6 Ways to Fix SSD Not Showing Up in Windows

SSDs have huge benefits over traditional magnetic hard drives, which is why many people are upgrading to this superior storage solution.

A common problem with SSDs is that they are not recognized by the Windows operating system. If this is the case, your SSD may not show up on This PC, File Explorer , and Disk Management , despite being properly connected to your computer.

This issue can be especially troublesome when setting up an SSD. Read the following article to learn how to fix SSD detection issues in Windows.

1. Make sure the SSD is installed properly

This may sound basic, but it's possible that your SSD isn't installed properly, causing your computer to not detect the SSD. The fix may vary depending on the type of SSD you have installed.

  • For SATA SSDs, open your PC or laptop case and check that the power and SATA cables are fully plugged into the drive. Try using a replacement cable inside your computer or motherboard case.
6 Ways to Fix SSD Not Showing Up in Windows
2.5" SATA SSD with SATA cable
  • For M.2 SSDs, make sure you install them in the appropriate slot. For example, M.2 NVMe (single-bay) SSDs, even if they can fit into M.2 SATA (dual-bay) slots, will not work in this configuration. You will need to verify what type of M.2 SSD you have, then install it in the appropriate slot on your motherboard. You can also try installing the SSD in a different M.2 slot if you suspect that the slot is faulty.
6 Ways to Fix SSD Not Showing Up in Windows
M.2 SATA and M.2 NVMe SSDs

2. Check SSD settings in BIOS

It is also possible that you have installed the SSD correctly but your PC is still not detecting it. Enter the BIOS using the specific key that is displayed when your PC starts up, then check that the BIOS settings are configured correctly to detect your new SSD.

First, check to see if your SSD is detected by your BIOS. You’ll need to navigate to the storage or configuration section of your BIOS, which will vary from motherboard manufacturer to motherboard manufacturer. Confirm that your SSD is listed in the drive list.

6 Ways to Fix SSD Not Showing Up in Windows
SSD Options in Windows BIOS

If it is not listed, then the drive is either faulty or you need to change some additional settings. Navigate back to the storage section in the BIOS and look for a setting related to SATA configuration. If you are running a SATA SSD, you may need to try different options in the SATA configuration: AHCI mode, IDE, or Compatibility. Save your changes and restart your computer. Check to see if the SSD shows up in Windows.

3. Initialize SSD drive

When you get a new SSD, you need to initialize it to use it in Windows 10. An uninitialized SSD won't show up in File Explorer or the Disk Management utility.

6 Ways to Fix SSD Not Showing Up in Windows
Initialize SSD to be recognized in Windows 10

If you haven't initialized your SSD yet, you can follow a few steps:

Step 1: Search for Disk Management in the Start menu search bar, right-click on the best match and select Run as administrator .

B2: Right-click on the undetected SSD and select Initialize Disk.

B3: In the Initialize Disk dialog box , select the SSD you want to initialize and choose the partition type.

B4: Click OK to start the drive initialization process.

B5: After completing step 4, go back to Disk Management , right-click on the SSD volume and select New Simple Volume .

B6: Follow the on-screen instructions to assign the SSD volume and drive letter.

After initializing the SSD, you should restart your PC so that the changes can take effect properly. After restarting, Windows 10 will detect the SSD and you can access it through File Explorer.

4. Specify or change drive letter

A common reason why Windows 10 doesn't recognize an SSD is because the drive letter is conflicting or missing. You can quickly resolve this issue by changing or assigning a new drive letter to the SSD in the Disk Management utility.

To change the drive letter of the SSD:

Step 1: Search for Disk Management in the Start menu search bar, right-click on the most suitable option and select Run as administrator .

B2: Right-click on the SSD drive and select Change Drive Letter and Paths .

B3: Click Add if the drive letter does not exist or Change to modify the existing drive letter.

B4: Select the new drive letter from the drop-down menu and click OK for the changes to take place.

After following the steps above, you can restart your PC and Windows will recognize the SSD. You can then access the SSD through File Explorer.

5. Update the memory controller driver

Before moving on to more in-depth fixes, you need to make sure that your memory controller drivers are up to date. Outdated drivers can cause the device to not function properly and lead to why Windows is not detecting the SSD.

6 Ways to Fix SSD Not Showing Up in Windows
Update memory device controller driver

To update the memory device controller driver:

Step 1: Launch Device Manager from the Start menu.

