How to Format an SD Card for a Mac

SD cards can be formatted using just the tools that come with the Mac operating system. Even if the SD card has been used in other devices, such as a digital camera or MP3 player, you can still reformat it using the operating system. You can format an SD card using either the Windows standard format, FAT, or the Macintosh standard format, Mac OS Extended. However, if you use Mac OS Extended, you will not be able to use your SD card non-Apple systems.

1. Insert the SD card into your computer's SD card slot or external SD card reader. The operating system should recognize it automatically. It should appear on your desktop momentarily.

2.

Open the Finder and click "Applications." Type "disk utility" into the search box and click the "Disk Utility" application when it appears below.

3.


Select your SD card and open the "Erase" tab, then choose either "FAT" Or "Mac OS Extended" from the drop-down menu. Click the "Erase" button. Once the process is complete, a notification pops up. You can now use the memory card.