Uploading photos from memory (sd) card

Further to my first response -

I went to a friend’s today. They have a Dell XPS 8960/ Windows 11, bought at the same time as my 8950. My friend has never used the Photos app.

I inserted my sd card in the 8960’s card slot. I got an Autoplay message via a popup in the lower right corner of the screen. It asked “Select to choose what happens with memory cards”.  I was offered Photos, Media Suite 16, Windows Media Player, File Explorer, Take No Action.

I selected Photos. Photos opened with a blank window. I removed the sd card, and reinserted it. Nothing happened at all.

I restarted, and reinserted the sd card. A blank Photos window appeared automatically.

This is the same kind of inconsistency I have experienced with my 8950 for the last 3 weeks or so. But in the last 3 weeks it has never performed as it did in the year previous to that – when Photos opened automatically, and it displayed via thumbnails all the photos on the memory card, and I could select All, then Add, then select a target folder, then Import.

In addition, when clicking on a jpg file (default app set to Photos) in File Explorer, Photos simply didn’t open.

On searching the web, it is obvious that Photos, at least on Windows 11, is a problem app. A lot of people are having problems with it, and they are not finding a solution.

So I’m not wasting any more of my time. Even if a solution is found, it may not be permanent. Dell seemed too have found a solution 3 weeks ago, but it didn't last.

For viewing photos, I have activated the old Windows Photo Viewer – which I much prefer to Photos for this purpose. I only used Photos for uploading from a memory card – it worked well for a year. Going forward, I will simply use File Explorer – not as quick and convenient as Photos used to be, but Microsoft doesn’t seem interested in fixing Photos to work properly under Windows 11.

I am having the exact same problem. Window 11. Just started happening this week.

I have found a workaround for the Photos app not working. In the Microsoft Store there is an app called "Photos & Video Import App". I have used this app successfully to import photos and videos from my sd card to my laptop.

Thanks. I have tried reformatting the card, shooting some new photos, and uploading - but with same result. I've also used a different SD card and also a Compact Flash card, again with the same result. I don't presently have access to a different computer, but will do so in the not-too-distant future and will see what result I get then.

I should point out that it's not just a blank Photos window that I see when uploading. As I mentioned in my initial post, this is what happens on my first attempted upload for a given computer session. If I remove the card from the reader and try again, nothing happens.

I have also had a window pop up in the lower right of my screen asking me what I wanted to do with the card contents, and on clicking this window I was given a few options - including File Explorer, but not Photos. On one occasion this window told me I had new options, and the list presented did include Photos - but when I selected this option the Photos window was blank.

It was this inconsistency in what happened when I attempted to upload that led Dell to believe this was a Microsoft issue.

Do you in fact know that the Photos app is currently working on Windows 11 as it (supposedly) should - automatically opening in this situation, and presenting the user with options for importing all or selected photos to specified folders?

Hello Ian Gardiner1 and welcome to the Microsoft Community!

Based on your feedback, you are experiencing a blank window not displaying your photos after inserting your SD card in your computer two weeks ago

You could try backing up your photos from your SD card to your computer

Then format the SD card and re-import some photos to see if they can be displayed normally.

Secondly, you can connect your SD card reader to another computer to see if the problem recurs.

If the problem is reproduced, it means it's the SD card's problem.

If the problem disappears when you connect it to another computer, you can also try clean boot to eliminate third-party interference.

The method is as follows

1. Click Windows+R and type msconfig.
2. Open System Configuration and select General tab - Selective Startup.
3. Remove the checkbox of Load startup items.
4. Go to the Services tab - click Hide all microsoft services in the lower left corner, and then click Disable all.
5. Click OK and restart your computer. (Be sure to select Hide all microsoft services first and then click Disable all, otherwise it may lead to unforeseen problems such as not being able to access the system.)
6. Check if the problem will reappear.

DISCLAIMER: Clean Boot is a way to start Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs so that you can determine if background programs are interfering with your games or programs and help you figure out the cause of the problem. It will help you get back on track.

Check to see if it displays properly under clean startup

We hope you find the above information helpful

Kirito|Microsoft Community Support Specialist