Simple Remedies to Fix "SD is full and is inaccessible" Error

Sometimes, your camera or phone shows "SD is full and is inaccessible" error even though there is enough space on the card. This happens due to many reasons like:

SD card full

  • Virus accumulation
  • Presence of bad sectors on the SD card
  • Corrupt SD card file system
  • Improper insertion/ejection of card
  • Disruptions during data transfer from/to SD card

But, you need not worry regarding this mysterious error- SD is full and is inaccessible, as here are the several fixes for the problem.

So, try below solutions one after the other and fix SD card is full and inaccessible error.

  1. Use SD Card in Another Device

Connect your SD card to the computer using a card reader. Copy entire files from the SD card to a new folder on the computer. Finally, format the SD card on the computer.

To format the SD memory card, follow this procedure:

  • Go to Devices and Drivers and find your SD card
  • Right-click on the SD card and opt Quick format
  • Click the Start button and hit OK
  1. Get Rid of Cached Data

You can try clearing the cached data from the internal memory of your smartphone if, you are getting “SD card is full and is inaccessible” error on the mobile. Cached data is nothing but the temporary files (junk data) which reside in the free space and you can delete it.

To do it, go to Settings of your smartphone and clear cached data.

  1. Use Command Prompt

Many times, Command Prompt helps you to fix several issues. So, go to Start menu and launch Command Prompt as Administrator. Then type in chkdsk D: /r command, where D is the drive letter of your SD card. The command will fix the corrupted SD card and hence, resolves "SD is full and is inaccessible" error.

Note: Before trying the above method, know the correct drive letter of your SD card. To know your SD card drive letter, go to This PC/My Computer and choose Devices Management option. There, note down the drive letter assigned to your SD card.

  1. Scan Your SD Card for Virus

Antivirus tool removes malware or malicious programs from the SD card by scanning it thoroughly. So, scan the card which is showing "SD is full and is inaccessible" error using an efficient antivirus software.

Caution: Possibilities are there that antivirus program may remove the files stored on the SD card along with hazardous threats if they are severely infected.

  1. Format the SD Card

If none of the above troubleshooting methods fail to help you then format the SD card using Command Prompt and recover formatted SD card data using Remo SD Card Recovery Software.

Here are the steps to format SD card from Command Prompt.

  • Open Command Prompt from Start menu
  • Type diskpart
  • Type list disk
  • Find the disk number that represents your SD card
  • Type select disk n (where n is your SD card disk number)
  • Type clean
  • Type create partition primary
  • Type select partition 1
  • Type active
  • Type format fs=fat32 quick
  • Type assign
  • Type exit

Also Read:

  1. How to Fix a Photoshop Disk Full, Could Not Save Error?
  2. Fix SD Card says Full or Empty and Recover Files | 2023 Guide 
  3. Fix Photoshop Scratch Disks are Full Error
  4. SD card Not Showing Full Size – Restore SD Card to Full Capacity
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John Harris

With a decade of experience in data recovery, John Harris, Senior Editor at Remo Software, is your go-to specialist. His focus includes partition management, Windows solutions, and data troubleshooting, delivering insightful content that serves both users and search engines.

John's expertise shines through in illuminating blog posts, untangling data loss intricacies across diverse storage platforms. His mastery extends from file systems to SD cards, USBs, and external drives on Mac and Windows.

Recognized by cpomagazine, everythingusb, and more, John Harris is your trusted data recovery guide. You can also find his articles featured on correctblogger.com, computertechreviews.

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