SD Card Keeps Disconnecting Mac? Fix It & Recover Lost Files Easily

Why does your SD card keep disconnecting on Mac? Check real causes, quick fixes, and a safe way to get back your lost photos here.

Common Reasons Why SD Card Keeps Disconnecting

My M1 Macbook Air keeps ejecting my SD card. I bought a new one, thinking that this would resolve the problem, but it doesn't, so I bought a new card reader and...same problem! If I don't open the SD card's folder, everything is good, but when I open it for 10 seconds and BOOM, it is ejected randomly. I tried to format the SD too with Utility, and reset SMC, but nothing! Can anyone help me? I would really appreciate it. - from Apple Community

If your SD card keeps disconnecting on Mac, you're not alone. Many Mac users deal with this annoying problem just like you, especially when using external card readers or USB-C hubs.

Here are some potential reasons that might cause this Mac SD card connection issue:

• ⚠️Loose connection. It's the first reason you should consider; maybe it's your card reader, tiny bits of dust or oil can interrupt contact between the SD card and the reader.
• ⚠️Outdated macOS or driver issues. As a macOS user, you cannot update the SD card driver independently. If your SD card is not readable on a Mac, you may need to update macOS.
• ⚠️SD card corrupted file system. When the SD card is corrupted, you might also see warning messages like "Disk Not Ejected Properly."
• ⚠️Power-saving settings. macOS sometimes puts idle drives to sleep. That can accidentally cut off your SD card connection mid-transfer.

How to Stop the SD Card from Disconnecting on Mac

To resolve this SD card keeps ejecting issue on your Mac, you can follow various solutions. But if you have already lost important files because of this problem, it's better to apply professional Mac SD card recovery software to rescue essential data.

Method 1. Check the SD Card Physical Connection First

It's the first thing you should try, and the simplest method to troubleshoot an SD card that keeps disconnecting and reconnecting. Follow these ways to check your connection:

• Use another SD card reader or USB port.
• Connect the card directly to your Mac instead of using a USB hub.
• Connect your SD card to another Mac or your digital camera to see if it behaves the same way.

After trying all these test methods, your SD card is still disconnecting everywhere, or the SD card is not showing up on the Mac; the card itself is likely failing.

You can also share these test methods on social media to help more Mac users resolve this external drive disconnection problem.

Method 2. Change Battery Settings and Never Put Hard Disks to Sleep

You may turn on the Mac's power saving feature to disconnect the external devices when sleeping. It can unintentionally eject external drives. Turning off this feature might be helpful:

Step 1. Go to System Settings > Battery.

Step 2. Look for the option "Put hard disks to sleep when possible."

Step 3. Change the setting to "Never" and restart your Mac.

After this change, your SD card should stay connected even during longer transfers or while idle.

Method 3. Update macOS to Resolve the Card Recognition Problem

Sometimes, it's just the macOS operating system bugs that prevent your SD card from connecting to your Mac. In that case, you should try to update macOS to the latest version, cause Apple regularly releases small patches that improve how macOS handles external drives.

Go to System Settings > General > Software Update, then install any pending updates. Reboot your Mac afterward, and test your SD card again. Many users report that a simple system update fixed their random ejection problem instantly.

Method 4.  Run First Aid to Fix SD Card Connection Issue

To fix an SD card that has file system errors, macOS has a handy built-in utility called First Aid. It can check file system errors automatically and try to repair them. You can find this feature in Disk Utility and repair an SD card on a Mac:

Step 1. Open Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities) on your Mac.

Step 2. Select your SD card from the sidebar.

Step 3. Click First Aid, then choose Run. The process won't be long; wait until the process completes, and review the report.

Method 5. Reformat SD Card in Disk Utility

This is the final solution you can try. Formatting your SD card can also fix corruption issues, but you'll lose everything if you don't back up your memory card. Check on how to format an SD card in Disk Utility:

Step 1. Open Disk Utility and choose your SD card.

Step 2. Click "Erase".

Step 3. Pick a suitable format like exFAT (for files over 4GB) or MS-DOS (FAT32).

Step 4. You can rename your card and then click "Erase" again.

Rescue Data from Keeps Disconnecting SD Card on Mac

For SD cards that become unreadable, RAW, or your files are accidentally missing because of a sudden SD card disconnection, you need to recover data from the SD card. If you don't have any backups, try professional SD card recovery software is a good choice.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is built for exactly these scenarios. It can scan an unstable or corrupted SD card and restore files.

After reformatting the card in Disk Utility, you can still unformat the SD card on Mac with EaseUS recovery tool. What makes it especially useful is that it works even if your SD card disconnects intermittently during scanning. The software pauses automatically and continues once the card reconnects, minimizing data loss risk. And this software can help you build an SD card disk image backup.

Check the following tutorial to recover missing data from an SD card:

Step 1. Select the SD card

• Correctly connect your memory card to your Mac. Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac.
• Go to "SD Card Recovery", find your Canon/Nikon/Go Pro/DJI/Sony SD card, and click "Search for lost files".

Step 2. Filter lost SD card data

After the scan, all files will be presented in the left panel in the scan results. Find wanted photos, videos, and other files.

Step 3. Preview and recover data

Preview the SD card data and select the wanted files. Then, click the "Recover" button. Don't save the recoverable files to the SD card itself in case of data overwriting.

If this SD card recovery tool is helpful, don't hesitate to share it on social media and help more friends!

Conclusion

Most of the time, you can fix SD card disconnection issues by reconnecting your SD card or card reader. If your data has already been affected, remember that it's often recoverable with the right software. Tools like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac exist to bridge that gap between hardware quirks and lost memories.

SD Card Connection Issues FAQs

Still have questions about SD card connection issues? Check the following information and learn more:

1. Why does my SD card eject from my Mac?

Your SD card may keep ejecting because of a loose connection, dirt on the card's metal contacts, or system sleep settings. Sometimes, macOS power-saving features or outdated drivers also cause random disconnections.

2. How can I fix the microSD card not connecting to the Mac?

Start by cleaning the card and slot, then reinsert it firmly. Try using a different adapter or USB port. Finally, check Disk Utility to see whether the SD card appears but isn't mounted.

3. How can I update SD card drivers on my MacBook?

macOS updates drivers automatically through system updates. To refresh the SD card reader driver, go to System Settings > General > Software Update and install available updates.