats like CR3, ARW, NEF, and ORF, along with video formats used by action cameras and drones.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Advanced Camera Recovery (ACR)<\/b> is a specialized scan mode built to reconstruct fragmented video files from cameras, GoPros, and drones. Standard scans may recover these videos in a damaged state, but ACR analyzes the raw data at a deeper level to piece together playable files. If your initial Universal Scan returns corrupted video, running ACR as a follow-up scan is worth trying.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Thanks to these specialized features, Disk Drill can handle everything from simple accidental deletions to complex corruption scenarios that often affect SD cards used in cameras, drones, and mobile devices.<\/p>\r\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"when_to_use_software_vs_a_data_recovery_service_for_corrupted_sd_cards_on_mac\"><\/span>When to Use Software vs. a Data Recovery Service for Corrupted SD Cards on Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Data recovery software like Disk Drill works well in situations where the SD card&#8217;s hardware is likely intact but the data structure or file system is damaged:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Accidental deletion or formatting.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>File system errors that make the SD card unreadable or cause it to show as uninitialized in Disk Utility.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Files becoming inaccessible or appearing corrupted.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Virus or malware attacks scrambling file attributes.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>In these scenarios, <a href=\"\/howto\/best-sd-recovery-software.html\">software designed for corrupted SD card recovery<\/a> on Mac can scan the underlying data structure to piece together and recover lost files. However, even the best recovery software has limits. It can&#8217;t overcome physical damage, such as:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The card is bent, cracked, or snapped.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>The card has been submerged or exposed to damaging fluids.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>The gold contacts are broken, severely scratched, or corroded.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Internal electronic components have failed, often resulting in the card not being detected at all (SD card not showing up on Mac due to hardware failure).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Severe electrical damage caused by power surges or incorrect voltage.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>In these and other physical damage scenarios, the best chance of getting your data back is to send the SD card to a professional data recovery center. Experts at data recovery centers use specialized hardware, cleanroom environments, and advanced techniques far beyond typical software capabilities. They often know how to uncorrupt an SD card even in cases of severe physical trauma by directly accessing and working with the memory chips, allowing them to restore the information on a corrupted SD card when standard DIY methods fail.<\/p>\r\n<p><a href=\"\/data-recovery-center.html\">CleverFiles Data Recovery Center<\/a> is an example of a reliable recovery service that may be able to help you get your data back when all other methods have failed.<\/p>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-49513 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/data-recovery-lab.jpg\" alt=\"data recovery lab\" width=\"1500\" height=\"872\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/data-recovery-lab.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/data-recovery-lab-300x174.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/data-recovery-lab-500x291.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/data-recovery-lab-768x446.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p>Here&#8217;s a quick overview of how to use CleverFiles Data Recovery Center:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Fill out a work order that details the issues you are having with the SD card.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Pack and ship the SD card to the center with the work order.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>You will receive a recovery estimate after an expert has made an initial assessment of the probability of success.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Upon completion of the recovery, you will receive your data on new media like a flash drive or DVD.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>Taking advantage of the experts&#8217; experience at a data recovery center is more expensive than recovering the data yourself with software. But if the software fails to do the job, a recovery center may be able to restore your valuable information, which can be priceless.<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_fix_a_corrupted_sd_card_without_losing_data_on_a_mac\"><\/span>How to Fix a Corrupted SD Card Without Losing Data on a Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>If your SD card is showing signs that it might be corrupted, you have several methods that you can use to repair it in situations where you&#8217;ve already:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>successfully recovered important data from the memory card using the <a href=\"#recover-data\">recovery methods described earlier<\/a> and now want to restore the card&#8217;s functionality;<\/li>\r\n\t<li>or primarily want to fix the corruption issues and return the card to working condition.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Why in these situations? Because attempts to repair an SD card on a Mac carry a risk of further data loss, especially if the corruption is extensive.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-danger\" role=\"alert\">&#x26a0;&#xfe0f; <b>Important<\/b>: Before proceeding with any fix that modifies the card (like <a href=\"#firstaid\">First Aid<\/a>), prioritize data safety by creating a complete backup of all data stored on the card, preferably in the form of a backup image using a tool like the Byte-to-Byte Backup feature in Disk Drill.