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What is SD?

SD describes devices that conform to SD standards for non-volatile memory cards. See the SD Association website for details.

Are there size limitations for the cards that can be inserted into the SD slot?

Yes. The SD card specification for a memory card is 32mm by 24mm by 2.1mm. You can also use thinner cards, such as MultiMediaCards (MMC). Avoid using cards that have a thickness greater than 2.1mm, as they might damage the SD card slot if you try to insert them.

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Which SD card formats work in the SD card slot?

Cards that conform to the SD 1.x, 2.x, and 3.x standards should work. The SD card slot can use:

• Standard SD, 4MB to 2GB
• SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity), 4GB to 32GB
• SDXC, 4GB to 2TB
• MMC (MultiMediaCards)
• UHS‑II, up to 2TB (iMac Pro only)

You can use a passive adapter like the one shown here to make MiniSD, MicroSD, and higher density formats like MiniSDHC and MicroSDHC conform to the width and thickness specifications listed above:

How fast can my Mac read or write to an SD card in the SD card slot?

Mac notebooks use the USB bus to communicate with the SD card slot. They have a maximum speed of up to 480Mbit/s. Mac desktops use the PCIe bus to communicate with the SD card slot. Desktops can transfer data at a faster rate.

Check the packaging that came with your SD media to determine the maximum transfer rate that your specific card uses.

To determine the maximum transfer speed of your Mac, you can use System Information. Choose Apple () menu > About This Mac and then click System Report.

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If you use a Mac notebook:

1. Select Hardware, then select USB.
2. Select Internal Memory Card Reader and look for the Speed entry.

If you use a Mac desktop computer:

1. Select Hardware, then select Card Reader.
2. Look for the Link Speed entry. Computers that use the PCIe bus express their speed as GT/s.

Does the SD slot work with cards that exceed 32GB?

Yes. However, most media manufacturers preformat the media using common block-and-cluster sizes that don’t approach the theoretical limits of a given file system.

Most SD cards use the FAT32 file format, and preformatted FAT32 SD media is commonly available up to a capacity of 32GB. Media that exceeds 32GB usually uses the exFAT file system, while some smaller capacity cards use the FAT16 file format. Preformatted FAT16 media is generally available up to a capacity of 2GB.

If you use OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.5 or later, you can find out which file system you’re using:

1. Insert the media into the SD card slot.
2. Choose Apple menu > About This Mac.
3. Click System Report.
4. In the Hardware section, click Card Reader, and find the File System field.

Will the SD card slot work with SD cards that use the exFAT file system?

Yes. Any Mac that has an SD card slot and is running OS X 10.6.5 or later can use the exFAT file system.

exFAT is also supported in Boot Camp with Windows 7, 8.1, or 10 on any Mac made in 2011 or later with an SD card slot.

How do I insert media into the SD card slot?

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When you insert the card, make sure that the metal contacts face down and point toward the computer. Don’t force media into the SD card slot, as this might cause damage.

How does my Mac use the media inserted into the SD card slot?

Your computer recognizes a card inserted into the SD card slot as a USB storage device. You can mount, read from, and write to the SD card just like you can with any other USB storage device.

I put the card in the slot, but it didn’t mount. What should I do?

Remove the card and insert it again. Sometimes the SD card won’t mount properly if you put it into the slot too slowly.

When I try to write content to the card, I get a 'cannot be modified' message. How can I fix this?

You see this message when you try to edit data on an SD card that’s locked. You need to use the lock slider to unlock the card before you can edit the data.

To eject the card, drag the icon that represents the card to the Trash. After the icon disappears from the desktop, you can remove the card from the computer. Adjust the lock slider tab to unlock the card, then reinsert the card into the slot. See the manufacturer’s instructions for the location of the slider tab.

Can I use Disk Utility to reformat an SD card?

You can use Disk Utility to partition and format an SD device as FAT32 (using the MS-DOS FAT setting) or Mac OS Extended. The Mac OS Extended format can be used only on Macintosh systems. Non-Apple systems won’t recognize cards formatted to Mac OS Extended.

