Data Recovery ProWhen a Mac says the disk you attached was not readable, click Ignore. The card's file system is damaged, but the photos are usually still there, and a deep scan can find them without it.
The message The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer means macOS can't make sense of the card's file table. Clicking Initialise erases the card. Recover the photos first, and fix or format the card afterwards.
What to expect
| What happened | Chance |
|---|---|
| Card not readable, never initialised | Good |
| Card initialised by mistake | Good if nothing was copied to it since |
| Card not seen by the Mac at all | Low see below |
The ratings are a rough guide. We haven't measured recovery rates.
Recover them in four steps
- Stop using the card or driveDon't take more photos, copy files to it or format it. Every new file can overwrite one you want back.
- Connect it to your Mac and open Data Recovery ProUse the Mac's card slot or a USB reader. If macOS offers to initialise the card, click Ignore. Data Recovery Pro asks for your password so it can read the card directly.
- Scan and previewThe quick scan takes seconds; the deep scan reads every block. Files appear as they are found, each marked intact, partly damaged or not checked, so you see what can be recovered before you decide.
- Recover to your MacChoose the files you want and save them to a folder on your Mac or another drive, never back to the card. You only pay if you choose to recover more than the free allowance.
If the card doesn't appear at all
Try another reader or port. If no computer can see the card, it may be physically damaged, and software can't read it; a recovery lab can. More on cards that don't show up.
Questions
Will First Aid in Disk Utility fix it?
Sometimes, but First Aid writes to the card while repairing it. Recover the photos first, then try First Aid.