How to Format an SD Card in Ubuntu

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To format an SD card in Ubuntu you can use either an external or built-in SD card reader. Additionally, download and install Disk Utility for Ubuntu. Insert the SD card into the reader and connect it to your computer if it's an external device.

Step 1

Click the Applications icon in Unity to bring up the search box.

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Step 2

Type disks in the search box and then choose Disks in the Applications section of the search results.

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Image Credit: Steve McDonnell/Demand Media

Step 3

Locate the SD drive in the list of devices and click it to highlight it.

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Image Credit: Steve McDonnell/Demand Media

Step 4

Select the Gear icon and choose Format.

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Image Credit: Steve McDonnell/Demand Media

Step 5

First, select an erase method. For a quick format, choose Don't Overwrite Existing Data (Quick), or you can select Overwrite Existing Data With Zeroes (Slow) to shred the files on the drive.

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Then, select a partitioning method. Choose Compatible With All Systems and Devices (MBR/DOS) to format for maximum compatibility. If your USB drive is greater than 2TB, choose Compatible With Modern Systems and Hard Disks > 2TB (GPT).

To format without a partition, select No Partitioning (Empty).

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Choose Format to continue.

Image Credit: Steve McDonnell/Demand Media

Step 6

Choose Format to confirm that you want to destroy all the data on the SD card and format it.

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Image Credit: Steve McDonnell/Demand Media

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