12 Fixes to Solve M.2 SSD Not Showing Up on Windows 11/10 | Full Guide (2024)

You’ve bought a new M.2 SSD to fit PC motherboard, you plug it in, and nothing shows up? Well, don’t worry, here 12 solutions are going to be explored for fixing M.2 SSD not showing up issue. I’d say this article offers the most comprehensive guide ever, which guarantees a 100% of success rate to solve the unrecognized M.2 SSD problem. Don’t miss it!

How to Recover Data from M.2 SSD not Showing up?

When dealing with storage devices like M.2 SSD, it’s inevitable to suffer a data loss sometimes. For the data safety within your inaccessible M.2 SSD, before repairing the drive, we’d recommend adopting a piece of M.2 SSD data recovery software like Cisdem Data Recovery for Windows, to extract and recover the important files from the SSD.

Trusted by over 2 million users, Cisdem Data Recovery delivers the peace of mind that comes with knowing almost any data loss scenarios can be handled with a suitable solution. They include accidental deletion, disk formatting, hidden partition, virus infection, NAS server failure, system crash, Windows reinstallation and more. Thanks to its advanced scanning engine, this top-notch program can find missing files fast and render your data for easy preview.

• Support different storage media like M.2 SSD, HDD, USD drive, SD card, etc.
• Recover 1000+ file types from M.2 SSD
• Repair corrupted videos in various formats
• Fix damaged photos and documents automatically after scanning
• Start, pause or resume the recovery process as you want

Here’s the tutorial on using Cisdem to recover data from M.2 SSD not showing up:

1. Download and launch it on your PC.
   Free Download
2. Select the M.2 SSD to scan.
   Go to PC Recovery. Once your unrecognized M.2 SSD can be detected by this software, select it from the right panel and click Scan to start.
3. Scan the M.2 SSD.
   During scanning, Cisdem will search all the files from your M.2 SSD and show them as a list. Look through the specific folders or use filters to find files you want.
4. Recover data from M.2 SSD.
   Preview the desired files before recovery, select them and click Recover to get your M.2 SSD data back to a safe location.

After securely saving the M.2 SSD data, now it’s time to fix the drive and make it show up on Windows computer. Then how do I get my computer to recognize my M.2 SSD? 2 cases will be clarified along with 12 methods, take the best pick at your convenience.

Case 1: M.2 SSD not Showing up in BIOS

One of the most common cases is M.2 SSD not showing up in BIOS. Short for Basic Input/Output System, BIOS is the firmware used to provide runtime services for operating systems & programs and to perform hardware initialization during the booting process. In general, a newly installed M.2 SSD on the motherboard will show up in BIOS. But there are times when BIOS can’t identify your M.2 SSD.

Why is My M.2 SSD not Showing up in BIOS?

• M.2 SSD not enabled in BIOS.
• Incorrect BIOS settings related to M.2 SSD.
• M.2 SSD not properly installed on PC.
• M.2 mode not activated.

How to Fix M.2 SSD not Showing up in BIOS? (7 Solutions)

Solution 1: Set up M.2 SSD in BIOS

SSD configuration mode is also known as SATA controller mode. If your drive is not set up with SATA controller settings, problems like M.2 SSD not showing up in BIOS will appear. This is how to enable M.2 SSD in BIOS.

1. Restart your PC > long press F2/F8/F11 or Del during initial startup to Enter BIOS.
   Note: The specific keys for accessing BIOS vary among motherboards in different brands. You can confirm by checking the mobo manual or asking its manufacturer for help.
2. Tap on SATA Configuration and configure SATA as IDE mode.
3. Press F8 key to save the changes > exit BIOS.
4. Restart computer to see if the M.2 SSD shows up in BIOS.

Solution 2: Activate M.2 SSD in BIOS

Manually activating M.2 SSD in BIOS is possibly an efficient way to get M.2 SSD not showing up in BIOS issue solved, which is achieved by configuring PCIe setting to M.2 Mode. See below for the steps.

1. Open BIOS as instructed in Solution 1.
2. Go to Advanced Settings > Onboard Devices Configuration > PCI Express X4_3 Slot (Black) Bandwidth.
3. Set the option to M.2 Mode.
4. Save the changes and exit BIOS.
5. Reboot the PC to check whether the system recognizes M.2 SSD successfully.

Solution 3: Reinstall M.2 SSD

Incorrect installation can be blamed for M.2 SSD not showing up on Windows 11/10 computer as well. Then carrying out a reinstallation will simply resolve the problem. Bear in mind that the reinstallation procedure will differ from desktop and laptop. Just follow up the instructions below.

Reinstalltion of M.2 SSD on desktop:

1. Turn off the desktop PC completely > Open the PC’s case
2. Remove the previously installed SSD from computer.
3. Find the location of M.2 slot on motherboard.
4. Insert the SSD into M.2 slot at an angle of 25 degrees.
5. Use a screwdriver to secure the M.2 SSD with screws.
6. Reassemble the desktop > power it on to confirm if the M.2 SSD appears in BIOS.

Reinstallation of M.2 SSD on laptop:

1. Take out the laptop battery > disassemble the computer’s shell.
2. Disconnect the M.2 SSD and laptop.
3. Open M.2 slot > slide M.2 SSD into the slot with an angle of 25 degrees.
4. Fix the screws at the other end of SSD > reinstall the shell.
5. Connect the power supply > turn on the laptop to see whether the M.2 SSD shows up.

Solution 4: Update BIOS

Obsolete or faulty BIOS version may also lead to the M.2 SSD not showing up error. Here’s how to update BIOS.

