7 Quick Ways| How to Fix Pictures Not Load from SD Card

How to fix pictures not load from SD cards? In this post, you will get 7 practical ways to fix it. Moreover, you can recover photos from SD cards easily if needed. Keep reading now!

By @Lori Last Updated October 28, 2024

“My computer failed to load photo on SD card. These pictures hold precious memories. Is there any solution to recover these valuable pictures and videos from the SD card? Or how do I fix these pictures not load from SD card? Need help urgently!”

Many users encounter issues with pictures won't load from SD cards correctly. Wondering how to resolve the error of the SD card not loading pictures such as PNG, JPG, JPEG, GIF, ORF, RAF…image files?

If you’re bothered by the above problems, fret not; there's a solution. Initially, copy the photos to a secure location. Subsequently, employ practical techniques to repair the SD card.

In this guide, we offer an effective way to recover deleted or lost photos from SD cards. And, using 7 practical fixes to aid you in solving this issue. Let's dive right in.

Why Are My Photos Not Loading from SD Card?

“Why can't I import photos from an SD card to a computer?” Troubleshooting pictures not loading from SD card error requires identifying the underlying causes. Here are 7 common potential factors leading to this problem:

  • Incorrect connection between your SD card and the computer
  • Virus attacks
  • Incompatible image file format
  • No drive letter to SD card
  • Outdated SD card driver
  • SD card issues (corruption or bad sectors)
  • Insufficient power

Part 1. How to Recover Photos from SD Card

No need to panic if you can't load the photos on your SD card saved in your camera or phone. Before rushing to fix your SD card, make sure your images and other files are safe. Repair methods may result in data loss, so consider making backups first to prevent disaster.

But if there are deleted files on your SD card, we recommend MyRecover, powerful SD card recovery software to recover deleted photos and videos from SD cards before repair.

Its high success rate, affordability, and user-friendly interface make it a top choice among many data recovery tools. For example, MyRecover can help you recover deleted photos and videos from Sigma cameras.

MyRecover
SD Card Recovery Software
  • Support different brands of SD cards such as SanDisk, Kingston, Samsung, ADATA, Transcend, PNY, Lexar, etc.
  • Recover 200+ formats: Besides MS Office files, it can recover deleted common image formats (JPG, PNG, BMP, etc.) MP3, CDA, MP4, MOV, AVI, and more from camera or other storage devices.
  • Advanced scanning method: MyRecover runs Quick Scan & Deep Scan automatically to find all the retrievable pictures/videos and other lost files on your computers.
  • Support NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS file systems in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and Windows Server.

Get this recovery tool and operate with the following simple steps to recover deleted/missing photos and videos on your SD cards.

Step 1. Connect your SD card to the Windows. Download and run MyRecover on your PC. Hover the mouse over the SD card and click Scan.

Step 2. You can search or wait to view all the deleted and other missing files from the SD card after running automatically.

Step 3. Go to the Other Missing Files folder, and select your desired pictures. Then click “Recover x files”.

Step 4. Choose a new location for the recovered data and click Select Folder to confirm.

🌟Tip: MyRecover offers 3 subscription plans: Monthly, Yearly, and Lifetime. Select the plan that suits your data recovery needs. Please upgrade to MyRecover Pro/Tech for unlimited file recovery options.

Part 2. How to Fix Failed to Load Photo in SD Card Error

After recovering lost or deleted pictures from SD cards, you can easily solve not load photos in SD card issue with the following 7 effective methods.

Fix 1. Check USB Connection or SD Card Reader

Here's a collection of quick fixes to determine if there's a mechanical issue. Follow these steps or consider using a different card reader, USB port, or SD card:

1️⃣ Check the SD card for a small physical switch. Unlock the SD card and reconnect it to your computer.

2️⃣ Clear the SD card and port of any dust or debris using a dry microfiber cloth.

3️⃣ Test with another card reader or USB port to see if the problem persists.

4️⃣ Connect your SD card to another computer to check for damage.

5️⃣ Verify if the SD card appears in Windows File Explorer.

Fix 2. Remove Viruses or Malware

As we mentioned above, viruses or malware attacks can cause your pictures not to load from your SD card. To fix pictures won't load from SD card errors, you can try to eliminate the malicious viruses from your Windows PC.

Step 1. Press Win + I to open Windows Settings. Then click Update & Security Windows Security Virus & threat protection.

Step 2. On theVirus & threat protectionscreen, click the “Scan options” button.

Step 3. Select “Full scan” and click “Scan now” to begin the scanning process.

Fix 3. Check and Change the File Format of Images/Videos

If your pictures still not load from SD cards due to a unique file extension, please check if it's the images/videos file formats that do not work with your storage devices.

▶ Just connect your SD card to the PC >Press Win + E File Explorer > look at the image/video file types.

