An SD card, or Secure Digital card, is a type of removable flash memory card commonly used in digital cameras, mobile phones, and other portable devices to store media like photos, videos, and music. SD cards come in different sizes and speeds, with common capacities ranging from 4GB to 1TB. While SD cards are often used for transferring and storing files temporarily, some users wonder if they can be utilized as more permanent storage or even as a replacement for a computer’s main hard drive.
When it comes to Mac computers, it is possible to use an SD card in place of the internal hard drive, with some caveats. The SD card can be inserted into the SD card reader slot and then mounted and formatted to function as expanded internal storage or a bootable startup disk. While SD cards don’t offer the same performance and capacity as a full-fledged hard drive, using one this way can provide more affordable storage, easier access to files, and a quick way to breathe new life into an aging Mac. However, there are some limitations to be aware of.
Benefits of Using an SD Card as a Hard Drive
One of the main benefits of using an SD card as additional storage on a Mac is that it provides small, portable, and inexpensive storage. SD cards are tiny, lightweight, and can give you anywhere from 16GB to 1TB of extra space for a relatively low cost. This makes them an affordable way to instantly add storage without having to upgrade your internal SSD or purchase an external hard drive.
SD cards are also very easy to install and use. All modern MacBooks have an SD card reader built-in, so you can just slide the card into the slot and your Mac will mount and recognize it. The card appears on your desktop like any other drive, allowing you to drag and drop files back and forth. The process is straightforward and requires no technical expertise.
The extra storage space provided by an SD card can be very useful for Mac users. It provides additional room for documents, photos, videos, music, and other files. You can store files directly on the SD card to free up space on your main drive. Or you can use it as expanded storage for your creative work, projects, or backups.
Overall, the main benefits of using an SD card for extra storage are the added space in a small, easy to use, and cost-effective package. SD cards deliver portable, modular storage instantly when you need it.
Limitations of SD Cards
While using an SD card as a hard drive for a Mac has some benefits, there are also some limitations to be aware of:
SD cards tend to have slower data transfer speeds compared to internal SSD or HDD drives. This is because SD cards use flash memory, which has slower read/write speeds than other storage technologies. Expect to see much slower load times for applications and files stored on the SD card (Source).
SD cards are also more prone to corruption or failure compared to internal drives. This is because flash memory has a limited number of rewrite cycles before it can no longer reliably store data. Using the SD card heavily as a hard drive increases the chance of data loss over time (Source).
In addition, SD cards are not ideal for storing and running applications or even an operating system. The slower speeds can cause performance issues. SD cards also lack the S.M.A.R.T. capabilities of internal drives for monitoring the device’s health (Source).
Choosing an SD Card
When selecting an SD card to use as extended storage for your MacBook Pro, there are a few key factors to consider:
Look for high read/write speeds – Faster cards allow quicker transfer of files and programs, reducing wait times. Look for read speeds of at least 95MB/s and write speeds of 90MB/s or more for optimal performance. The SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC card provides read speeds up to 170MB/s and writes up to 90MB/s.
Get appropriate storage capacity for needs – Consider how much extra storage you need. SD cards for MacBook Pros are available from 32GB up to 1TB currently. Going with a higher capacity card means less needing to manage space as closely.
Consider reputable brands for reliability – Stick with major brands like SanDisk, Sony, or Samsung that have a solid reputation for quality. Well-known brands are less likely to result in corrupted or unreadable files.
The SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC card is a top choice combining fast speeds, high capacities, and SanDisk’s reliable performance.
Inserting and Mounting the SD Card
To use an SD card as a hard drive on your Mac, you first need to physically insert the card and mount it so your computer recognizes it as a drive.
If you have a built-in SD card slot on your Mac, simply insert the SD card directly into the slot. Most modern Mac laptops like the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air contain an SD slot. For desktop Macs without a built-in slot, you’ll need to use an SD card adapter that connects via USB or Thunderbolt.
Once inserted, open Disk Utility on your Mac. Disk Utility will display external drives and volumes connected to your system. Find your SD card in the sidebar and click on it.[1]
If your SD card shows up but is not mounted, click the “Mount” button at the top of the Disk Utility window. This will mount the drive and attach it to your file system. The card should now display alongside your built-in drive in Finder.
If your SD card is not showing up in Disk Utility at all, try restarting your Mac or using a different SD card reader. There may be an issue with the card that prevents your system from recognizing it.