<\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_1_reinsert_the_card_and_check_connections\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 1:<\/span> <span id=\"connections\">Reinsert the Card and Check Connections<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><img class=\"border-gray border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-54608 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/macbook-sd-card-reader.jpg\" alt=\"macbook sd card reader\" width=\"2070\" height=\"1214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/macbook-sd-card-reader.jpg 2070w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/macbook-sd-card-reader-300x176.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/macbook-sd-card-reader-500x293.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/macbook-sd-card-reader-768x450.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/macbook-sd-card-reader-1536x901.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/macbook-sd-card-reader-2048x1201.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2070px) 100vw, 2070px\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p>The first thing to try is to reinsert the card into the device or card reader. An SD card that isn&#8217;t fully seated in the slot can fail to connect properly, which may look identical to corruption symptoms. Carefully remove and then gently reinsert the card to see if the issue gets resolved.<\/p>\r\n<p>While the card is removed, check for any dust or debris that may be blocking the connectors. After reinserting, your Mac may recognize the card and give you access to its data.<\/p>\r\n<p>Also, consider that the issue might not be the card itself but the SD card slot on your Mac or the external card reader. Problems with the reader&#8217;s connection (try a different USB port) or the reader failing can prevent the card from being read correctly. Try a different reader or Mac, if available, to rule this out.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\">&#x2139;&#xfe0f; <b>Good to know<\/b>: You can verify whether your Mac detects the card reader hardware itself. Open <b>Disk Utility<\/b> and enable <b>View &gt; Show All Devices<\/b> to check if the reader&#8217;s physical device is listed. For a more detailed look, open <b>System Information<\/b> (Apple menu &gt; About This Mac &gt; More Info &gt; System Report) and browse the <b>USB<\/b> or <b>Thunderbolt<\/b> sections for your card reader. If the reader doesn&#8217;t appear in either location, the issue is likely with the reader or the port, not the SD card.<\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_2_repair_a_corrupt_sd_card_with_first_aid_in_disk_utility\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 2:<\/span> <span id=\"firstaid\">Repair a Corrupt SD Card with First Aid in Disk Utility<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/support.apple.com\/guide\/disk-utility\/repair-a-storage-device-dskutl1040\/mac\">Disk Utility<\/a> is installed by default with macOS. It should be located in the Other folder in Launchpad. Inside Disk Utility, you can find the First Aid feature, which can sometimes repair SD card corruption and restore access to your data.<\/p>\r\n<p>First Aid works by checking the file system&#8217;s directory structure and repairing inconsistencies such as invalid catalog entries, incorrect allocation maps, or orphaned file references. However, it has limitations. It may not be able to fix severely corrupted file systems, and in some situations the repair process itself can modify directory data in ways that make previously recoverable files harder to locate with data recovery software afterward. For this reason, creating a disk image or backing up the card&#8217;s contents before running First Aid is strongly recommended.<\/p>\r\n<p>Use the following steps to repair a corrupt SD card using First Aid in Disk Utility on your Mac or MacBook, which attempts to repair SD card Mac file system errors (not physical damage to the card itself):<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li><b>Open Disk Utility<\/b> and choose <b>View &gt; Show All Devices<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select the SD card from the sidebar and click the <b>First Aid<\/b> button.<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56204 size-full border-gray border-radius-10\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-in-disk-utility.jpg\" alt=\"click on first aid button on sd card\" width=\"2484\" height=\"1309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-in-disk-utility.jpg 2484w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-in-disk-utility-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-in-disk-utility-500x263.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-in-disk-utility-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-in-disk-utility-1536x809.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/select-microsd-in-disk-utility-2048x1079.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2484px) 100vw, 2484px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click <b>Run<\/b> in the First Aid dialog and follow the onscreen instructions.<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56202 size-full border-gray border-radius-10\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/run-first-aid-on-microsd-card.jpg\" alt=\"Run First Aid process \" width=\"2484\" height=\"1309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/run-first-aid-on-microsd-card.jpg 2484w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/run-first-aid-on-microsd-card-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/run-first-aid-on-microsd-card-500x263.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/run-first-aid-on-microsd-card-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/run-first-aid-on-microsd-card-1536x809.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/run-first-aid-on-microsd-card-2048x1079.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2484px) 100vw, 2484px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click <b>Done<\/b> when the First Aid process finishes.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>If First Aid is successful, you will be able to access the card from your Mac.<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_3_format_your_sd_card_on_mac\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 3:<\/span> <span id=\"format\">Format your SD Card on Mac<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>If <a href=\"#firstaid\">First Aid<\/a> fails or the card remains unusable (e.g., reported as uninitialized or unreadable), formatting might be the only way to make it functional again because it erases the card&#8217;s directory structure and replaces it with a new (healthy) one.