SD card

The SD card is a <a href="/facts/Proprietary_hardware/goX1yFYQ">proprietary</a>, <a href="/facts/Non-volatile_memory/EN72wMD9">non-volatile</a>, <a href="/facts/Flash_memory/Cn8JsStx">flash memory</a> card format developed by the <a href="/facts/SD_Association/NR9ACpG6">SD Association</a> (SDA). They come in three physical forms: the full-size SD, the smaller miniSD (now <a href="/facts/Obsolescence/IrFKfFja">obsolete</a>), and the smallest, microSD. Owing to their compact form factor, SD cards have been widely adopted in a variety of portable consumer electronics, including <a href="/facts/Digital_camera/LSGTserm">digital cameras</a>, <a href="/facts/Camcorder/yhvxrblz">camcorders</a>, <a href="/facts/Video_game_console/K72D1NSS">video game consoles</a>, <a href="/facts/Mobile_phone/H3EcqD9h">mobile phones</a>, <a href="/facts/Action_camera/s5cE7PCd">action cameras</a>, and <a href="/facts/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle/qt87T19t">camera drones</a>.
The format was introduced in August 1999 as Secure Digital by <a href="/facts/SanDisk/ExLEXvQB">SanDisk</a>, <a href="/facts/Panasonic/TqkBQmgj">Panasonic</a> (then known as Matsushita), and <a href="/facts/Kioxia/edUqfcbg">Kioxia</a> (then part of <a href="/facts/Toshiba/QHRaw8Tr">Toshiba</a>). It was designed as a successor to the <a href="/facts/MultiMediaCard/KGkRkvIY">MultiMediaCard</a> (MMC) format, introducing several enhancements including an optional digital rights management (DRM) feature, a more durable physical casing, and a mechanical write-protect switch. These improvements, combined with strong industry support, contributed to its rapid emergence as an industry standard.
To manage licensing and intellectual property rights, the founding companies established SD-3C, LLC. In January 2000, they also formed the SD Association, a non-profit organization responsible for developing the SD specifications and promoting the format. As of 2023, the SDA includes approximately 1,000 member companies. The association uses trademarked logos owned by SD-3C to enforce compliance with official standards and to indicate product compatibility.

SD card open-in-new

SD card