“Hello everyone! I’m having trouble with my SanDisk card—it’s showing as write-protected, and I can’t add or delete files. I’ve checked for any physical lock switches but no luck. Any advice on how to remove this write protection? Thanks in advance for any help!”
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Have you checked our knowledge base articles?
(Get Support for Your SSDs and Flash Products | SanDisk)
Try these
- How to Unlock a Write Protected SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Card | SanDisk
- Solutions to a Write Protected or Locked microSD Memory Card | SanDisk
Have you opened a Support Case?
If not, contact SanDisk Technical Support for assistance.
(Contact Support | SanDisk)
Hello! Write protection on a SanDisk card can be frustrating. Here are some steps you can try:
Check the Lock Switch Again: Even if you’ve checked, try toggling it a few times, as sometimes it can get stuck or be loose.
Use Diskpart (Windows): If you’re on Windows, you can use the Diskpart utility to remove write protection:
Open Command Prompt as an Administrator.
Type diskpart and press Enter.
Then, type list disk to see the connected drives.
Find your SanDisk card’s number, then type select disk X (replace X with your disk number).
Type attributes disk clear readonly and press Enter.
Check Registry Settings (Windows):
Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies.
If you see a key called WriteProtect, double-click on it, set the value to 0, and restart your computer.
Try Disk Utility (Mac):
Open Disk Utility, select your SanDisk card, and try reformatting it (be sure to back up any important data first).
Also, check permissions by right-clicking on the card icon on your desktop and selecting “Get Info.” Ensure permissions allow read and write access.
Try a Different Card Reader: Sometimes, the issue is with the reader or USB port rather than the card itself.
Format the Card: As a last resort, try formatting the card. This will erase all data, so be cautious.
Hopefully, one of these steps will help you get rid of the write protection!
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People on Reddit have reported similar issues where an SD card becomes write-protected for no apparent reason, even when the physical lock is set to “off.”
You can try some basic troubleshooting steps, but many end up replacing the faulty SD card.
To prevent this problem, it’s a good idea to back up your SD card regularly, always eject it safely, and avoid using the same card across multiple devices.
If there’s no physical lock switch or it’s not set to "lock, you can still remove the write-protection from SD card using Diskpart command, Windows Registry Editor or Group Policy.
Mostly Formatting will save all your issues, but I suggest try some manual methods to remove the write protection. Check out this article to know 5 Ways to Remove Write Protection from SD Card without Losing Data.