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-danger\" role=\"alert\">&#x26a0;&#xfe0f; <b>Important<\/b>: Formatting deletes access to existing files, so data recovery should be attempted before formatting if possible. While a standard format in Disk Utility usually allows for potential data recovery afterward, there&#8217;s no guarantee of success, and secure formatting (available after clicking the Security Options button) makes data recovery completely impossible.<\/div>\r\n<p>Here&#8217;s how to format a corrupted SD card on Mac:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Connect the SD card to your computer.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Launch <b>Disk Utility<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose the SD card from the left panel.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select <b>Erase<\/b>. Don&#8217;t use extra security options if you want to try data recovery software to retrieve the card&#8217;s data.<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56198 size-full border-gray border-radius-10\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/click-erase-button.jpg\" alt=\"select erase option in disk utility\" width=\"2484\" height=\"1309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/click-erase-button.jpg 2484w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/click-erase-button-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/click-erase-button-500x263.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/click-erase-button-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/click-erase-button-1536x809.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/click-erase-button-2048x1079.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2484px) 100vw, 2484px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li><b>Name<\/b> the drive if you want to and make sure to select the <b>Format<\/b> you want to use. It&#8217;s generally recommended to use ExFAT for broad compatibility (Mac, Windows, cameras) and cards larger than 32 GB. The MS-DOS (FAT) offers the best compatibility with older devices, but it has limitations (4GB file size limit). The APFS file system can be natively recognized only by Macs, and the benefits it offers are almost never needed when it comes to SD cards.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click <b>Erase<\/b> in the bottom right corner.<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56195 size-full border-gray border-radius-10\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-erase-options.jpg\" alt=\"click erase for start format process\" width=\"2484\" height=\"1309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-erase-options.jpg 2484w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-erase-options-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-erase-options-500x263.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-erase-options-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-erase-options-1536x809.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/choose-erase-options-2048x1079.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2484px) 100vw, 2484px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>A progress bar will open and display the status of the procedure.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click <b>Done<\/b> when Disk Utility is finished formatting the corrupted SD card.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>The formatted SD card should now be accessible from Finder and contain no files.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-secondary\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f4a1; <b>Tip<\/b>: If you plan to use the SD card with a specific device like a camera, action camera, or drone, consider performing one more format within the device itself after the Disk Utility format. Many cameras and recording devices create their own preferred folder structure and set optimal block sizes when they format a card. Skipping this second format can sometimes lead to recording errors, file corruption, or the device not recognizing the card properly.<\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_4_check_the_card_for_errors_with_the_terminal\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method 4:<\/span> <span id=\"terminal\">Check the Card for Errors with the Terminal<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>You can also check for errors using <b>diskutil<\/b>, the command-line counterpart to Disk Utility. Use the following procedure to verify and repair an SD card through Terminal.<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Open the <b>Terminal<\/b> application, which should be located in the <b>Other<\/b> folder in Launchpad.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Type <b>diskutil list<\/b> and press <kbd>Return<\/kbd>. This will display all connected disks and their partitions.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Look through the output for your SD card and identify it by its name and size. Note its <b>identifier<\/b> (e.g., disk2s1, disk3s2, etc.).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Type <b>diskutil verifyVolume [identifier]<\/b> (replace [identifier] with the one you noted, e.g., <b>diskutil verifyVolume disk2s1<\/b>) and press <kbd>Return<\/kbd>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>The command will execute, which may take a while. When it is done, it will inform you if the volume was found to be corrupt.<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-56205 size-full border-gray border-radius-10\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/verify-micrsd-volume-in-terminal.jpg\" alt=\"Check the Card for Errors with Terminal\" width=\"1825\" height=\"1056\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/verify-micrsd-volume-in-terminal.jpg 1825w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/verify-micrsd-volume-in-terminal-300x174.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/verify-micrsd-volume-in-terminal-500x289.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/verify-micrsd-volume-in-terminal-768x444.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/verify-micrsd-volume-in-terminal-1536x889.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1825px) 100vw, 1825px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>If verification finds errors, type <b>diskutil repairVolume [identifier]<\/b> (again, replacing [identifier]) and press <kbd>Return<\/kbd>. Wait for the process to complete and check the output for success or failure messages.