Samsung Issues

[Solved] 6 Ways to Fix Can't Write to SD Card on Samsung Phone

by Sophie Green   Updated on 2021-12-22 / Update for  Samsung

Samsung since the last update on 10/16/2020 I've had discernable issues accessing applications, with the notification "Can't write to SD Card." The Samsung SD Card was working perfectly before the update."

Your Samsung phone can't write to SD card Android? This is an issue reported by multiple users after the latest Samsung System Update. If you’re also one of these users, then you’ll be glad to know that you’re in the perfect place! This article will guide you on multiple possible scenarios that eventually lead to this issue.

Why Can't I Write to My SD Card on Samsung Phone

Multiple Samsung users have complained that they cannot write to SD card by using their phones. These users figured out that various different solutions have worked for them. Consequently, there are multiple causes and scenarios that result in this issue. The most probable scenarios are listed below:

  • The SD Card might have been incorrectly mounted.
  • The SD Card might be corrupted.
  • Your Samsung device might not support the SD Card type.
  • The SD Card might be dislodged.
  • The card slot or tray might be damaged.
  • A virus on your Samsung phone might be preventing you from accessing the SD Card.

6 Verified Ways to Solve Cannot Write to SD Card

By understanding possible reason, 6 verified ways will easily identify your issue which will make it much simpler for you to resolve the problem with an appropriate solution. With that said, let’s head straight into the guide.

Way 1: Unmount SD Card and Re-insert

An incorrectly mounted SD Card can result in can't write to SD Card Samsung. If this is your scenario, then simply unmount and re-insert the SD Card in your Samsung phone.

  • Press and hold the Power button to turn off your phone.
  • Insert the ejection tool or a paper clip in the SIM/SD Card slot to remove the tray.

    can't write to SD card – remove SD card
    Photo from verizon.com
  • Remove the SD Card from the SIM tray.
  • Re-insert the SD Card in the correct position and slide the tray back in.

    cannot write to sd card – insert sd card
    Photo from verizon.com
  • Press and hold the Power button to turn on the phone.

Way 2: Turn Off SD Card Protection

If you can't write to SD Card on Android, then there is a slight chance that SD Card protection has been enabled. This prevents you from writing any new data into the SD Card. To disable this feature, follow the steps below:

  • Remove the SD Card which is currently in read only state from your device.
  • Look for the ‘Lock’ switch on the SD Card.
  • Toggle the switch from ‘On’ to ‘Off’.

    Can't write to SD Card Samsung – turn off sd card protection
    Photo from Internet

Way 3: Try to Change SD Card

If you cannot write to SD Card, then there is a possibility that the SD Card type that you’re using isn’t supported by your Samsung phone. In other scenarios, the current SD Card might be damaged or corrupted preventing you from writing data onto the SD Card. In this case, you simply need to try a different SD Card on your Samsung device.

  • Eject the SIM/SD Card tray using the ejection tool or a paper clip.
  • Remove the current SD Card.
  • Place the new SD Card in the correct position.
  • Slide the SIM tray back into the phone.

Way 4: Backup & Format SD Card

If none of the above methods worked for you, then this solution holds a high chance of resolving your issue. Perhaps the SD Card has reached its capacity and needs to be cleared up. In this case, you need to format the SD Card to return it to its original state.

  • Unmount the SD Card from your Samsung phone and mount it onto your laptop.
  • Save a backup of the SD Card data on your laptop. To do this, simply copy and paste the files from the SD Card storage to your PC.
  • Re-insert the SD Card in your phone.
  • Go to ‘Settings’ and navigate to ‘Storage’.
  • Go to ‘Advanced’ and select ‘SD Card’ and hit ‘Format SD Card’.

    why can't i write to my sd card – format sd card
    Photo from Internet

Related Read: How to Recover Files from a Formatted SD Card?

Way 5: Clean Samsung Viruses

It’s always healthy to perform a virus check on your phone and removing any viruses that might be preventing normal use. For this method, you need to download ‘Smart Manager’ from the Play Store if it isn’t already available on your device.

  • Launch Smart Manager on your Samsung phone.
  • Tap ‘Device Security’.
  • Hit ‘Scan Device’ or 'Scan Phone' to check to viruses in your phone.

    cannot write to sd card – scan device

If any app is suspected as a virus, you’ll be prompted to uninstall it from your device.

Way 6: Repair Samsung System to Fix Cannot Write to SD Card

The Samsung System update could’ve resulted in a faulty or corrupted system software installed on your device. System issues are a valid reason if you can't write to SD Card. In this scenario, you need to resolve all system issues. Your best bet is to use Tenorshare ReiBoot for Android to complete the process with minimum efforts.

  • Connect your Samsung phone to the computer via a USB cable and launch ReiBoot.
  • Press ‘Repair Operating System’.

    Can't write to SD Card – repair operating system
  • Hit ‘Repair Now’.

    Samsung phone cant write to sd card – repair now
  • Enter all relevant information about your Android phone and hit ‘Next’.

    why can't i write to my sd card – device info
  • Next, press ‘Download’ to download the Firmware package for the System software.

    can't i write to my sd card – downloading
  • Once done, hit ‘Repair Now’ to begin the repairing process.

    can't write to SD Card Samsung – repair now

Conclusion

Thanks to this guide, you now know exactly what to do if your Android can't write to SD card. This is actually a pretty common issue with multiple different scenarios. For each scenario, at least one from the above methods is sure to fix your problem. My personal preference is to use Tenorshare ReiBoot for Android as it is extremely easy to use and minimizes your efforts greatly.