You might have to format a card that’s larger than 32GB with exFAT if you want to use it with a digital camera, GPS, or another device. When in doubt, format the card in the device that you intend to use it with.

Can I install macOS on an SD storage device and use it as a startup volume?

Use Disk Utility to change the default partition table to GUID. Then format the card to use the Mac OS Extended file format.

How do I remove a card from the SD card slot?

Before you remove the card, allow any data transfer to SD media to complete. To eject the card, drag the icon that represents the card to the Trash. After the icon disappears from your desktop, you can remove the card from the slot.

Don't remove a card while your Mac is sleeping, as this could lead to data loss. Always wake your computer and eject the SD card before removing it from your Mac.

Can I use Secure Digital Input Output (SDIO) cards?

Can I use macOS to see the specifications for the interface hardware and media inserted in the SD card slot?

You can get information about the interface hardware and the media that you inserted in the slot from the System Information:

1. Choose Apple menu > About This Mac.
2. Click System Report.
3. In the Hardware section of System Information, select USB.
4. In the list of USB devices, select Internal Memory Card Reader to access information about the interface hardware and the media inserted into the SD card slot.

Can I use the SD card slot while running Windows using Boot Camp?

The SD card slot works with Boot Camp in all supported versions of Windows. You’ll need to download and install the Windows Support Software to use the SD card slot with Windows.

Learn more about using Windows on a Mac.

Can I use an SDXC card on my Mac with Windows?

You can use an SDXC card in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 with these Mac computers:

• MacBook Pro (Early 2011 and later)
  MacBook Pro models from 2016 and later don't have a built-in SD card slot. You can use a USB-C card reader, or a combination of a USB-C to USB Adapter and a USB card reader.
  
• MacBook Air (Mid 2011 and later)
• Mac mini (Mid 2011 and later)
  Mac mini (Mid 2010) doesn't support SDXC cards.
• iMac (Mid 2011 and later)
  iMac (Mid 2010) doesn't support SDXC cards.

Can I use an SD, SDHC, or SDXC card to install Windows on my Mac?

No. You can’t use SD, SDHC, or SDXC cards with Boot Camp to install Windows software on Mac computers.

Touch Bar MacBook Pro Q&A

Update Published November 21, 2019

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What type of power connector do the 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro models use? Is it compatible with 'MagSafe' power connectors? Are third-party options available?

Unfortunately, the 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro models are not compatible with any of the 'MagSafe' power connectors that earlier MacBook Pro models use.

Instead, all 13-Inch, 15-Inch, and 16-Inch 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro models ship, or shipped, with new USB-C based 61 watt (MNF72LL/A), 87 watt (MNF82LL/A), and 96 watt (MX0J2AM/A) power adapters, respectively. You can use these power adapters in any of the notebook's Thunderbolt 3 ports to charge it.

Sadly, these power adapters do not disconnect cleanly when tugged like magnet-equipped MagSafe power connectors. They are not compatible with any earlier Mac notebooks or iOS devices, either.

Griffin offers a 'BreakSafe' magnetic USB-C power cable replacement that safely disconnects when under strain, just like MagSafe. It will work on all 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro models, but because it only provides 60 watts of power, note that it will charge more slowly than the default power adapters, particularly on the 15-Inch and 16-Inch models.

Photo Credit: Griffin Tech, Inc. (BreakSafe Power Cable)

If you're remotely clumsy, or are ever around anyone else who is clumsy, or have pets, the Griffin BreakSafe -- which is available from site sponsor OWC and other resellers -- is a wise investment for these MacBook Pro models. It does mean sacrificing some charge speed, but that is a small price to pay for most users.

How do you use an SD card with the 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro? What is the best option?

Unlike the previous 'Retina' MacBook Pro models, which have a built-in SD card slot, the 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro lineup does not support SD cards by default. Apple does not make a compatible USB-C based adapter, either.

