What Does Unmount SD Card Mean?

Unmounting an SD card means disconnecting it on the software side without physically removing it from the slot. It’s a good idea to dismount an SD card before removing it to avoid problems like corrupted data.

I’m Caleb, and I have five years of experience as a sports photographer. During that time, I’ve worked extensively with SD cards, as they’re one of the essential items in my camera bag.

In this article, I’ll explain what unmounting an SD card does, why it matters, and how you can do it. If you’ve ever heard this term thrown around, and you want to know if it’s something you need to do, keep reading for a simple breakdown.

What Does Unmount SD Card Mean?

Unmounting an SD card means disconnecting it from your device without physically removing it. After you’ve dismounted it, the device won’t be able to read from the card without mounting it again.

While many users skip unmounting their SD cards and skip straight to physically removing them from the device, unmounting first is‌ the proper way to remove a card without risking damage.

Unmounting isn’t always called by that name, however. Sometimes, the option will be listed as “eject,” but the terms mean the same thing.

Do I Need to Unmount an SD Card Before Removing It?

Unmounting might seem like an unnecessary step, but it can save you from a headache later. When you unmount the SD card before removing it, you ensure that any running operations such as file transfers are fully completed.

If you skip this step, and remove the SD card while it’s still doing something in the background, you can not only lose your recent actions but also corrupt the rest of the data on the card.

It only takes a moment to unmount your card before removing it, so it’s a good idea to make it part of your routine if you want to avoid losing your data.

How Do I Unmount an SD Card?

The way you unmount an SD card varies depending on your system. However, the methods are fairly similar across the board.

Unmount SD Card on Windows

To unmount your SD card on Windows, you’ll have to open the file explorer and find the SD card’s icon, which is normally below the hard drive icon. 

Once you’ve located the SD card, right-click on its icon to bring up the list of options, and select the one that says “Eject.”

It’s as simple as that. Once you’ve done this, you can safely remove the card.

Unmount SD Card on Android

The method to unmount an SD card on Android may vary slightly from phone to phone, since each Android manufacturer makes slight changes to the OS. The basic idea should be the same across all of them, though.

You’ll start by heading to the storage section of your device’s settings. After that, it’s a matter of selecting your SD card and pressing the option that’s labeled “Eject” or “Unmount.”

Afterward, you can remove the card without worrying about data loss.

FAQs

These are some of the top questions from other readers about unmounting SD cards.

Does Unmounting an SD Card Delete Everything?

No, unmounting an SD card doesn’t erase data. Unmounting only disconnects the card from the device, so it can be safely removed.

Why Do I Need to Unmount My SD Card?

If you don’t unmount your SD card before removing it, you might experience data loss. This can happen when you inadvertently remove the card while an operation is still in progress.

Will I Lose My Photos If I Remove My SD Card?

If you remove your SD card safely by unmounting it first, you won’t lose your photos. You might experience data loss if you remove the card without unmounting, and interrupt an ongoing operation.

Conclusion

To put it simply, unmounting an SD card disconnects it from your device and lets you safely remove it without the risk of data loss. If you use SD cards, it’s a good idea to make this a habit whenever you remove one.

Did you unmount your SD cards before learning this info? Let us know in the comments.