Why Is My SSD Not Showing Up? Common Causes and Fixes

May 14, 2025Nicole Jones

If your SSD is not showing up, it can be frustrating if you depend on SSD for your storage or system performance. Numerous factors, including bad connections, out-of-date drivers, trouble setting up the BIOS, or even SSD failure, might cause this problem. The first step to fixing this is understanding the root cause. So, in this guide, we will be going through tried and trusted methods to restore an SSD that is not showing up, be it after a new install or because an old drive has completely vanished out of thin air. Furthermore, we will discuss recovering lost data from an SSD with the help of professional software Aiseesoft Data Recovery so that you can always access important files even if your SSD is not responding.

Part 1. SSD Not Showing Up - Proven Ways
Part 2. Recover Data from SSD with Data Recovery Software

Part 1. SSD Not Showing Up - Proven Ways

If your new SSD is not showing up, this issue is common and often fixable. A loose connection, incorrect BIOS settings, outdated drivers, or even a formatting issue could be the cause. This tutorial will show you how to fix an SSD that your computer isn't detecting using tried-and-true techniques. We’ll start with simple hardware checks and move on to software-based solutions like updating drivers, adjusting disk settings, and using troubleshooting tools. Following these steps, you can quickly get your SSD recognized and working properly again.

Method 1: Check Physical Connections

A loose or defective physical connection is one of the most common reasons your SSD doesn’t appear. If the SSD isn’t attached to your computer, you won’t be able to see it in the system, so always check its physical setup before you try fixing the software.

How to Inspect Physical Connections:

Step 1.

Free up your PC or laptop and unplug the device from power.

Step 2.

Remove the side panel to access the SSD connections if you're using a desktop.

Step 3.

For desktops, check if the SATA data and power cable have been correctly plugged into the SSD and connected to the motherboard. If you can, use another cable to rule out a bad connection.

Step 4.

For external drives: If you are working from an external SSD drive, disconnect it and reinsert it into a different USB port. Alternatively, try using an alternative USB cable or adapter.

Step 5.

To check if your SSD has failed, connect it to another computer or a different port and check if it detects it.

If your SSD is still undetected after these steps, continue with the next troubleshooting methods to resolve the "why is my SSD not showing up" issue.

Method 2. Check BIOS/UEFI Settings

If your SSD is not showing up in BIOS, it might be disabled, improperly configured, or not recognized by the motherboard. The BIOS/UEFI is responsible for detecting and managing connected hardware, including SSDs. If your SSD isn’t listed here, your system won’t be able to use it.

Steps to Check BIOS/UEFI Settings

Step 1.

Shut down your PC and turn it back on. Press the appropriate key (F2, F12, Del, Esc) during startup to access BIOS/UEFI settings. The exact key varies by manufacturer.

Step 2.

Under the Advanced or Main tab, look for options like SATA Configuration, Storage Configuration, or Boot Order. If your SSD is not listed, try the following:
• Set SATA Mode to AHCI instead of IDE or RAID.
• Enable any Disabled storage ports.

Step 3.

If you made changes, save them and restart your computer.

Method 3. Use Disk Management

Do you experience this “SSD is not showing up in Disk Management?” it may be uninitialized, lack a drive letter, or have an incompatible file system. You may identify, format, and give your SSD a drive letter to be accessible using the Windows Disk Management program.

Steps to Fix SSD Not Showing Up in Disk Management

Step 1.

Press Win + X and click Disk Management from the menu.

Step 2.

Look for your SSD in the list of drives. If it appears as Unallocated, proceed to initialize it.

Step 3.

Right-click on the SSD and choose Initialize Disk, then select GPT (for modern systems) or MBR (for older systems).

Step 4.

If the SSD doesn't have a letter, assign one by right-clicking and choosing Change Drive Letter and Paths.

Step 5.

If the SSD appears but isn’t accessible, right-click it, choose Format, and select NTFS or exFAT as the file system.

Step 6.

If the SSD doesn’t appear, go to Action and Rescan Disks to refresh the list.

Method 4. Update or Reinstall SSD Drivers

If your system does not recognize your SSD, outdated or corrupted drivers could be the cause. Updating or reinstalling the SSD drivers can help Windows detect the drive properly.

Steps to Update or Reinstall SSD Drivers

Step 1.

Choose Device Manager from the list by pressing Win + X.

Step 2.

Expand Disk Drives and look for your SSD. If it's missing, check under Other Devices or Unknown Devices.