However, other companies do make USB-C SD card readers that are compatible with the 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro models. Two inexpensive options that support a variety of camera cards -- including, but not limited to just SD cards -- are available from Tripp Lite and Kanex.

Photo Credit: Trip-Lite (Left), Kanex (Right)

More premium options, from Satechi, include either three 'traditional' USB 3.0 (Type A) ports or two 'traditional' USB 3.0 ports and one USB-C port for charging as well as an SD card slot and a Micro SD card slot housed in attractive, aluminum cases that are color matched to each 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro.

Photo Credit: Satechi (Type-C USB 3.0 Combo Hub - USB-A/SD Card/Micro SD)

In the US, site sponsor OWC sells the Tripp Lite USB Type-C Multi-Drive Card Reader.

In Australia, site sponsor Macfixit sells Satechi Type-C USB 3.0 Combo Hub options.

How do you connect the 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro to a wired Ethernet network? Is it even possible?

Although the 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro models have built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi, they do not have a built-in Ethernet port.

However, it is possible to connect a 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro to a wired Ethernet network with a third-party USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 adapter.

Photo Credit: Macally (USB-C Ethernet Adapter Options)

A couple of quality Ethernet options are available from Macally -- a simple USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet adapter and a USB-C to USB-A Hub that provides three 'old-style' USB-A (USB 3.0) ports and a Gigabit Ethernet port.

Photo Credit: OWC (Thunderbolt 3 10G Ethernet Adapter)

For seriously fast connectivity, OWC also sells its own brand Thunderbolt 3 10G Ethernet Adapter that makes it possible to connect one of these MacBook Pro models to a high-performance wired network up to ten times faster than Gigabit Ethernet.

Site sponsor OWC sells these Ethernet adapters as well as a variety of other third-party USB-C adapters that may be of interest.

Who designed the 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro?

Apple's industrial design for many years has been performed entirely in-house by Apple's Industrial Design Group, led by Jonathan Ive.

Where can I buy a 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro?

In the United States, you can purchase a 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro directly from Apple, but doing so often will require you to pay sales tax, which easily can exceed US$100.

Instead, those interested in getting the best price would be wise to purchase a new MacBook Pro from an Apple Authorized Reseller that does not charge sales tax, like site sponsor Adorama (which doesn't charge sales tax outside of NY and NJ).

Site sponsor TechHeadQuarters has a solid selection of used MacBook Pro models at reasonable prices.

In the UK, site sponsor Apple-Bay also has a variety of used MacBook Pro models, all verified and refurbished by an in-house Apple Certified Mac Technician and sold with a one-year warranty and free delivery in the mainland UK.

In Australia, site sponsor Mac City likewise has a number of used 13-Inch and 15-Inch MacBook Pro models sold at low prices and available with a free warranty and fast shipping across Australia.

Interested in used MacBook Pros wholesale? Site sponsor Evertek has extensive inventory of used MacBook Pro models, including Touch Bar options, for bulk orders shipped worldwide.

What are the custom configuration options for the 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro models?

The 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro models can -- or could -- be custom configured at the time of purchase with faster processors, additional RAM, and higher capacity SSD storage:

13-Inch 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro Custom Configuration Options

15-Inch 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro Custom Configuration Options

16-Inch 'Touch Bar' MacBook Pro Custom Configuration Options

If you are interested in a faster processor, more RAM, or a higher capacity SSD, these systems should be upgraded at the time of purchase as it is impossible to later upgrade the processor or RAM. It is impossible to upgrade the SSD in the 13-Inch, 15-Inch, and 16-Inch models with a 'Touch Bar,' too. Although it will not be easy, it might be possible to upgrade the storage in the 'non-Touch Bar' MacBook Pro models.

If it is important to you to be able upgrade the SSD after purchase, you might prefer to purchase an earlier 13-Inch or 15-Inch 'Retina Display' MacBook Pro as they all have upgradable storage and are significantly less expensive, as well.

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