<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_protect_an_sd_card_from_corruption\"><\/span>How to Protect an SD Card From Corruption<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>You can help protect against logical damage to a <a href=\"\/micro-sd-card-recovery.html\">micro SD card on a Mac<\/a> in a variety of ways. Physical damage is also a risk if you mishandle an SD card, and it can lead to permanent failure where recovery is impossible.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Be gentle when inserting or removing the card. Forcing it can damage the delicate connectors or the slot (<a href=\"https:\/\/garfnet.org.uk\/cms\/2021\/01\/16\/fixing-a-damaged-sd-slot\/\">DIY repair is sometimes possible<\/a> but always difficult), and avoid touching the gold contact points.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Keep SD cards in dedicated <a href=\"https:\/\/shuttermuse.com\/best-sd-card-holder\/\">protective cases<\/a> when not in use. This shields them from dust, moisture, static electricity, and physical stress.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Only insert your SD card into computers and devices you trust. Some strains of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quora.com\/Can-a-computer-virus-affect-an-inserted-SD-card\">malware can jump<\/a> from an internal drive to a connected SD card and corrupt files or the card&#8217;s file system.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Never remove an SD card or turn off a device while it&#8217;s actively reading or writing. Interrupting these processes is a chief cause of file system corruption because the OS may still be writing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fortinet.com\/resources\/cyberglossary\/what-is-caching\">cached data<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>On your Mac, <i>always<\/i> use the software &#8216;Eject&#8217; command before physically removing the card. Simply pulling it out can lead to data loss or corruption; follow <a href=\"https:\/\/support.apple.com\/guide\/mac-help\/use-an-sd-or-sdxc-card-mh28068\/mac\">Apple&#8217;s official guidance<\/a> for safe removal.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>When using a card primarily with one device (like a camera), it&#8217;s often best to format the card <i>within that device<\/i> initially so that the file system structure is optimally configured. This best practice is even recommended by leading SD card manufacturers like <a href=\"https:\/\/support-en.sandisk.com\/app\/answers\/detailweb\/a_id\/51731\/~\/learn-about-the-best-practices-for-using-memory-cards\">SanDisk<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Clearly label important SD cards to prevent accidental formatting or deletion of important data. Instead of using labels like &#8220;SD card&#8221; or &#8220;memory card,&#8221; come up with something more descriptive, such as &#8220;CANON DSLR&#8221; or &#8220;GOPRO.&#8221;<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Protect your cards from excessive heat, cold, humidity, and strong magnetic fields. Always check manufacturer guidelines for specific operating ranges. If you know that the card will be exposed to extreme conditions, then you should get one that&#8217;s designed to survive them, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sony.com\/et\/electronics\/sd-cards\/sf-gt-series\">TOUGH series from Sony<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>SD corruption is a problem that can be resolved using multiple methods described above. The most effective and cost-efficient technique is with data recovery software like Disk Drill. As long as the memory card can be recognized by your Mac and its data has not been overwritten, you stand a very good chance of recovery with Disk Drill. The main precaution you can take to maximize your chance of recovery is to stop using the card as soon as you suspect it has a problem.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"related_posts\"><div class=\"related_posts__inner\"><div class=\"h4\">Read also<\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/windows.png\" alt=\"windows\" width=\"144\" height=\"144\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">How to Recover Data from a Corrupted SD Card on Windows<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/apple.png\" alt=\"apple mac\" width=\"144\" height=\"144\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/top-5-data-recovery-software-mac.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">Best Data Recovery Tools for Mac<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Frame-65.png\" alt=\"micro SD\" width=\"140\" height=\"160\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/micro-sd-card-recovery.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">How to Recover Files from a micro SD Card<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/SD-card-icon.svg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/fix-sd-card-not-showing-up.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">How to Fix SD Card Not Showing Up<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"faq\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<div><section itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading1\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-1\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_do_i_recover_a_corrupted_sd_card_on_a_mac\"><\/span>How do I recover a corrupted SD card on a Mac?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-1\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>Recovering a corrupted SD card involves saving the data and restoring the card to a usable state. This is the recommended sequence:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Create a disk image of the SD card using a tool like Disk Drill&#8217;s Byte-to-Byte Backup feature, or recover important files with data recovery software before making any changes to the card.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Run <b>First Aid<\/b> in Disk Utility. In some cases, this is enough to fix file system errors and get the card working again without any further steps.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>If First Aid doesn&#8217;t resolve the issue, format the card in Disk Utility. Choose ExFAT for broad compatibility across Mac, Windows, and cameras, or MS-DOS (FAT) if you need support for older devices.