What should I do if the SD card cannot be formatted/recognized?

Troubleshooting

Updated 01-29-2026 11:10:01 AM Number of views for this article

718158

This Article Applies to:

Tapo C210P2 , Tapo C200C , Tapo C575D , Tapo D230S1 , TC43 , TC42 , Tapo D260 Pro , TC41 , Tapo C710 , TC40 , Tapo C610 KIT , Tapo C310 , Tapo C530WS , TCA41 , Tapo D130 , KC411S , TC47 , TC46 , KC200 , Tapo C1086B , Tapo C206 , Tapo C6165D , Tapo C207 , Tapo C630 KIT , Tapo C201 , Tapo C840 , Tapo C202 , Tapo C720 , Tapo C428 KIT , Tapo C560WS , TDB21 , Tapo C200 , KC300S3 , KC300S2 , TC34 , Tapo D315 KIT , TC82 KIT , TCW61 , TC90 KIT , TC40GW , Tapo C410 , TC65 , Tapo C411 , TC70P2 , Tapo C320WS , Tapo D100 , TC60 , Tapo C411 KIT , Tapo C402 KIT , Tapo C260 , TCB82 , Tapo D230 , KC310S2 , KC310S3 , KD110 , KC300 , Tapo C200P2 , Tapo C425 , Tapo C525WB , TC92 KIT , Tapo D235 , TC55 , TC53 , Tapo C400 KIT , Tapo C2085 , Tapo C615G KIT , Tapo C420 , Tapo C510W , Tapo C402KIT , TCB72 , Tapo C4086B , KC310 , Tapo C668B KIT , KC410S , Tapo C460 KIT , Tapo C620 KIT , TC80 , Tapo C325WB , TD21 , Tapo C113 , TD20 , Tapo C236 , TC85 , Tapo C1085 , Tapo D205 , Tapo C230 , Tapo C110 , Tapo C111 , TC82 , Tapo C232 , KC105P2 , TD25 , Tapo C645D KIT , Tapo C310P2 , TD23 , TCW34 , KC120 , Tapo C51A , TCW30 , KC125 , KC400 , KC401 , Tapo C420S1 , Tapo C566WB , Tapo C245D , Tapo C420S2 , Tapo C403 , Tapo C420S4 , Tapo C400 , Tapo C125 , TC50 KIT , Tapo C665G KIT , Tapo C401 , Tapo C402 , TC74 , Tapo C120 , TC73 , Tapo C675D KIT , TC72 , Tapo C121 , Tapo D210 , Tapo C660 KIT , TC71 , TC70 , Tapo C110P4 , Tapo C250 , TCA72 , Tapo C110P2 , Tapo C52A , KC411 , Tapo C246D , Tapo C545D , Tapo C625F KIT , Tapo C216 , Tapo C403 KIT , Tapo C217 , Tapo C212 , KC420WS , TC93D KIT , Tapo H900 , Tapo D660 , TC72P2 , Tapo C210 , Tapo C520WS , Tapo C211 , Tapo C100P4 , TC90G KIT , Tapo C460 , EC70 , EC71 , Tapo C501GW , KC100 , TC80 KIT , KD110C , Tapo C410 KIT , KD110D , KC105 , Tapo C21A , Tapo C615F KIT , Tapo C400S1 , Tapo C401 KIT , Tapo C400S2 , Tapo C865 , Tapo NVR810P , Tapo C465 , Tapo C103 , Tapo C225 , Tapo C500 , Tapo C104 , Tapo CA510 , TC85 KIT , Tapo C220 , Tapo C100 , Tapo C860 , Tapo C101 , Tapo C222 , KC110 , EC60 , KC115 , Tapo C425 KIT

Recent updates may have expanded access to feature(s) discussed in this FAQ. Visit your product's support page, select the correct hardware version for your device, and check either the Datasheet or the firmware section for the latest improvements added to your product. Please note that product availability varies by region, and certain models may not be available in your region.

Introduction

This FAQ is designed to help customers troubleshoot issues with SD cards that cannot be formatted or recognized by Tapo/Kasa cameras and doorbells. It walks through a series of common checks and diagnostic steps to help identify potential causes, including compatibility limitations, physical condition, contact issues, and formatting problems. By following the steps below, customers can determine whether the issue is related to the SD card, the camera, or the app, and take appropriate action accordingly.

Requirements

Ensure your camera/doorbell firmware and Tapo/Kasa app version are up-to-date.
Back up important files in SD card before initialization.

Troubleshooting

Step 1. Some SD cards may not be compatible with Tapo/Kasa cameras or doorbells. Make sure your SD card is in the compatibility list of microSD Cards we’ve tested.

Note: SD cards have a limited lifespan and may become faulty over time. Please replace SD cards regularly.

Step 2. Ensure that there is no physical damage (e.g., bends, scratches) on your SD cards.

Step 3. Turn off the camera/doorbell, remove and re-insert the SD card several times. Then turn on the camera/doorbell and check if the SD card can be formatted/recognized.

Step 4. Clear the app cache and format the SD card again in the Tapo/Kasa app.

Step 5. Try another High Endurance microSD card in the compatibility list.

Step 6. Insert the SD card into another camera or a computer with an SD card reader. Check if the SD card can be formatted/recognized by the computer/another camera. If you don’t have another camera, please go to step 7.

Note: When formatting an SD card on the computer, please un-check the default “Quick” option so it can mask out bad cells.

Step 7. Test the card with third-party software such as H2testW to ensure the SD card is qualified. If the result is fake, please change to another compatible SD card.

Please contact TP-Link technical support with the following information if you still encounter SD card issues after the suggestions above.

The brand & model of the SD card, as well as its storage capacity and format type.
The model number of the camera and its MAC address.
Whether you have tried all the suggestions listed above or not. If yes, what are the results?

QA

Q1: What should I do if I encounter issues while playing back videos from an SD card?

A1: You may refer to this FAQ for troubleshooting suggestions: https://www.tapo.com/faq/415/

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What should I do if the SD card cannot be formatted/recognized?

Introduction

Requirements

Troubleshooting

QA

Q1: What should I do if I encounter issues while playing back videos from an SD card?

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