Transferring Files to the SD Card
Once the SD card is inserted and mounted, you can begin transferring files and folders to it. The easiest way is to use the drag and drop method in Finder:
1. Open a Finder window and navigate to the files or folders you want to transfer.
2. Click and drag the files/folders to the SD card icon in the Finder sidebar or desktop. This will copy the files to the SD card.
You can also copy files to the SD card by right clicking on them and selecting Copy, then navigating to the SD card and selecting Paste.
For transferring applications, you may want to use a migration tool like the App Migration feature in Zinstall (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4228969) or Winclone (https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/connect-storage-devices-mac-mchl027f1d66/mac). These allow you to migrate apps, settings, and data to the SD card.
Make sure to properly eject the SD card before removing it from your Mac to prevent data loss or corruption.
Using the SD Card
Once the SD card is inserted and mounted on your Mac, you can navigate to it and use it just like a hard drive or other storage device.
To access the files and folders on the SD card, open Finder and look for the SD card under Devices on the left side menu. It will likely be labeled with the capacity of the card (e.g. “32GB SD Card”). Click on it to view the contents.
You can now open, edit, copy, move, and delete files on the SD card just like you would with any other drive on your system. The SD card acts as external storage for your Mac.
To open a file, simply double click on it. To edit, you can open it in any compatible application. Moving files is as easy as drag-and-drop between the SD card and other drives.
You can also format the SD card to change its file system if needed. As with any drive, be sure to safely eject the SD card before removing it from your Mac to avoid data loss or corruption.
Overall, the experience of using files and folders on the SD card is virtually identical to working with them on your Mac’s internal hard drive or any portable USB drive.
Optimizing Performance
To get the best performance from your SD card when using it as a hard drive on a Mac, there are a few optimizations you can make:
First, make sure the SD card is formatted properly. The best file system to use for SD cards on Mac is APFS or Mac OS Extended (HFS+). APFS is optimized for flash storage like SD cards, while HFS+ is tried and tested. Avoid FAT32 as it has limits on individual file sizes.
Next, consider configuring some paging files or caches to be stored on the SD card rather than the main internal drive. For example, you can set the local Time Machine backup to be stored on the SD card to save space on your main drive. The Mac’s paging files can also be redirected to the SD card. Just be aware that this may impact performance if the SD card is significantly slower than the internal SSD.
Finally, run maintenance routines like optimizing the disk and clearing out caches to keep the SD card running smoothly. The SD card won’t need defragmenting, but occasional optimizations help realign files and directories.
Troubleshooting Issues
If you run into problems using your SD card as a hard drive on your Mac, there are some troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve them. Some common issues include slow transfer speeds, corruption, and unmounting errors.
To fix slow speeds, first try using a different USB port or adapter. The USB 2.0 ports and adapters are slower than USB 3.0. If possible, plug the SD card reader into a USB 3.0 port directly on your Mac. You can also try reformatting the SD card, as corruption can slow it down. Use Disk Utility to erase and reformat the card (source).
If the SD card is corrupted, you may see errors like “SD card won’t mount” or “SD card unreadable.” Corruption can happen if the card was ejected improperly. To fix it, reformat the card with Disk Utility. If errors persist, the SD card itself may be damaged and need replacing.
Unmounting errors occur when you get a message like “SD card failed to eject” or “SD card in use.” This is usually fixed by fully quitting any apps using the card, then unmounting and removing it safely. You can also try restarting your Mac to clear any hidden processes using the card (source).
Conclusion
Using an SD card as an external hard drive on a Mac can be a convenient and cost-effective storage solution. The small size and portability of SD cards makes them easy to transport files between devices. SD cards are also more affordable high-capacity storage compared to external SSDs.
However, SD cards are slower and less reliable than internal SSDs or external hard drives. The USB readers used to connect SD cards can bottleneck speeds. SD cards are also more prone to corruption and physical damage compared to traditional hard drives.
In summary, using an SD card for extra external storage can be useful for non-essential files and transferring data between devices. But SD cards should not be relied upon as a primary or long-term storage solution. For critical files and applications, an external SSD or hard drive would be more reliable and stable.
When using an SD card for external Mac storage, choose cards with high read/write speeds and capacity for your needs. Carefully eject the SD card before removal to prevent corruption. Maintain backups of important data as SD cards can fail unexpectedly. And be prepared to replace SD cards periodically as they have a shorter usable lifespan than hard drives.
