M.2 SSD Not showing up in Windows 11: How to Fix it?

It can be quite frustrating when your M.2 SSD goes unrecognized, whether it's an NVMe or M.2 SATA drive. Sometimes, these drives are invisible to the BIOS, while other times they're visible to the BIOS but not in Windows. Compatibility, configuration, driver issues, and even faulty SSDs can contribute to this problem. In this article, we'll explore the potential reasons and provide solutions to fix the "M.2 SSD not showing up in Windows 11" issue and a tip to recover deleted data from SSD.

Why Won’t My M.2 SSD Show Up?

If you're experiencing this problem, it's crucial to identify the underlying causes. To shed light on why your M.2 SSD not showing up in Windows 11, consider the following possibilities:

• Virus or malware infection: If you suspect this, try using anti-virus software.
• Incorrect SATA storage controller mode/protocol: Update or uninstall the motherboard's storage controller and IDE ATA controller drivers.
• SSD driver issues: Use the "Hardware and Device Troubleshooter" and the Device Manager in Windows 11 to troubleshoot hardware and device problems.
• Hidden SSD partitions: If your SSD partitions are concealed, you'll need to make them visible again.
• Missing or conflicting drive letter: Device Manager or Disk Management might show the SSD, but it's not visible in Windows File Explorer.
• Unrecognized file system: Ensure your SSD is formatted with either NTFS or FAT32, which are compatible with Windows 11.
• Lost or unallocated SSD partitions: If your disk is labeled as Not Initialized or Online, the first step is to recover it.
• Uninitialized new SSD: Freshly installed SSD disk not initialized will now show up in Windows 11. You can initialize them using Disk Management or the command prompt.

It's also a good idea to perform a thorough hard disk health check for your computer.

Troubleshooting M.2 SSD Not Showing Up in Windows 11 [Fixes]

To solve the M.2 SSD not showing up error, you can try the following methods until one of them works.

Fix 1. Run Windows and Hardware Troubleshooter

Another approach to resolve the issue of your M.2 SSD not showing up in Windows 11 is by running the Windows and hardware troubleshooter. This fix addresses the root problem. Here's how you can do it:

1. Right-click the Start button and select "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" to open Windows PowerShell as an administrator.

2. In the command line, type "msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic" and press Enter. This will launch the Hardware and Device troubleshooter.

3. Follow the wizard's instructions to complete the scanning and repairing process.

Fix 2. Initialize SSD in Disk Management

One possible reason for the issue is that your SSD hasn't been initialized in the system. Follow these steps to initialize it:

1. Connect the SSD to your computer and click on the Disk Management icon to access Disk Management. You can find it in the Start menu by right-clicking and selecting it.

2. If the SSD hasn't been initialized yet, it will be labeled as "Not Initialized." Right-click on it and choose the "Initialize Disk" option from the menu.

3. Select a partition style compatible with both MBR (Master Boot Record) and GPT (GUID Partition Table), then click OK.

4. Right-click on the SSD and select "New Simple Volume" from the context menu. The wizard will guide you through partition creation and drive letter assignment.

Note: In rare cases, the SSD might appear as inaccessible. Right-click on it and select "Online" from the context menu to reactivate it.

Fix 3. Update Your Storage Controller Drivers

Outdated storage controller drivers are a common reason why M.2 SSDs don't show up in Windows. Follow these steps to update them:

1. Right-click the Start menu and select "Device Manager."

2. Locate the "Storage controllers" section in Device Manager and expand it.

3. Right-click on the storage controller and select "Update driver" from the context menu.

4. Choose the search automatically for updated driver software option. Windows will search your computer and the Internet for the latest drivers.

5. Restart your computer after the new drivers have been installed.

Fix 4. Check Cables and Connections of Your System

Most SSDs are connected to motherboards using SATA cables, and if these connections are damaged, the computer or BIOS won't detect the device. To rule out cable-related issues, try connecting the SSD through a different connection. Some SSDs, like M.2 SSDs placed directly into motherboard slots, don't require cables. In such cases, you can test the SSD on another computer to check if it's detected.

Fix 5. Format the Disk to NTFS

If the file system is causing the problem, you can attempt to format it to NTFS using DiskPart or a third-party program. Here's how:

1. Input cmd to search for Command Prompt. Please choose run as administrator.

2. Input diskpart and press Enter.

3. Enter the following instructions one by one, pressing Enter after each:

list disk

select disk n (n means the number of your M.2 SSD)

clean

create partition primary

Format fs=ntfs

4. Type "exit" to quit DiskPart, and check if the problem is resolved.

How to Rescue Data from M.2 SSD

When you find that your M.2 SSD now showing up in Windows 11, but you need to use data on the SSD, do not worry, here comes the useful data recovery tool - MyRecover.

Though your M.2 SSD is not showing up in Windows 11, MyRecover can rescue data from it easily and quickly with its powerful features.

Key features of MyRecover

High recovery speed and recovery success rate.

Support to recover more than 200 types of files, such as you can recover Word documents, Excel files, PPT files, images, videos, audio, compressed files, and so on.

Comprehensive scanning methods like Deep Scan and Quick Scan.

Available in all operating Windows systems including Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 and Windows Server 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012, etc.

Let’s discover how to recover data from M.2 SSD via MyRecover directly.

1. Run MyRecover, and choose your M.2 SSD icon here. Hover the mouse over it and click Scan to let MyRecover scan your SSD.

2. MyRecover will scan your SSD with Quick Scan and Deep Scan. You can find your desired files quickly based on Name, Date, Document Type, or Path.

3. Check the scanning result under Deleted Files, Recycle Bin, or Other Missing Files. Choose the files you want to recover, and click on Recover x files. Select a new safe location for them.

Conclusion

After going through this article, you now have a better understanding of why M.2 SSD not show up in Windows 11. We've discussed the potential causes and provided detailed solutions. You can try each of the suggested fixes one by one. However, it's recommended to format the disk as a last resort, ensuring you have a backup of your data. For data recovery, consider using MyRecover, a highly recommended tool to recover deleted files in Windows 11.