How to Get an SD Card ID (7 Steps)
By Jamie Lisse
If you have a GPS device or other portable device that uses an SD card you may need the SD card ID. This is sometimes required to view maps on GPS units or GPS-enabled smart phones. The SD card ID is not printed on the card itself, so you have to put the card into your computer to figure out the SD card ID number. Once you can open the SD card on your computer you are able to extract the SD card ID from the card.
Step 1
Put your SD card into your media card slot on your computer. Use a USB media card reader if you do not have a media card slot.
Step 2
Open the SD card in a window through “My Computer.”
Step 3
Select “Tools” and then “Folder Options.” Click “View” and put a check mark by "Show hidden files and folders" and remove the mark by “"Hide protected operating system files.” Before you can proceed, a warning will appear on the screen.
Step 4
Click “Yes” then “Apply” and then “OK” to move past the warning screen.
Step 5
Right-click on the “USBTRANS” file that you see on the screen. Select “Open” from the pop up menu to open a new screen. Then select “UNIT_ID” from the list of files on the screen and right-click on it. Select “Open with” and open the file with “Notepad.”
Step 6
Look down the file in “Notepad” until you see a line that starts with “SD Serial Number.” Write down the first eight numbers in the SD serial number.
Step 7
Re-write the number, separating the numbers into pairs. For example, if the number is 5224656B then you would write “52 24 65 6B.” Put the number into reverse format to get the SD card ID. So, “52 24 65 6B” would be “6B652452.” This final number is the SD card ID.
Writer Bio
Jamie Lisse has been writing professionally since 1997. She has published works with a number of online and print publishers. Her areas of expertise include finance and accounting, travel, entertainment, digital media and technology. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English.