Step 3.

Expand Disk Drives and look for your SSD. If it's missing, check under Other Devices or Unknown Devices.

Step 4.

If updating fails, right-click on the SSD, choose Uninstall Device, and restart your PC. Windows will automatically reinstall the driver.

Step 5.

Go to Settings, find Update & Security, and select Windows Update. Install any pending updates, which may include driver fixes.

Method 5. Format the SSD (If Necessary)

SSD not showing up in File Explorer, but you can detect it in Disk Management. It may not be formatted or assigned a drive letter. Formatting the SSD can make it accessible, but remember that formatting will remove all of the drive's data.

Steps to Format the SSD

Step 1.

Go to Disk Management and look for the SSD labeled as Unallocated or RAW.

Step 2.

Go to Disk Management and look for the SSD labeled as Unallocated or RAW.

Step 3.

Click Finish, and the SSD should now be accessible in File Explorer.

Method 6. Run Troubleshooter

If your SSD is missing, you should run the built-in Windows Troubleshooter. This tool can identify and resolve common storage problems, fixing your SSD not showing in Windows 11 or other systems. It automatically detects potential issues with hardware, drivers, and system settings that prevent your SSD from showing up.

How to Run the Troubleshooter

Step 1.

Use the keyboard shortcut Win + I to open the Settings menu.

Step 2.

In Windows 11, Go to System, find Troubleshoot, and select Other troubleshooters.

Step 3.

Go to the bottom portion and click Hardware and Devices, then Run the troubleshooter.

Step 4.

The software will check for issues and provide fixes. After applying these fixes, you can reboot your PC and see your SSD visible.

Method 7. Check for SSD Health

If your SSD is not showing up, it could be due to hardware failure or excessive wear. Checking the SSD’s health can help determine if it has bad sectors, firmware issues, or is nearing the end of its lifespan.

Steps to Check SSD Health

Step 1.

Download and install CrystalDiskInfo. Open the software and check your SSD's health status. If it shows "Good," your SSD is fine. If it says "Caution" or "Bad," it may be failing.

Step 2.

Open Command Prompt (Win + X > Terminal (Admin)) and type: wmic diskdrive get status
• If it says "OK," the SSD is healthy. Anything else may indicate a problem.
• On MacOS, open Disk Utility, then click First Aid to run a health check.

Step 3.

Download the official utility for your SSD brand. To verify SSD performance, lifespan, and temperature, run diagnostics.

Step 4.

If your system freezes, crashes, or files disappear, your SSD may fail. Make a quick data backup and think about getting a new drive.

Part 2. Recover Data from SSD with Data Recovery Software

Despite their speed and dependability, SSDs are susceptible to data loss via formatting errors, hardware malfunctions, unintentional deletion, and corruption. Data loss may happen, or you cannot recognize the SSD. A powerful data recovery software like Aiseesoft Data Recovery can help recover lost data quickly and efficiently. It enables you to recover important data by scanning and restoring lost files from SSDs, hard drives, USB drives, and even memory cards.

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Key Features

• Deep scans for missing or formatted data and quick scans for recently erased files.

• Recover documents, photos, videos, audio files, emails, and more.

• Works with Samsung, Crucial, WD, Kingston, and other SSDs.

• Read-only recovery process that prevents further damage to your SSD.

Steps to Recover Data from SSD with Aiseesoft Data Recovery

Step 1.

Click the link above to our website and register your email to use the tool.

Step 2.

Open the software and select SSD Drive from the list of available storage devices.

Step 3.

Open the software and select SSD Drive from the list of available storage devices.

Step 4.

The scanning process will begin if you click the Start Scan.

Step 5.

Click Recover All and save your restored files in a secure location, preferably not on the same SSD.

Using Aiseesoft Data Recovery, you can quickly perform SSD data recovery without technical expertise, ensuring your important files are not permanently lost.

Conclusion

A frustrating problem, an SSD that does not appear, is often fixable with the appropriate troubleshooting steps. Be it loss of physical connections, BIOS / UEFI errors, malfunctioned drivers, or disk management errors with proven solutions to fix them. Also, checking the SSD's health and proper formatting can help make your SSD detectable again. If your new SSD is not showing up, you must set it up properly, initialize it, and format it for use. You can also keep your system updated to restore lost files from the inaccessible drive using data recovery software such as Aiseesoft Data Recovery. By taking these steps, you can ensure that your SSD is functioning properly and reduce the risk of any data loss.

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