How to Fix My Phone Keeps Saying SD Card Removed?

Are you facing the issue of sd card unexpectedly removed? If yes, then this post will be valuable for you. In this post, you will find different ways to fix the issue of SD card error to make your files accessible again. So, read through it till the end.

Author Avatar Joy Taylor Last Updated: Oct. 08, 2021

My phone keeps showing SD card unexpectedly removed error. This error message keeps displaying when I tap on an application on my phone. I have restarted my device many times; however, the problem still exists. I am not able to understand why does the SD card keeps disappearing? Can anyone suggest an sd card unexpectedly removed solved guide to fix the error.

My Phone Keeps Saying SD Card Removed

My Phone Keeps Saying SD Card Removed

Are you facing a similar situation as stated by the above user? If that’s true, then you are not alone. You might get an SD card to store extra space for photos, documents, applications, audio, videos, etc., in your Android phone. But, the SD card that you have inserted in your mobile to enhance its storage space may sometimes become a problem.

This SD card unexpectedly removed error has confused many Android users, due to which you may encounter an error message like “SD card removed, insert a new one” or “sd card unexpectedly removed” every time you access your Android smartphone. So, if you are looking for an sd card unexpectedly removed solved guide, then the post is ready to help you.

Why Is My SD Card Unexpectedly Removed?

Android phones and tablets allow the users to use an external storage device, i.e., an SD card, to increase the storage capacity of their device. Thus, you can add an SD card with large storage space in your Android device to store more stuff. But, the longer you use the device, the more likely it will get into a problem.

Why Is My SD Card Unexpectedly Removed

Why Is My SD Card Unexpectedly Removed

One of the most common problems that occur in Android phones and tablets is “sd card unexpectedly removed,” which leads to the failure of SD card. But before we move to the sd card unexpectedly removed solved part, it becomes important for you to understand the possible reasons behind this error message. Below is the list that shows why you may face such an issue.

  • The SD card is simply incompatible with your mobile. There are some mobiles that are only designed to handle a class 2 or 4 SD card. So, if you have inserted a class 10, a high-speed card, then your mobile will be overloaded.
  • The SD card has broken due to long-term use.
  • The SD card is corrupted.
  • The mobile that you are using is physically damaged. That is why it has a loose connection with the SD card.
  • The SD card has got some virus.

Now that you know why the “sd card unexpectedly removed” error can happen, make sure to that change the card if it is corrupted, check the compatibility of your Android phone before you buy an SD card for it, and if it’s broken, get your hands on a new one.

How to Fix SD Card Unexpectedly Removed Issue?

Along with all the reasons for an SD card failure mentioned above, you can get the “sd card unexpectedly removed” error notification suddenly for other unknown reasons as well. However, there is no need for you to get panic as now we’ll discuss the sd card unexpectedly removed solved guide.

In the coming part of the post, you read about different ways in which you can easily fix the “sd card unexpectedly removed” error by trying five methods along with a bonus tip. So, make sure that you follow all the steps in a particular order to get desired results.

Method 1. Re-insert the SD Card and Restart Your Phone

The first and easiest method that you can try to solve the problem of the SD card being unexpectedly removed is by reinserting the SD card in your phone. Here are the steps to do it.

Re-insert the SD Card and Restart Your Phone

Re-insert the SD Card and Restart Your Phone

  1. Switch off your device and remove the SD card.
  2. If there’s a removable battery in your mobile, remove it for a few minutes.
  3. Switch on the device and go to the Settings option and then tap on the Storage option to check if the SD card is removed.
  4. Switch off the device once and re-insert the SD card again in the dedicated slot.
  5. Switch on the device again to check if the “sd card unexpectedly removed” error is fixed.

Advantages of Using This Method

  • It is the simplest way to fix any issues related to SD card.
  • If the card is not corrupted, the data on your external storage device, i.e., SD card, will remain secure.

Restrictions of Using This Method

  • If you remove the SD card without switching off the device, you may run the risk of damaging the SD card.
  • The method is not 100 percent effective.

Method 2. Unmount and Reboot the SD Card

There are several Android devices that come with the feature of unmounting SD card in the Settings option. You can use it to safely remove the SD card from the device. Let’s see how it’s done.

Unmount and Reboot the SD Card

Unmount and Reboot the SD Card

  1. Open Settings on your device, tap on the Storage option, and then click on the Unmount SD card option.
  2. Remove the SD card from the device.
  3. Turn off the device and insert your SD card into your device again.
  4. Finally, set up the SD card.

Advantages of Using This Method

  • It is safe to remove the SD card in this manner as there stand no chances of SD card corruption.
  • You can set up the SD card again to make sure there is no error in the device.

Restrictions of Using This Method

  • You may not find unmount the SD card option in all the Android devices.
  • If you remove the SD card from your device without turning it off, it can cause problems while transferring the information from the SD card to the device or vice-versa.

Method 3. Format the SD Card

The “sd card unexpectedly removed” error notification can occur due to corruption on the SD card. So, in order to eradicate this issue, you can try formatting the SD card with a computer once. To do so, you can follow the below-mentioned steps.

Format the SD Card on Your Computer

Format the SD Card on Your Computer

  1. Take a backup of the SD card’s data to the internal memory.
  2. Connect the SD card to the PC with a card reader.
  3. Go to This PC/My Computer to locate the external drive.
  4. Right on the desired drive and select the Format option.
  5. Uncheck the Quick Format option and perform regular formatting with fat32.
  6. Wait for some time till the formatting process is completed. Now insert the SD card into the Android device once again.
  7. Now, go to the device’s Settings and select the Storage option, and format the SD card from the device.
  8. Shift the data back to the SD card.

