🔄 Try this first — Unplug the camera’s power adapter for 10 seconds, then plug it back in and wait for it to fully restart. Restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds too. This clears most temporary glitches.

If Tapo C250 will not recognise its microSD card or keeps showing storage errors, it is usually the card format, size or seating rather than the camera.

What This Problem Means

If your Tapo C250 is showing this fault, working through the checks below in order resolves it in the large majority of cases. Each step is safe to try yourself and follows TP-Link’s official Tapo guidance.

Common Symptoms

  • “SD card not recognised” error
  • Card not detected at all
  • Recordings stop after a while
  • Storage shows 0GB

Safe Checks You Can Try

1. Reseat the card

Power the camera down, remove the microSD card, and refit it firmly until it clicks. A loose card is a common cause.

2. Check the card format and size

Tapo cameras use the FAT32 or exFAT file system and support microSD cards up to 512GB. A card that was formatted for another device, or one over 512GB, may not be recognised.

3. Format the card in the app

Use the Tapo app’s format option (Storage settings) to format the card to the correct file system. Back up anything you need first, as this erases the card.

4. Try a different card

Test with another quality microSD card. Cheap or counterfeit cards often fail or are not recognised.

5. Update firmware

Make sure the camera is on the latest firmware in the Tapo app, then reinsert the card.

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When To Contact Support

If you have worked through every step and your Tapo C250 still has this problem, the hardware may need attention. Visit TP-Link support for further help or to arrange a replacement if it is in warranty.