How to Fix Tapo or Kasa Camera and Doorbell SD Card Not Formatting or Being Recognized

If your Tapo or Kasa camera or doorbell isn't formatting or recognizing the SD card, the issue could be a compatibility issue, a faulty card, or an app problem. Formatting is the process the camera uses to prepare the SD card for recording. If it fails, the camera won't be able to save footage to the card. Follow the seven steps below to determine whether the issue is with the SD card, the camera, or the app, and take the right action to fix your Tapo camera SD card.

Key Takeaways

• Before starting, make sure your camera or doorbell firmware and the Tapo or Kasa app are up to date, and back up any important files on the SD card.
• Not all SD cards are compatible with Tapo or Kasa cameras. Check the compatibility list of tested microSD cards before trying other steps.
• SD cards have a limited lifespan and may become faulty over time. If none of the steps resolve the issue, replacing the card may be the solution.

Steps to Fix Tapo or Kasa SD Card Formatting or Recognizing Issues

Step 1. Not all SD cards are compatible with Tapo or Kasa cameras and 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 there is no physical damage (e.g., bends or scratches) to 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 or 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, go to step 7.

Note: When formatting an SD card on the computer, uncheck the default 'Quick' option — this allows the format process to identify and 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 shows the card is fake or failing, replace it with another compatible SD card.

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 camera's model number and 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 What should I do if I encounter issues while playing back videos from an SD card? for troubleshooting suggestions.