April 17
16 min. to read
Can't configure correctly your Mac's memory card? You can't use your device 100% before you do not set it up correctly.
Before we talk about how to clear SD cards on Mac we need to understand why this is necessary.
There are several reasons for cleaning the memory card:
It would be wise to clean the memory card as soon as you have dropped files on your computer or other media. Even though I don't work with memory storage devices all the time, thanks to our readers I know that most users have multiple SD cards. It's handy when recording videos or taking a lot of pictures. Modern media files weigh a lot, so in order not to interrupt recording unnecessarily, it is better to buy several at once. Now you know the main reasons to wipe the memory card. Now we tell you how to format the SD card to FAT 32 on Mac.
From this comes another reason: privacy. Cards are walking around between users only: we give one memory storage device to evaluate the work, and the other - to throw in the necessary files. Of course, there are ways to password-protect, but not everyone does so. So it would be better if you clean them regularly.
Note: For storage devices larger than 16 Gb or more, the FAT 32 format must be applied through the format drop-down menu.
Now, we will tell you a few ways on how to format SD cards on MacOS. Also, we show you the macOS version of programs to make this process quiver and easier.
So, how to format an SD card on a Mac by the terminal? Follow a few simple steps:
This command will reformat your SD card on Mac. The system may ask for the password to confirm your action. Enter it and you're done! If you have followed all these steps but still can't format the memory storage device, keep reading.
Despite performing all the methods perfectly, sometimes your Mac still cannot format the SD card. This may be due to the following reasons:
You can handle the first two problems with a little more care, but if you're stuck with a damaged or protected device, there's nothing you know how to reformat the SD card on Mac.
Use an external card reader if your Mac lacks a built-in SD card slot or if the card isn't recognized.
Go to "Applications" > "Utilities" > "Disk Utility" to open the Disk Utility application.
Within the Disk Utility interface, find your SD card listed on the left pane and select it. Be especially cautious if you have multiple cards or drives connected.
With the SD card selected, click on the "Erase" button situated at the top of the Disk Utility window.
In the dialog box that appears, choose a file format like FAT or ExFAT (recommended for most cameras). Consult your camera's manual to confirm. Other formats like NTFS or HFS+ may be available but are less common.
Use a descriptive name, possibly with sequence numbers or unique identifiers, for better organization, especially useful if you use multiple cards.
After setting the format and name, click "Erase" to start formatting. The process duration will vary based on the card's size, the chosen format, and the speed of the card reader.
Remember, formatting erases all data present on the card, so ensure any important files have been backed up beforehand.
Once you're done backing up, follow the steps below and you will know how to clear an SD card on Mac:
Connect the SD card to your Mac.
Go to the Finder, then Applications > Utilities to open Disk Utility.
Find your card in the left sidebar and select it.
Click on the Erase icon at the top toolbar.
Name the card and select MS-DOS (FAT)/FAT32 for cards 32GB or less; otherwise choose ExFAT.
Wait until the formatting is complete, then click Done
Safely remove your memory storage device when finished.
Now that you know several ways how to format micro SD cards on a Mac we should talk about some details. Don't be too excited to remove the flash drive without safely removing it from your Mac. Just make sure that you don't skip some operations and cause problems with the format SD card to FAT 32 on Mac.
Once the device is safely removed, you can use it for any purpose, such as on another device.
Sometimes we cannot avoid SD storage devices can be corrupted for various reasons. Regardless of the cause, you know how to format a memory card on Mac even if it a corrupted by following these steps:
If you plan to get rid of the SD card, you must find out how to erase the SD card on Mac completely using the dd command on your Mac.
This process is called Cancel Card because it involves overwriting your SD card with binary data - zeros and ones. This will remove all data from the card, including all file systems and partition tables. You can also use this tool to remove protected partitions from SD that applications like Disk Utility cannot remove. Now you know how to wipe an SD card on Mac, we talk about another way of formatting memory storage devices.
Notice: This will cause irretrievable data loss because it will clear your SD card. You should only try this if you have previously backed up important files and selected the correct card to scan.
There is another method how to clean an SD card on Mac and also protected partitions, follow a few easy steps to format your SD card:
Allow time for the process to complete. Depending on the size of your SD card, this process may take several hours.
The output of the command will complete the message and exit the terminal application at this point. Open the Disk Utility application With Launchpad and format the disk in your preferred file system. Now that we've talked about several ways to format an SD card on Mac we will tell you about other useful programs for such purposes and their additional functions.
The Disk Utility has a function to partition the drive. For example, you can make the first partition in FAT and the second in NTFS. To do this:
The number and amount of memory are set in the "Partition Scheme". Come up with a name for each partition, and in the "Format" tab, set the appropriate file system. For stable operation, it is recommended to use a flash drive with 16 GB or more.
The standard utility performs popular tasks for the average user. Other formatting programs can be used as alternatives.
The application great for the formatting of SD cards on Mac was created by a company that makes all modern memory storage devices. A great solution if you need to format microSD for your smartphone or camera. It is recommended to download the program only from the official website. SD Formatter is capable of formatting any device or file system. The user can choose between Quick format and Overwrite format. Due to the compatibility of the program with flash drives the formatting procedure will not harm the device. SD Formatter supports SDXC and microSDXC from 32GB to 2TB.
Another handy alternative is where you can partition, delete and format drives, including removable drives. The cleaning process takes a few minutes, and the formatting process follows the same pattern for a simple flash drive and an external hard drive. The trial version is enough for ordinary tasks, if you like the program, you can buy the full package from the official website.
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Following any of the above methods will clean up your memory storage devices and prepare them for use for any other projects you may have. Be careful when formatting the memory card, especially with Disk Utility. This can erase the data of another storage device. Although you can work with data recovery software, sometimes, even that may not help.