Advantages of Using This Method

  • Formatting an SD card allows you to clear old and unwanted files
  • Formatting an SD card reduces the risk of data corruption

Restrictions of Using This Method

  • It is a time-consuming process, based on the storage space of the SD card, the formatting time can vary.
  • Without taking a prior backup, you will end up losing all the data.

Method 4. Perform a Factory Resetting

Another way to eliminate the “sd card unexpectedly removed” error message is by performing a factory reset in the Android device. This method is considered risky, but it can help you access the files and documents stored on the SD card. With factory resetting, you will be able to restore the device to the original manufacturer’s settings. Here are the steps to follow to factory reset your Android device.

Perform a Factory Resetting

Perform a Factory Resetting

  1. Go to the Settings option on your device and select the Backup & Reset option.
  2. Choose the Factory data reset option.
  3. Click on Erase all data and, if required, enter the password, PIN, or pattern lock of the device.
  4.  Once all the data is erased, restart the device. Set up the device and restore the backed-up data.

Advantages of Using This Method

  • It is one of the best ways to make your Android device work in a smooth manner
  • Factory resetting will mostly fix all the system errors of the device

Restrictions of Using This Method

  • Factory resetting without taking backup of SMS, contacts, media files, and other useful information will lead to data loss.
  • It is technically a breach of Android settings. That’s why it can be risky to perform.

Method 5. Put Android Phone into Recovery Mode

Putting the Android phone into recovery mode is the last method in the sd card unexpectedly removed solved guide to solve this SD card error. After keeping the phone in recovery mode, clear the caches files so that you can gain access to the files of your SD card. Here are the steps that you need to follow.

Put Android Phone into Recovery Mode

Put Android Phone into Recovery Mode

  1. Switch off the device. Press and hold the Volume Up, Home, and Power button to boot the device into recovery mode.
  2. Press the Volume key to select the Wipe cache partition option and press the Power button to confirm it.
  3. Select the Reboot system option.

Advantages of Using This Method

  • This method will help in fixing all the firmware or software issues.
  • It refreshes the memory of the phone. Thus, sd card unexpectedly removed error message can be fixed.

Restrictions of Using This Method

  • By clearing the caches partition, you will be able to delete the temporary junk of the device.
  • You will lose the data of all the saved passwords and web pages.

How Do I Keep an SD Card Safe?

Often we take SD cards for granted, due to which it can cause issues like sd card unexpectedly removed errors, corrupt SD cards, etc. All these issues can lead to data loss from SD cards. Thus it becomes important for you to handle and use them correctly. Below are several tips that you can follow in order to keep your SD card safe and away from errors.

How to Keep an SD Card Safe

How to Keep an SD Card Safe

  • Don’t forget to use the Eject feature on your PC before removing out an SD card reader. It will make sure that the PC has stopped using the SD card.
  • Never keep your SD cards in an open space or straight in any pocket, as it can make your card unreadable. Thus, ensure to have a dedicated memory card case where you can store them in a secure manner.
  • After taking enough backup files of the data stored on the SD card, make sure that you reformat it after every import. It will fix all the errors.
  • Before removing an SD card from an Android device, make sure to turn it off so that there’s no transfer of information.
  • If anytime you want to empty the SD card and erase all its data, then try to format it instead of using the delete option. Deleting all the data together can cause a problem.

Bouns Tip. How to Recover Data from Formatted SD Card?

If you format the SD card to repair the sd card unexpectedly removed errors, you can now rely on the DroidKit – Data Recovery tool to recover lost videos, photos, books, documents, ZIP files, and other files from the formatted SD card.

Whatever is the reason for SD card error or data loss, you can use its “Data Recovery from SD Card” feature to retrieve the data without facing any hassle. You can start using it by downloading the latest version on your PC. With this tool, you are not required to root the device or follow a complicated recovery process. In a few simple clicks, you will be able to access all the data on your SD card. Here are some top-notch features of the DroidKit Data Recovery tool.

  • Recover lost data from SD card without having any backup.
  • Supports different formats of SD cards like FAT16, FAT32, exFAT.
  • Removes screen locks of any kind, fixes all Android system issues without root, bypass Samsung FRP lock, etc. other than recovering data from SD cards.
  • 100% clean and secure to use.

After downloading and installing DroidKit on your PC, you can follow the below-given instructions to recover data from a formatted SD card.

Free Download

Free Download

* 100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Step 1. Launch DroidKit on your PC and select the Data Recovery from SD Card mode. Get your SD card connected to the PC via a card reader.

Choose Data Recovery from SD Card

Choose Data Recovery from SD Card

Step 2. Choose a recovery mode to start the scanning process. DroidKit offers Standard Recovery and Advanced Recovery mode for SD card recovery. Select Standard Recovery mode to scan only the deleted files. Else, select the Advanced Recovery mode to find complete files.

Choose One Recovery Mode

Choose One Recovery Mode

Step 3. Wait for the scanning procedure to finish.

Scan SD Card Data

Scan SD Card Data

Step 4. Once done, all the files will be shown in categories. You can preview the files you want to restore, then click To PC to initiate the recovery process.

Recover Data from SD Card

Recover Photos from SD Card

The Bottom Line

With this, you will be able to fix the issue of “sd card unexpectedly removed” without any hassle. You can use any of the methods shown in the above sd card unexpectedly removed solved guide; however, we suggest you try your hands on the DroidKit Data Recovery tool. It is an effective and one-stop solution for all Android systems and data recovery problems.

Free Download

Free Download

* 100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Author Avatar
Joy Taylor Twitter Share Facebook Share

Member of iMobie team as well as an Apple fan, love to help more users solve various types of iOS & Android related issues.

Back to Top Icon