Fix Photos on SD Cards Not Showing on the Computer

One of my hobbies is traveling and taking photos of hills and forests. After the trip, the priority is uploading the pictures from the Camera SD card to my Windows Desktop PC.

So I can edit the photos and keep a safe backup. Everything was OK until last week.

Suddenly, I see problems uploading images from the Camera memory card to my computer.

While checking online, I found that I am not the only one facing trouble loading photos from the camera SD card to a Windows 11 laptop.

This tutorial explains the reasons preventing photos from loading from an SD card on a Windows 11 device.

We will also explain how to transfer undetected photos from an SD card to Windows laptops.

Let us check the reasons that prevent an SD card from loading photos while connected to a Windows 11 laptop.

1. Corrupted SD Card Driver

   A corrupted or outdated SD card driver will cause problems loading photos and other files while connected to a Windows computer.

   
   

   Outdated SD Card Driver results in errors in loading pictures.

   
   

   I remember I faced a similar problem with my Samsung Galaxy phone last year. I could not upload images and video files from my Samsung Galaxy phone to my Windows 10 laptop.

   
   

   I fixed that problem by updating the phone driver.

   
   

   So, an outdated or corrupted SD card driver will show failed to load photos in the memory card message.

   
   

2. Loose Connection Between the SD Card and PC

   A loose connection is another reason for not loading photos from an SD card to a Windows computer.

   
   

3. Unsupported Image File Format

   It is a rare but valid reason for not showing images on a Windows laptop from an SD card.

   
   

   Windows 11 will not detect unsupported file formats.

   
   

   If the image format is unsupported, windows will not detect them on your camera memory card.

   
   

4. No Valid Drive Letter Assigned to The SD Card

   Sometimes, plug-and-play will not work, and Windows 11 may not assign a drive letter to the SD Memory card. If so, your computer will not load files from the SD card.

   
   

5. Possible Malware Infection

   If your computer or the memory card has a virus infection, it will affect the loading of files.

   
   

6. Corrupted or Unsupported SD Card

   Windows 11 cannot fetch photos and files from a corrupted SD card.

   
   

   Corrupted SD Card Causes failed load photos error.

   
   

   An SD card in an unsupported file format will also cause problems with loading photos.

We have covered why photos won't load from an SD card while connected to a Windows laptop.

Once we know the reason, we can fix the issues with loading images from an SD card.

Let us check how to solve the problem of pictures won't load from the SD card.

1. Connect the SD Card With a Different Medium

   The first solution to fix pictures that won't load from an SD card is to connect it to a Windows computer in a different method.

   A loose connection might be the primary reason behind the trouble loading images from the memory card.

   
   

   Disconnect the Data cable and reconnect if your first attempt fails.

   
   

   For example, I had trouble transferring photos from my Samsung Galaxy phone to a Windows 10 laptop last year.

   A direct Data cable between the laptop and the Samsung Galaxy failed to load images.

   So, I had to take out the memory card and connect it to the PC with a card reader.

   
   

   Insert the SD card into a different device and try to load the photos.

   
   

   It worked. So, you can try this method if your camera or smartphone has problems loading photos.

   
   

2. Update the SD Card Driver

   The second solution to fix issues with loading images from a camera memory card is to update the driver.

   As I told you, my Android Samsung phone's SD card had problems loading photos.

   
   

   We can update the driver through the Device Manager.

   
   

   I fixed it by updating the Samsung phone driver. Let me explain it step by step.

   
   

   • Connect the device with the SD card (Android smartphone or camera) to your Windows laptop with a USB cable.

     
     

   • Press the Windows and R keys together to open the Run.

     
     
     

     Type devmgmt.msc and click OK to open the Device Manager.

     
     

   • Find the SD card from the listed devices. Right-click the SD card (or the phone or camera) and click Update driver.

   
   

   You can let Microsoft detect the latest driver or download it directly from the vendor's website.

   How to Update Driver?
   
   

3. Assign a Valid Drive Letter to the SD Card

   If the SD card has no valid drive letter, assign it to fix problems loading pictures.

   Let me explain the steps.

   
   

   • Connect the SD card to your Windows laptop.

     
     

   • Press the Windows and X keys together.

     
     
     

     Click Disk Management from the menu.

     
     

   • Right-click on the SD card memory and assign a drive letter.

   
   

4. Scan the Computer and SD Card With AntiVirus tools

   If the Windows 11 PC or the SD card has a malware infection, it will prevent loading images from the memory card.

   
   

   Keep your SC card safe from malware infection.

   
   

   Scan the computer and the SD card with a reputed Anti-Virus tool to fix this problem.

   Top Rated Best Free Antivirus With Download Link
   
   

5. Format the SD Card

   If the SD card has an unsupported file format, you must format it with your Windows 11 device.

   Windows will not load images from an SD card with an unsupported format.

I have a Canon camera and had trouble loading pictures from the SD card. I ejected the SD card from the Canon camera and reinserted it. After that, the pictures showed without issues.

Many users complain about viewing photos on a computer loaded from the camera SD card. They can see them on the SD card on the camera.

They cannot see the photos on the SD card after being connected to a computer.

Change the default camera settings and ensure the photos are in supported image formats.

Sometimes, Android phones show problems loading images stored on the SD card. It might be due to a loose connection. To fix it, eject the memory card and insert it back.