How to Format SD Cards on macOS
As shortly as it comes to format SD cards on macOS, there are being plentiful fallbacks at your disposal: Disk Power, the Terminal, or also a finally-party deployment. If you’re attempting to opt the proper filesystem and placements, such as requiring compatibility via a Abode windows PC or readying the SD card for disposal, we have you extended. Adhere to along as we reprieve down the being plentiful methodologies for format SD cards on macOS.
FYI: peeking to style a USB drive instead? This overview proves how to lug out that on a Mac and PC.
- via Disk Power
- via Terminal
- via 3rd-Party Software course
- Pointers & Keys
via Disk Power
Disk Power is macOS’s constructed-in disk dealing with gizmo. It’s intuitive and a commendable spot to start.
Connect the SD card to your Mac. Open Finder, navigate to Applications -> Utilities, and amenable Disk Power.

On the vacated side of Disk Power, position and pick your SD card.

After assigning the SD card, click the Dislodge button.

Like the style you yearn. We advise ExFAT, as it’s compatible via almost all operating gizmos and tools, entailing Wily TVs. After deciding the hankered style, click the Dislodge button again.

As shortly as the style is attentive, click on Done.
Nice To Realise: there are being plentiful fraudulent SD cards. Also after format, your SD card could not show up to have as a jumble stoppage as it records. If you doubt that your SD card is a fraudulent, you telephone call for some unshackle tools to scrutinize SD card rate and feasible.
via Terminal
For those comfy via command-queue consumer interfaces, the Terminal offers a way to style SD cards via honesty.
Connect the SD card to your Mac. Open Terminal (Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal).

Kind diskutil list
and press Get in to see a list of all drives addicted to your Mac. Recognize your SD card by its name and measurement, after that note the identifier, which should attractiveness something prefer this: /dev/diskX
. The digit after “disk” will readjust for each disk.

To style the SD card, utilise the obeying command yet readjust diskX via your disk identifier:
diskutil eraseDisk FILESYSTEM CARDNAME /dev/diskX
For the FILESYSTEM, utilise ExFAT for compatibility via Abode windows or JHFS+ for Mac singular. Press Get in

Remember, this methodology necessitates warn. If you accidentally style the licentious disk, it can lead to documents loss.
Nice to Realise: if you accidentally style the licentious SD card, or your SD card seems to have priorities that administer it unobtainable to read documents from it, you’ll yearn to try some of our SD card heal and healing foibles. Through any kind of luck, they’ll preserve your documents from irreparable loss!
via 3rd-Party Software course
Plenty of finally-party software corrects administer added attentive format fallbacks. A new-made recourse is SD Card Formatter, a unshackle gizmo designed by the SD Association.
Download SD Card Formatter, and mount it on your Mac. Connect the SD card to your Mac. Open SD Card Formatter, and pick your SD card from the depreciate-down menu. Like the format recourse you prefer, and click Style.

The software is simple and offers a rapid way to style SD cards while guaranteing that they work-related together via official SD card standards. In other words, if something won’t read or compose to your SD Card after making serviceability of the official utility, there’s arguably something licentious via the reader or the card itself.
Pointers & Keys
If you’re incapable to style the SD card, it could be compose-maintained. Check for a physical button on the card that avoids writing or deleting documents. If this doesn’t aid, the card could be faulty or counterfeit.
If your SD card isn’t given by macOS, try tying it into a many act, or utilise a many card reader. Should it still not job, the card could be knocked down.
As shortly as readying your SD card for disposal, utilise the Guard Dislodge recourse in Disk Power. This will overwrite the card via absolutely absolutely nos, guaranteing that the documents cannot be comfortably bought. Alternatively, physical devastation is the being plentiful shield methodology of disposal. You’ll position the Guard Dislodge slider under the Rebuttal Options button in the Disk Power format dialog box.
If you’re peeking to upgrade your Mac, learn how the MacBook Pro contrasts to the MacBook Troposphere.
Image Source: Unsplash. All screenshots by Sydney Butler.