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>If the card will be used in a camera or other recording device, reformat it within that device as well. This ensures the correct folder structure and block sizes are set for reliable operation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading2\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-2\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-2\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_do_you_fix_a_corrupted_sd_card_on_a_mac\"><\/span>How do you fix a corrupted SD card on a Mac?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-2\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading2\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>Fix a corrupted SD card on Mac with Disk Utility using the following procedure:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li><b>Open Disk Utility<\/b> and choose <b>View &gt; Show All Devices<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select the SD card from the sidebar and click the <b>First Aid<\/b> button.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click <b>Run<\/b> in the First Aid dialog and follow the onscreen instructions.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click <b>Done<\/b> when the First Aid process finishes.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading3\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-3\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-3\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_do_i_recover_photos_from_a_corrupted_sd_card_on_a_mac\"><\/span>How do I recover photos from a corrupted SD card on a Mac?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-3\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading3\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>Use Disk Drill to recover photos from a corrupted SD card on Mac.<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Download and install Disk Drill Recovery Software for Mac.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Connect the corrupted SD card to your computer and start the application.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select the memory card from the displayed disk list.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the <b>Search for lost data<\/b> button to start scanning for photos.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Preview the recoverable files found in the Pictures recovery folder and choose the ones you want to restore.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the <b>Recover<\/b> button and save the restored photos to a safe location.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading4\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-4\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-4\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\">How do I fix a corrupted SD card that won't format on a Mac?<\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-4\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading4\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>If you can&#8217;t format your corrupted SD card on your Mac, you can use the Terminal app to repair it. Here&#8217;s how to check an SD card health on your Mac and fix errors via Terminal:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Open <b>Launchpad<\/b> and click <b>Terminal<\/b> to launch the app (it is usually located in the Other folder).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Type in the following command: <b>diskutil verifyVolume disk2s1<\/b> (replace <b>disk2s1<\/b> with your SD card&#8217;s identifier). Hit <kbd>Return<\/kbd>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Wait for the command to execute.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>To repair the errors, enter this command: <b>diskutil repairVolume disk2s1<\/b> (replace <b>disk2s1<\/b> with your SD card&#8217;s identifier). Hit <kbd>Return<\/kbd>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>When the process is finished, quit Terminal and eject the SD card.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 01px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading5\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-5\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-5\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"why_is_my_mac_not_reading_my_sd_card\"><\/span>Why is my Mac not reading my SD card?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-5\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading5\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>If your Mac does not recognize your SD card, it&#8217;s possible that the card is corrupted, and you&#8217;ll need to fix the issue before using it again. However, there may also be other reasons for this:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Physical damage<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Problems with macOS<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Incompatible file system<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>If you&#8217;ve tried different card readers, tested different USB ports, and the card still isn&#8217;t detected on any computer, the problem is likely physical. In that situation (especially if the data on the card is valuable or irreplaceable), you should contact a professional data recovery service.<\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When an SD card becomes corrupted on macOS, your stored photos, videos, and documents may be completely inaccessible. Below, we explain how to recover files from a corrupted memory card and restore it to working condition using Mac-compatible tools that&#8230;","protected":false},"author":7868,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2634],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-32953","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sd-card-flash-drive-recovery-tips"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Fix SD Card and Recover Lost Data on Mac (2026)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This article covers a safe and proven path to fix the issues with an SD card without losing your data in the process.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd-card-mac.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Fix SD Card and Recover Lost Data on Mac (2026)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This article covers a safe and proven path to fix the issues with an SD card without losing your data in the process.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd-card-mac.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Data recovery tips. Recover deleted files on Mac, Windows.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/og-cleverfiles.