Why aren't my pictures downloading when the memory card is in the card reader slot?

There could be a number of causes for this problem. First, the "autostart" on your computer may not be launching. When you insert the card, if nothing happens, open My Computer (in Windows) and look for an icon for your memory reader or memory card. You can then double-click the card icon to view and copy the photos on the card.

If this doesn't work, it's possible that there are no photos on the memory card, that the memory card reader is not connected properly or is malfunctioning, or that this particular card is incompatible with your particular card reader.

Every now and then you’ll find a particular card that a given computer won’t recognize. If this is the case, you’ll need to switch to a different card – or use this card on a different computer.

Michael Miller is a writer and commentator on technology and digital lifestyle topics.