1. Visit the official website of your PC’s motherboard manufacturer > find the BIOS update file and download it.
2. Transfer the downloaded BIOS update to a USB flash drive > insert the drive into the computer.
3. Restart your computer and open BIOS interface.
4. Navigate to Update BIOS option.
5. Select the BIOS update file from the detected USB drive > double-click it to start the update.

Solution 5: Reset BIOS

Resetting BIOS is another feasible method when encountering the M.2 SSD not being detected issue. BIOS reset process is not complex, which is showed as following.

1. Enter BIOS while restarting your computer.
2. Find “Load defaults” option > confirm the configuration by tapping on Yes. Alternatively, you can press F9 or Alt+F to reset the BIOS.
3. Save the changes and exit BIOS.

Solution 6: Disable Secure Boot

In addition to regular BIOS fixes, disabling Secure Boot in BIOS will potentially help to make your M.2 SSD accessible. This is the guide on how to fix M.2 SSD not showing up by disabling Secure Boot.

1. Reboot the computer > enter BIOS by pressing the key designated for your mobo.
2. Go ahead for Security > Secure Boot > Disabled.
3. Press F10 to save the changes and exit BIOS.
4. Restart your computer to check if the M.2 SSD is able to be detected by the system.

Solution 7: Change BIOS Boot Priority to M.2

If all of these are of no avail, there’s one more fix you can try --- changing Boot Priority Order to M.2. That’s because an incorrect boot order will also hinder Windows from identifying the M.2 SSD drive. Please check the steps.

1. Enter BIOS interface as stated earlier.
2. Head over to Advanced Settings > Boot > Boot Priority Order.
3. Change the boot priority of M 2 SSD to number 1.
4. Save the change > exit BIOS > reboot the PC.

Case 2: M.2 SSD not Showing up in Disk Management

According to users’ feedback, another error frequently rising up is M.2 SSD not showing up in Disk Management. Disk Management is a system utility in Windows for advanced storage operations, which can be used to change drive letters, format drives, shrink partitions, or perform other disk tasks. Why is M.2 SSD not detected in Disk Management? And how to solve it? Answers are given in the subsequent parts.

Why is my M.2 SSD not showing up in Disk Management?

• Interference of other drives on computer.
• New M.2 SSD not initialized and allocated.
• M.2 SSD drivers out of date.
• Missing or conflicting drive numbers.

How to Fix M.2 SSD not Showing up in Disk Management? (5 Solutions)

Solution 1: Unplug Other Drives on PC

When you connect your new M.2 SSD, if there are other hard drives on your PC, a compatibility error may occur, thus resulting in the M.2 SSD not showing up in Disk Management. For this reason, it’s recommended that you temporarily disconnect other irrelevant disks and make sure only the M.S SSD is installed on your Window 11/10 computer, to see if the issue is fixed.

Solution 2: Initialize & Allocate M.2 SSD

A freshly installed M.2 SSD is likely to be not initialized or allocated before connected to the PC. Surely you can’t read or write anything over this kind of M.2 SSD not showing up in Disk Management. To get the M.2 SSD into use, let’s initialize and allocate it.

1. Right-click on Start menu > select Disk Management.
2. Right-click on the M.2 SSD > choose Initialize Disk.
3. From the pop-up window, select a partition style between MBR or GPT and click OK.

Until now the M.2 SSD has been initialized but not allocated. An unallocated M.2 SSD will show up in Disk Management utility, but not in File Explorer. To finish the allocation, we should:

1. Right-click on the unallocated space of M.2 SSD > select New Simple Volume.
2. On the New Simple Volume Wizard, click Next.
3. The volume size is set to its maximum by default. You can manually choose the desired size.
4. Assign a drive letter for the M.2 SSD > click Next.
5. Choose the option: Format this volume with the following settings > set the proper file system, allocation unit size and volume label > click Next.
6. Choose Finish to start the drive formatting. Once done, the M.2 SSD will show up both in Disk Management and File Explorer.

Solution 3: Update M.2 SSD Driver

Outdated storage controller driver also belongs to one factor that influences the normal function of M.2 SSD. To fix this we can check for those old drivers and update them.

1. Press Windows + X > select Device Manager.
2. Click on Storage controllers to see the device driver > right-click on it > choose Update driver.
3. Select Search automatically for drivers > follow the on-screen prompts.
4. After the update finished, restart your PC to verify if the M.2 SSD can be recognized properly.

Solution 4: Assign a Drive Letter to M.2

As mentioned in the previous part, a missing or contradictory drive letter can be one major reason why the M.2 SSD is not showing up in Disk Management. To deal with it, here’s how to assign a new drive letter to M.2 SSD.

1. Open Disk Management.
2. Right click on the M.2 SSD > select Change Drive Letter and Paths.
3. Hit on Add button > choose Assign the following drive letter > select a letter from the list > click OK.
4. Reboot your computer and check whether the system can access to your M.2 SSD.

Solution 5: Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter

As a last resort, M.2 SSD not showing up in Windows 11/10 can be also caused by unknown hardware failures. Then the corresponding solution must be performing Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter to repair any problems on PC. As below is the tutorial in details.

1. Right click on Start menu > select Windows Terminal (Admin).
2. Type the command: msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic > press Enter.
3. The Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter will appear. Then click Next button.
4. Wait for the wizard to complete the detecting and repair any problems.

This is the end of this article. We hope you find the methods useful and fix the M.2 SSD not showing up smoothly.