How to Format an SD Card on Mac Using the Disk Utility If you already have a dock with USB A ports then a standard USB SD card reader will work just fine.īe sure to get a card reader that can accept both full-size SD cards and the more common micro-SD type. So only go the more expensive route if you were in the market for a dock anyway. Card readers by themselves are pretty inexpensive, but docks can be quite pricey. If your Mac doesn’t have an SD card slot, you’ll need to buy a USB SD card reader or get a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 dock that features one as one of its ports. Older MacBooks have built-in SD card slots, so using an SD card on such machines is straightforward. If you have a recent MacBook, you probably know that there are no ports on your computer besides two or four USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports. What You Need to Format an SD Card on Mac These are only appropriate for internal Mac drives and external drives that will only be used with a Mac, where data integrity is also important.
Check the manual for the device the SD card is destined for to ensure you pick the optimal format.ĭon’t choose any of the macOS journaled formats. exFAT has the advantage of supporting file sizes larger than 4GB. Most devices and computer operating systems can read either of these formats. There are various formats that you can use for SD cards, but most of the time the correct choice is either FAT32 or exFAT. So next we’ll look at which format is best for an SD card. The main consideration is whether the device you’re going to use the SD card with can read that particular format or not. There are various format types, each with their own pros and cons. You’ll also want to format an SD card when you need to use it in a device that needs a different format from the one the card currently uses. Making it a quick indicator of drive health. If the card is faulty, a format will usually fail. You can simply use the camera to format and are not required to do the steps via a computer.If the SD card is still physically fine, you can usually format it and keep using it.
If your microSD card capacity is greater than 32GB, you must use this method. You should then hear: "Formatting the SD card, please do not turn off the power."įormatting a card via the PC Player. Release and hold for a further 5 seconds until another beep is heard. To format the microSD card press the Wi-Fi/format button on the side of the dashcam for 5 seconds until the dash cam beeps. (Camera power is required to do this step) If your camera is experiencing an issue, formatting the SD card is generally one of the better steps to resolve any problems. We recommend formatting the microSD card once every two weeks to help increase the longevity of the card. There are few reasons as to why you might want to format the SD card in the first place.
If you format your SD card, it is going to remove all of the footage off of the micro SD card, so make sure you backup anything first. BlackVue uses a microSD card to store all of the footage.