MacBook Air won't read Memory Card

Question

MacBook Air won't read Memory Card

I have a new Air with most up-to-date software installed. I travel with this Air so I can move photos from my camera to my travel drive and begin editing in the field on my Air. I have a Nikon Z camera which has a CF Express memory card slot. I have a card reader which accepts the card. My Air will not read it, though my desktop and my friend's MacBook Pro will recognize the card when it's connected to the computers with the reader. My question: does the Air have the capability of reading a CFExpress 168 gb/s card? Anyone have any experience with this problem? The Air reads the smaller typical Sandisc Pro cards just fine.

Given that I traded in my MacBook Pro for the Air, I am not happy at all that it won't read the much much faster CFExpress cards which can be used in the Nikon now.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 15.5

Posted on Jun 13, 2025 02:49 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Jun 13, 2025 03:18 PM in response to karen bfromnaples

Which particular card reader do you use, and how are you connecting it to the MacBook Air?

The description of the Other World Computing Atlas CFexpress Card Reader – USB4 (40Gb/s) CFexpress 4.0 Type B Card Reader claims that it is "plug and play with USB4, Thunderbolt 4, and USB-C equipped Macs, Windows PCs, iPads, Chromebooks, tablets, and smartphones." This suggests to me that CFexpress card readers should be plug and play, in general, unless, perhaps

A bus-powered card reader wants to draw more power than is available (e.g., because you are connecting it to an unpowered USB hub)
There is some issue with the filesystem on a particular CFexpress card.

Also, have you checked Finder > Settings…, to make sure that when you do have a formatted card in the reader, the Mac will show an icon on the Desktop and/or a sidebar entry in Finder windows?

Reply

Answer 2

Allan Jones

Level 9

76,508 points

Jun 14, 2025 09:53 AM in response to karen bfromnaples

Curious. Does the card show if you open Image Capture, an app that comes with macOS?

If I put the card from my older Nikon in the computer card reader, I see nothing on the desktop or in the Finder sidebar. If I open Image Capture, I see this:

It's a simple test that might help diagnose this issue.

Reply

MacBook Air won't read Memory Card

Similar questions