2024 Write Protected SD Card Format Software Free Download with How-to Tutorial

Updated by

Roxanne 

Written by

Brithny 

Updated on Oct 29, 2024

Why do I receive [the disk is write-protected] notice when I try to move data into my memory SD card? What happened? When your SD card, pen drive or USB drive becomes inaccessible with the write protection enabled, you'll not be able to use it to store new data or transfer data normally.

Basic functions such as installing new data, delete data or move data from one drive to a new one will all being shut down by then. How to fix the disk is write protected error on your SD card in Windows 10 or newer operating systems? The direct solution is to remove the write protection on SD card or USB drive etc storage devices.

Best Write Protected SD Card Format Software Free Download

There are several attainable ways for you to remove the write protection and among all, EaseUS Windows CleanGenius is the most recommended write protection removal tool . It's third-party write protection removal software that simplifies the command methods and enables you to unlock a write-protected SD card with the most efficient and quickest way to.

To make full use of your SD card, we suggest that you follow to learn how to remove the write protection from SD card at first, then you can turn to a reliable write protected SD card format software to reset the SD card safe and secure for storing data again. And here is how to do so:

#1. Remove Write Protection from SD Card

EaseUS Partition Master Free Edition gives you a direct solution to remove write protection from your write-protected USB, USB external disk or SD card in simple clicks. Here is how to do so:

Step 1. Download and install EaseUS Partition Master, go to the Toolkit section, and click "Write Protection".

Step 2. Select your write protected USB, USB external disk or SD card, and click "Disable".

Alongside removing write protection from SD card, you can also apply this tool to fix similar issues on other types of storage devices, for example:

#2. Best Write Protected SD Card Format Software Free Download

After removing the write protection, you will be able to access the SD card or USB drive. To ensure that your SD card is safe to use, you are highly recommended to format the SD card with relaible write protected SD card format software.

Also, if you still cannot access an SD card or USB drive, you can use EaseUS Partition Master Free to format it thoroughly. It's available here for you to free download and try now:

Step 1. Select the USB drive to format.

Connect the USB drive or pen drive to your computer. Download and launch EaseUS partition software. Right-click the USB drive you intend to format and choose "Format".

Step 2. Set the drive letter and file system on USB.

Assign a new partition label, file system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and cluster size to the selected partition, then click "OK".

Step 3. Check "Yes" to confirm formatting USB.

Click "Yes" if you see the Warning window. If you have important data on it, back up the data in advance.

Step 4. Apply the changes.

Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button first, and then click "Apply" to format the USB drive.

How to Manually Remove Write Protection from SD Card, USB or Pen Drive

Besides the automatic way of downloading write protection removal software to unlock the SD card, you can also try the other three methods to restore the write protected storage device back to normal, all by yourself.

Method 1. Check the Lock Switch on Your SD card/USB Drive

The very first thing that you need to do is to check whether the SD card or USB drive is locked.

Go and check whether the SD card or USB drive have switches, if the switch is locked, please unlock it.

Method 2. Check the SD Card/USB Drive's Properties

Step 1. Go to My Computer, click Devices with Removable Storage.

Step 2. Right-click SD card or USB drive and choose "Properties".

Step 3. Choose to "Remove write-protection".

Note that this option doesn't appear on all SD card, only very few brands of SD card has this option. If your SD card doesn't have it, move to the next method for help.

Method 3. Disable Write Protection in Registry

• Connect SD card or USB drive with PC, click Start.
• Type regedit in the search bar and click it.
• Select the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" and click "System".
• Find "Current Control Set" and click "Control"
• Check whether there is a key named "Storage Device Policies" to change the digit in the "DWORD value" box into "0" and press "OK" to save the change.

Note:

If you cannot find the key named "Storage Device Policies", you are supposed to create a one:

• Right-click "Control" to create a new key and name it as "Storage Device Policies". 
• Right-click this new key to open "DWORD Value" and name it as "write protect". 

• Double click it to change the DWORD number from "1" to "0".

After this, you may close the Registry Editor and then disconnect your SD card, restart the PC. And them, you can restart your PC, and reconnect the SD card to see if it's usable now.

If not, doesn't matter, you can apply EaseUS Partition Master as shown above to format it to resuable again.

Bonus Tip: Erase and Reset Write Protected SD Card to Factory Settings

Note that if you decide to reset your write protected SD card to its factory settings, please back up some essential content to an external device or another safe location.

Then, you can apply EaseUS Partition Master Free Edition with its wipe feature to completely erase the SD card to factory settings.

Here is how to do so:

Step 1. Connect the external devices to the PC. Then, right-click the external device, and choose "Wipe Disk".

Step 2. Set the number of times to wipe data. (You can set to 10 at most.) Then click "OK".

Step 3. Click "Execute 1 Task(s)" and then click "Apply".

After this, you are good to use your SD card as a fresh SD card and you are good to store anything you want on it.

FAQs About Wirte Protected SD Card Format Software

On this page, we collected the best write protection removal tool and the best write protected SD card format software to help you fully clear write protection on your SD card. 

If you are familiar with Windows computers, you can also use the manual methods provided in the second part on this page for help. If you still have some questions about SD card write protection removal issue, follow and find the answers below.

1.  How do you format a write protected SD card?

To format a write protected SD card, you should first use a write protection removal tool or manual method to remove the write protection from the SD card at first.

Then, you can use Windows File Explorer or Disk Management, right-click the SD card, and select "Format". Then set a new file system to the SD card, confirm to format it.

2. How do you remove wirte protection on a SD card?

To remove write protection from an SD card, you can use third-party write protection removal tool like EaseUS Windows CleanGenius as recommended above. Or, you may try running CMD or Registry Editor to clear the write protection.

3. How to format write protected SD card using cmd?

To format a write protected SD card using CMD, you can try these tips:

• Connect SD card to PC.
• Open Command Prompt, type diskpart.
• Type the following commands and hit Enter each time:
• list disk
• select disk * (Replace * with the disk number of SD card).
• attributes disk clear readonly
• Type list volume and hit Enter.
• Type select volume * and replace * with the volume bumber of SD card.
• Type format fs=fat32 or fs=ntfs quick and hit Enter.

After this, close diskpart window, and you are done by formatting a write protected SD card with CMD.