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"David Morelo\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"How to Fix SD Card and Recover Lost Data on Mac (2026)\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"This article covers a safe and proven path to fix the issues with an SD card without losing your data in the process.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/How-to-Fix-a-Corrupted-SD-Card-on-Mac.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@MoreloWrites\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Cleverfiles\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"David Morelo\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"16 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Fix SD Card and Recover Lost Data on Mac (2026)","description":"This article covers a safe and proven path to fix the issues with an SD card without losing your data in the process.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd-card-mac.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Fix SD Card and Recover Lost Data on Mac (2026)","og_description":"This article covers a safe and proven path to fix the issues with an SD card without losing your data in the process.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd-card-mac.html","og_site_name":"Data recovery tips. Recover deleted files on Mac, Windows.","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/og-cleverfiles.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"David Morelo","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"How to Fix SD Card and Recover Lost Data on Mac (2026)","twitter_description":"This article covers a safe and proven path to fix the issues with an SD card without losing your data in the process.","twitter_image":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/How-to-Fix-a-Corrupted-SD-Card-on-Mac.jpg","twitter_creator":"@MoreloWrites","twitter_site":"@Cleverfiles","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"David Morelo","Est. reading time":"16 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd-card-mac.html#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd-card-mac.html"},"author":{"name":"David Morelo","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/person\/cb572c3c6f21975a615fae2d1c5ce0c4"},"headline":"How to Fix a Corrupted SD Card and Recover Data on Mac","datePublished":"2020-12-17T19:15:18+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-11T15:51:17+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd-card-mac.html"},"wordCount":3938,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#organization"},"articleSection":["SD Card &amp; Flash Drive Recovery Tips"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd-card-mac.html","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd-card-mac.html","name":"How to Fix SD Card and Recover Lost Data on Mac (2026)","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#website"},"datePublished":"2020-12-17T19:15:18+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-11T15:51:17+00:00","description":"This article covers a safe and proven path to fix the issues with an SD card without losing your data in the process.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd-card-mac.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd-card-mac.html"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-corrupted-sd-card-mac.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"\u0413\u043b\u0430\u0432\u043d\u0430\u044f","item":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/fr\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Fix a Corrupted SD Card and Recover Data on Mac"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/","name":"Data recovery tips. Recover deleted files on Mac, Windows.","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#organization","name":"CleverFiles","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dd-mac-1024-flat.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/dd-mac-1024-flat.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"CleverFiles"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/x.com\/Cleverfiles"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/person\/cb572c3c6f21975a615fae2d1c5ce0c4","name":"David Morelo","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/web-fin-headshot-site-color-background-96x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/web-fin-headshot-site-color-background-96x96.jpg","caption":"David Morelo"},"description":"David Morelo is a professional content writer focused on the technology sector, with expertise ranging from consumer products to the latest tech innovations. His approach involves personally testing each product according to strict editorial standards before writing detailed reviews, guides, and articles. David brings firsthand experience with Mac, Windows, and iOS platforms to his work. With over six years in the field, David\u2019s writing helps readers get the most out of their tech products. His content is straightforward, making complex topics easy to understand, even for non-technical users. As Content Team Lead at CleverFiles, he specializes in making data recovery topics accessible. Education: David Morelo holds a Bachelor's degree in English for Education. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys spending time with his family, biking, and sharing memorable moments with friends. Experience: David Morelo is a writer who shares his expertise on various reputable technology platforms. You can check out his portfolio at davidmorelo.com. He is also the author at Maketecheasier, where he delves into technical topics. You'll find his work at handyrecovery.com, where he shares his knowledge of data recovery. In addition, David writes at pandorarecovery.com, where he shares his knowledge in software testing.","sameAs":["davidmorelo","https:\/\/x.com\/MoreloWrites"],"url":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/author\/david-morelo\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32953","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7868"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32953"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32953\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60173,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32953\/revisions\/60173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32953"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32953"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32953"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}