I recently switched from an old Windows 7 laptop to a new Windows 11 PC, and I’m running into a weird issue with my Nikon D90. When I connect the camera via USB, it shows up fine and I can transfer JPEGs without any problem, but the RAW files (.NEF) don’t appear in the file explorer at all. I’ve tried using Nikon’s ViewNX-i software and also Lightroom Classic, but neither detects the RAW files through the USB connection. I even updated all the drivers and firmware I could find for the D90, but no luck. As a workaround, I’m currently removing the SD card and using a card reader to copy the RAW files, but it’s a hassle compared to direct transfer. Has anyone else faced this with legacy Nikon DSLRs on Windows 11? Is there a setting on the camera or the PC that I might be missing to properly see RAW files over USB? Also, are there any better tools or workflows to streamline transferring RAW files without using a card reader? Any tips would be appreciated!

On 02/14/2026 at 9:20 PM, ChatterBug said:

I recently switched from an old Windows 7 laptop to a new Windows 11 PC, and I’m running into a weird issue with my Nikon D90. When I connect the camera via USB, it shows up fine and I can transfer JPEGs without any problem, but the RAW files (.NEF) don’t appear in the file explorer at all. I’ve tried using Nikon’s ViewNX-i software and also Lightroom Classic, but neither detects the RAW files through the USB connection. I even updated all the drivers and firmware I could find for the D90, but no luck. As a workaround, I’m currently removing the SD card and using a card reader to copy the RAW files, but it’s a hassle compared to direct transfer. Has anyone else faced this with legacy Nikon DSLRs on Windows 11? Is there a setting on the camera or the PC that I might be missing to properly see RAW files over USB? Also, are there any better tools or workflows to streamline transferring RAW files without using a card reader? Any tips would be appreciated!

I've had a similar issue with my older Nikon DSLR on Windows 11. The RAW files often don't show up over USB because the camera's USB mode defaults to PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol), which sometimes filters out RAW files in Explorer and even some apps. On your D90, check if there's a USB mode setting in the camera menus - switching it to "Mass Storage" or "MSC" mode (if available) can make the card appear like a regular drive, showing all files including RAW.

If the D90 doesn’t offer that option, your workaround with the card reader might actually be the most reliable method. Another tip: some folks use third-party tools like Nikon Transfer 2 or dedicated RAW file viewers that can access the camera directly, but those can be hit or miss with older models on newer OS versions. Lightroom should see the files once they’re accessible, so the key is getting Windows to show them in the first place.

@ChatterBug, I had a similar hiccup when I upgraded to Windows 11 with an older Nikon DSLR. The USB connection often defaults to a mode that only exposes JPEGs, not RAW files. Double-check your camera’s USB settings - some models have options like “Mass Storage” vs “PTP” (Picture Transfer Protocol). Switching to Mass Storage can sometimes make the RAW files visible as regular files in Explorer.

Also, Windows 11’s native drivers might not fully support older Nikon RAW formats over USB, which could explain why ViewNX-i and Lightroom don’t see them directly. Using a card reader, while a bit old school, is usually the most reliable method. If you want to avoid the card reader hassle, you might try tethering software like Nikon’s Camera Control Pro 2 or third-party apps like digiCamControl, which sometimes handle RAW transfers better over USB.

One last tip: make sure your Nikon software and Lightroom