Stick with common ones like PNG, JPG, JPEG, GIF, AVI-they usually work on Windows and mobiles. If not, change them to a supported format.

You can use third-party video converters tools like the VLC media player. It can handle audio and video file formats.

Fix 4. Change/Assign a Drive Letter to your SD Card

Sometimes, your pictures from the camera SD card not loading on the computer because the drive has no drive letter. You need to change or assign a drive letter to the SD card using Disk Management. No drive letter may also be the reason the SD card is not accessible.

Step 1. Connect the SD card to your Windows computer, press “Win + R” and type “diskmgmt.msc” in the window. Then press “Enter” or click “OK” to open the Disk Management.

Step 2. Locate your SD card and right-click on it, then select “Change Drive Letter and Paths”.

Step 3. Select “Add” to assign a new drive letter to your SD card.

Step 4. Choose “Assign the following drive letter”. Please ensure the chosen drive letter is different from all the existing drive letters.

Fix 5. Reinstall the SD Card Driver

You may also encounter pictures won’t load from SD cards error when the SD card driver is outdated. To resolve this issue you need to uninstall and reinstall the SD card driver:

Step 1. Connect the SD card to your Windows computer. Press Win + R key, input devmgmt.msc, and press OK to start Device Manager.

Step 2. Expand Disk drives and find the SD card. Right-click it and click Uninstall device

Step 3. Then connect your SD card and restart the PC, the device driver will be automatically installed.

Fix 6. Run CHKDSK to Fix Unreadable Damaged SD Card

At times, if your SD card has bad sectors, internal errors, or a corrupted file system, Windows computers or cameras might struggle to read it. To restore readability, you can use the CHKDSK command to fix this error.

❌ Warning:

This method can be complex for users unfamiliar with computer operations. Alternatively, consider using the AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard. This free tool offers a user-friendly interface and efficiently resolves detected errors using CHKDSK.exe.

The following steps depict how to fix detected bad sectors or corrupted file systems of SD cards via CHKDSK.

Step 1. Connect your SD card to your computer properly. Type cmd in the search bar and choose Run as administrator to open the Command Prompt.

Step 2. Input chkdsk F:/f and press Enter. F refers to the drive letter of the SD card. If needed, you can replace the letter F with the drive letter of your SD card.

Fix 7. Format SD Card via Disk Management

If your SD card is corrupted, you can't view pictures on SD card. The PC can detect your SD card, but will display a format error. In this case, you need to format the SD card. But it’s worth noting that formatting will delete all your data, so make sure you perform data recovery before operating.

Step 1. Connect the SD card to your Windows computer, press “Win + R” and type “diskmgmt.msc” in the window. Then press “Enter” or click “OK” to open the Disk Management.

Step 2. Find the SD card and right-click on the SD card's volume, and click Format.

Step 3. Provide a volume label for the SD card and specify the desired file system. Make sure that "Perform a quick format" is turned on, then click OK.

FAQs

How do I allow my SD card to access my photos?
 
To enable your SD card to access photos, tap your profile photo in the top-right corner, then navigate to Photos settings > SD card access > Get started. Once you see the SD card content, allow access to your specific SD card by tapping "Allow access to SD card name," and then confirm by tapping Allow.
Why are pictures on SD card not showing in gallery?
 
If pictures on your SD card aren't appearing in the gallery, remove the SD card from your Android phone. Wait a few minutes before reinserting it. Remount the memory card to enable reading. Now, check if the images on the SD card are visible in the Gallery app.
Will I lose my photos if I format my SD card?
 
Yes, formatting SD card deletes everything. If you wish to retain the data, please click the Cancel button. However, formatted SD cards can be recovered using formatted data recovery software like MyRecover.
Does the type of SD card affect photo/video quality?
 
The type of SD card does not affect the quality of photos or videos. Picture quality depends on the imaging chip and camera software used to process the image. The memory card simply stores the data without impacting its quality.
How do you know if SD card is corrupted?
 
To check whether your SD card is corrupted, look for signs such as errors while accessing files, unexpected data loss, or the inability to read the card. These issues often indicate SD card corruption.

In the End

After following the above 7 practical ways, you'll successfully resolve the issue of your pictures not load from SD card and getting your SD card pictures back. Once you open the SD card on your device, the photos will load immediately.

Additionally, to prevent future problems and protect your SD card photos, consider these tips:

  • Regularly back up SD card data. Here, you could try this free backup software for Windows like AOMEI Backupper. Then, you can easily retrieve files from file backups.

  • Connect and unplug the SD card properly.
  • Timely update the SD card driver.
  • Run antivirus software to ensure security.

If files are lost, use powerful SD card recovery software like MyRecover for assistance to get your files back immediately. It can also recover deleted or lost files from various storage devices, including HDD, SSD, USB flash drives, and more.