How to Format Your SD Card

It's important to note that SD cards may require formatting before they can be used in certain devices. Always consult your device's manual before formatting a card to ensure that you choose the correct format for your device.

Keep in mind that formatting any memory source will erase all data stored on it. Remember to back up any files saved on the SD card before formatting.

Below, we have short video tutorials that explain how to format an SD card on different operating systems.

Windows (32GB or smaller SD Cards)

Please note that these instructions only apply to SD cards that are 32GB or smaller. If you need to format a 64GB or 128GB SD card, please select the tab above for special formatting instructions.

Choose your version of Windows below to view a brief tutorial on how to properly format an SD card:

  1. Insert your SD card into your computer's built-in SD card port or a card reader connected to your computer's USB port.
  2. Open Windows Explorer.
  3. Right-click on the SD card icon.
  4. Select "Format…".
  5. Ensure that the File System is set to FAT, which is the default for most devices.
  6. Click "Start".
  7. When the warning window appears, click "OK" to confirm that all data will be erased from the card. 8. A progress bar will appear, and you will be notified when the formatting is completed. Larger capacity cards may take longer to format.

Windows XP

  1. Insert your SD card into your computer's built-in SD card slot or a card reader connected to your computer's USB port.
  2. Go to "My Computer" and right-click on the SD card icon.
  3. Select "Format..." from the menu that appears.
  4. Ensure that the file system is set to FAT, which is usually the default for most devices.
  5. Click on the "Start" button to begin the formatting process.
  6. When a warning window pops up, click "OK" to confirm that all data on the card will be erased.
  7. A progress bar will appear, and you will receive a notification when the formatting is completed. The time taken for formatting will depend on the size of the card.

Windows 7/8/11

Windows (64GB/128GB SD Cards)

Please Note: If you are using Windows 7 or Windows 8 you MUST right-click the file and choose Run as Administrator to make this program run.

To download the software, please click here.

Mac

Please insert your SD card into your computer's built-in SD card port or into a card reader that is plugged into your computer's USB port. Then, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Disk Utility application and select your SD card.
  2. From the submenu, select "Erase."
  3. Choose either "FAT" or "Mac OS Extended" from the re-format menu.
  4. Wait for the format process to complete. Once finished, a notification will pop up, indicating that the SD card is now empty and ready to record.

For formatting a USB Flash Drive to Fat32 in Mac OS, please follow the steps here.

Jan 1st 2024

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