B2: Search for Storage controllers and expand the group.

B3: Right-click on the memory device controller and select Update driver.

Step 4: Select Search automatically for updated driver software .

Windows will automatically install any available updates; you can then restart your PC and open File Explorer or the Disk Management tool to check if Windows 10 now detects the SSD.

6. Format SSD drive

As a last resort, formatting the SSD will resolve any underlying conflicts. The only downside to this solution is that you will lose all data on the drive if the drive you just installed is not a new one.

Once you've backed up any data you want to keep, go back to Disk Management, right-click on the SSD, and click Format . Give the drive a name and choose a file system (NTFS works fine for most people). Select the default allocation size, check the box next to Quick format , and click OK to start the process.

6 Ways to Fix SSD Not Showing Up in Windows
Windows Disk Management formats the SSD drive

Once the format is complete, your drive should be viewable in File Explorer. If not, restart your computer and check again.

Good luck in fixing the error!

Sign up and earn $1000 a day ⋙

Leave a Comment

How to fix “Well Need Your Current Windows Password” error on Windows 10/11

How to fix “Well Need Your Current Windows Password” error on Windows 10/11

Are you getting the “We'll need your current Windows password one last time” error? This annoying pop-up can prevent you from getting things done.

Quickly fix Unmountable Boot Volume error on Windows 10/11

Quickly fix Unmountable Boot Volume error on Windows 10/11

The Unmountable Boot Volume error occurs due to some installed software conflicting with the operating system or due to the computer suddenly shutting down,... In the article below, WebTech360 will guide you through some ways to fix this error.

How to Fix Clipboard History Error in Windows 11 Latest Update

How to Fix Clipboard History Error in Windows 11 Latest Update

If you use Clipboard History to store data for later use, there is a small chance that the data will remain empty no matter what you try.

How to remove Copilot and other AI features in Windows

How to remove Copilot and other AI features in Windows

If you don't care about having extra bloatware on your system, there are ways to remove or disable Windows Copilot on Windows 11.

Why is the laptop battery percentage estimate never accurate?

Why is the laptop battery percentage estimate never accurate?

Most laptop users have encountered a situation where Windows shows 2 hours of battery life left, then five minutes later it jumps to 5 hours or even 1 hour. Why does this time jump around like that?

10 Windows 11 settings to maximize laptop battery life

10 Windows 11 settings to maximize laptop battery life

Laptop batteries degrade over time and lose capacity, resulting in less battery life. But after tweaking some deeper Windows 11 settings, you should see a significant improvement in battery life.

Microsoft: PCs running Windows 11 21H2/22H2 will be forced to update to 23H2 next month

Microsoft: PCs running Windows 11 21H2/22H2 will be forced to update to 23H2 next month

Windows 11 version 21H2 is one of the major original releases of Windows 11 that began rolling out globally on October 4, 2021.

Microsoft spams Copilot QR codes on Windows 11 lock screen to lure users

Microsoft spams Copilot QR codes on Windows 11 lock screen to lure users

The year 2023 saw Microsoft betting heavily on artificial intelligence and its partnership with OpenAI to make Copilot a reality.

How to Disable User Accounts on Windows 11

How to Disable User Accounts on Windows 11

You can disable User Accounts so that others can no longer access your computer.

Buying a Windows laptop is harder than ever

Buying a Windows laptop is harder than ever

Is the NPU different enough to delay purchase and wait for the PC Copilot+ to become mainstream?

How to turn on and off battery saving mode on Windows 11 laptop

How to turn on and off battery saving mode on Windows 11 laptop

Windows 11's Battery saver mode is a feature designed to extend laptop battery life.

Microsoft Launches New Sticky Notes App for Windows 11

Microsoft Launches New Sticky Notes App for Windows 11

After keeping things the same for years, the Sticky Note update in mid-2024 changed the game.

How to fix IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL error on Windows

How to fix IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL error on Windows

The IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL error is a memory-related error that typically occurs when a system process or driver attempts to access a memory address without proper access permissions.

6 Ways to Copy File and Folder Paths in Windows 11

6 Ways to Copy File and Folder Paths in Windows 11

Paths are the locations of files or folders in Windows 11. All paths include the folders you need to open to get to a specific location.

Compare Windows 10 and Windows 11

Compare Windows 10 and Windows 11

Windows 11 has officially launched, compared to Windows 10 Windows 11 also has many changes, from the interface to new features. Please follow the details in the article below.