I've actually seeing full system hangs which stop when the card is ejected, especially in Spotlight - I'm guessing that the disk system is blocking.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
14" and 16" M1 Pro SD Card Slot Problems
- Thread starter 0071284
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I'm a bit disappointed Apple released the 14 and 16" MPB's with the card slot problems. Has anyone tested with macOS Big Sur as opposed to Monterey? Same result with both? This is a real bummer as I was leaning MPB, but may end up going MBA instead (SD Dongle).
Not sure that is enough of a reason, by itself, to switch to MBA. You can still use a dongle on the MBP. The dongle always works (AFAIK).
I suggest just use/buy SD cards that you have tested and know work in the SD slot. In my testing, I find that if a card works, it always works (AFAIK).
I'm finding that's it all dependent upon the SD card used. Some work fine, others hang and freeze and don't work at all. All work through other readers. Most of the failing ones were formatted with older hardware devices like audio recorders and older cameras. All of my newer cards used with newer devices seem to work. I find it odd that other readers read these cards just fine, the reader in these new models must be crippled somehow.
Transcend makes short SD cards that fit flush with the MacBook Pro
Transcend 256GB JetDrive Lite 130 Storage Expansion Card for 13-Inch MacBook Air (TS256GJDL130) Black
The Jet Drive Lite series is specifically designed for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Retina display computers. Transcend's Jet Drive Lite expansion cards are a quick and easy way to gain the additional space you need without adding any bulk to your MacBook computer. Simply insert Jet Drive Lit...
www.amazon.com
FWIW, each time I've put in an SD card and it hasn't been immediately recognized and eventually shows the Eject/Ignore/Initialize error, I've generally been able to click 'Ignore' and open up Disk Utility, select the card and hit 'Mount' which seems to work more times than not. I've seen that not work as well but it's another option.
Had the same issue on 2 different 14" mbp. Sandisk 128g formatted on a Canon eos 80d. Super frustrating! Using external card reader works like a charm... but spending 2.5K on a computer should ensure all of its components work. Hopefully a software update will fix.
Add me to the list. Having the issue with my 16” M1 Pro. Only seems to affect my Sandusky cards - all 64GB. Lexar disks (both 64 and 128) work flawlessly.
Slightly reassured that this might be a software bug, but really hope a fix comes.
Slightly reassured that this might be a software bug, but really hope a fix comes.
I just got off the phone with Apple Support, I have had several calls with them about the issue, earlier they said they were aware of the issue and that the engineering team wanted my Mac and the specific card I was using for their investigation (they offered to replace both though I knew that was unlikely to solve the issue).
But now they called me back saying that the engineering team thinks they have enough information already, they think it's a software and not a hardware issue and that I should be watching for the next updates and keep it updated.
So I guess I'll just have to wait...
But now they called me back saying that the engineering team thinks they have enough information already, they think it's a software and not a hardware issue and that I should be watching for the next updates and keep it updated.
So I guess I'll just have to wait...
I had a chat with the support.
Gave them my info about the laptop and the card.
Also a link to this thread.
No problems here with a 16" Max and Lexar Professional 1000x cards (cards were manufactured before they sold the company a few years ago.) In fact, the built in reader on the MacBook Pro is ever so slightly faster than going through a Thunderbolt 3 Lacie 2Big Dock which I though was already pretty speedy (2 min 15 sec to transfer with Lacie and 2 min 11 sec with built in Card reader.)
Same issues here - inconsistent when reading the SD cards from the slot. Sometimes it works :
Angel bird card / san disc extreme . for others it takes ages and others it crashes finder
Sow to copy / delete etc .
I have a base IQ I used with my last mac - it wont fit the slot snugly on this model - si I took the card out and using in a adaptor - its a san disc micro SD and thats the one its really struggling with .
Worried it was my slot!!!! Idk if I should try to get it fixed or replaced or but an external
might ring asupport ? ? but if its a bug ? ? ?
Angel bird card / san disc extreme . for others it takes ages and others it crashes finder
Sow to copy / delete etc .
I have a base IQ I used with my last mac - it wont fit the slot snugly on this model - si I took the card out and using in a adaptor - its a san disc micro SD and thats the one its really struggling with .
Worried it was my slot!!!! Idk if I should try to get it fixed or replaced or but an external
might ring asupport ? ? but if its a bug ? ? ?
Hey guys, if you have the ability to return I would. What I did: my original MacBook 16" did not recognize my cards as reported previously in this thread.
I ended up getting another one purchased and delivered from Best Buy and it works FLAWLESS with the exact same cards, same data, AND no format was applied to the cards too.
Simply, first one was a no go. 2nd machine works great.
Yikes this COULD be hardware!
I ended up getting another one purchased and delivered from Best Buy and it works FLAWLESS with the exact same cards, same data, AND no format was applied to the cards too.
Simply, first one was a no go. 2nd machine works great.
Yikes this COULD be hardware!
That's a concern. I'm planning to buy in early January in the hope that any production teething problems will have been sorted out by then, plus having a couple of MacOS updates under the belt.
I too am having the same issues, I have 15 SD cards, the MBP doesn't seem to care which card or manufacturer it is. Sometimes they read and work, sometimes they don't. Just when I saw a glimmer of hope in not needing a dongle... this $3800 computer can't do what I need.
What brand/size of card? I wonder if there is any pattern here?
This is certainly not great news if it is a design defect in the reader. However, there must be 100s of thousands of MBPs in people's hands by now (or will be shortly), and a good proportion of those will try the SD card reader, so hopefully we should get some data points soon.
I was hoping it wasn't hardware. If so, we have to go through the rigmarole of taking it in and Apple returning it saying they can't replicate the problem, or your SD cards are bad, or you are holding it wrong, blah, blah, blah.
I tried many cards, and could find no pattern of brand, size, type, format, age. Seems to be completely random. The only thing that is consistent is that if a card works, it always works, and if a card does not work properly it never works properly. Reformatting, even to all other possible formats, makes no difference. Sandisk, Sony, Samsung, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, UHS-I, UHS-II, micro-SD, FAT32, exFAT, makes no difference.
100% of my cards work perfectly via a dongle.
Last edited: