Before going out for a day of shooting with your GoPro (or any other camera really), it’s a good practice to format the SD memory card to ensure you have enough space available. However, you must make sure to download and store your data well before formatting.

In this article, you’ll discover three ways to format your GoPro Memory Card easily.

 

3 Ways to Format Your GoPro Memory Card

Let’s have a quick look at the three ways to format your GoPro Memory Card:

  1. In your camera
  2. Using GoPro App
  3. On Your Computer

In Your Camera

It’s always a great idea and very convenient to format the SD memory card using the camera itself. The performance is better, and the card functionality is not affected at all. You just need to insert the card in your GoPro, turn it on, and select the desired options from the menu to complete the process.

Using GoPro App

Formatting the memory card using GoPro App is also quite simple. Insert the card in the camera and turn it on. To format the memory card using GoPro App, you need to connect the camera with the GoPro App using a WiFi/Bluetooth connection. Select the desired option from Settings in the GoPro App and choose Delete.

On your Computer

You may also format your memory card using your computer. All you need to do is connect the card to your computer using an external card reader. After the connection has been established with your machine, you need to select the required options from the Menu to Format the card.

You must use GoPro recommended Memory Cards with your GoPro camera. Click on this link to know more about them.

 

Format GoPro SD Card In Camera

It is very convenient to format your SD memory card in your camera itself. However, for different GoPro models, the steps may vary. Here’s how to format GoPro SD Card while it’s in your camera (for different models):

GoPro Hero 12, 11, 10, 9

To format an SD card in a GoPro HERO 12, 11, 10, 9 you’ll generally want to follow these steps. Please note that formatting the SD card will delete all data on the card, so make sure you’ve backed up any important files before proceeding.

1. Turn on the GoPro: If it’s not already on, power up your camera.

2. Navigate to the Main Menu: From the home screen, swipe down to access the main menu.

3. Go to Preferences: Tap on the “Preferences” gear icon, usually located at the bottom of the screen.

4. Scroll to Reset: Swipe down and navigate to the “Reset” menu.

5. Format SD Card: In the Reset menu, you should see an option that says “Format SD Card” or something similar. Tap on it.

6. Confirm: A warning will appear, stating that all data on the SD card will be deleted. Confirm that you want to proceed by tapping on the “Format” or “Yes” button.

7. Wait for Completion: The GoPro will then format the SD card. This process might take a few moments. Once it’s done, a message will usually appear to indicate that the formatting is complete.

8. Exit the Menu: You can now exit out of the settings menu and return to the camera’s main screen.

Your SD card is now formatted and ready for use. Always refer to your specific GoPro model’s manual for the most accurate and detailed instructions.

GoPro HERO 8 Black

  1. Insert the card into the camera and turn it on.
  2. Swipe down on the back screen to the Main Menu.
  3. Go to Preferences.
  4. Scroll down and select Reset.
  5. Next, choose the option right on the top Format SD card.
  6. Click Format.

Here you can check out The Best SD Cards for GoPro Hero 8.

GoPro HERO 7 (Black / Silver / White)

  1. Insert the card into the camera and turn it on.
  2. Open the menu on the back screen (side button).
  3. Go to Preferences.
  4. Scroll down and select Reset.
  5. Choose the option Format SD Card.
  6. Click Format.

Read this article to know what are 5 Best Memory Cards for GoPro Hero 7.

GoPro HERO 6 (Black) or Hero5 (Black)

  1. Insert the card into the camera and turn it on.
  2. Open the menu on the back screen (side button).
  3. Go to Preferences.
  4. Scroll down and select Format SD Card.
  5. Choose Delete.

Format SD Card GoPro

GoPro HERO 5 Session, HERO 4 Session or HERO Session

For the GoPro session series, there is no way to format the SD card using the camera. You need to use the GoPro App for it. Scroll down to the next section for detailed steps.

GoPro HERO 4 (Black / Silver)

  1. Insert the card into the camera and turn it on.
  2. Push the bottom button and select Setup (Press top button).
  3. Scroll down and select Delete (trash can icon).
  4. Choose All/Format.
  5. Choose Delete.

GoPro Fusion & Max

  1. Insert the card into the camera and turn it on.
  2. Open the menu on the back screen (side button).
  3. Go to Preferences.
  4. Scroll down and select Reset.
  5. Choose the option Format SD Card.
  6. Click Format.

So, you just have to follow the simple steps given above as per your GoPro model, and formatting your SD card will be a breeze!

 

Format GoPro SD Card Using the GoPro App

Using the GoPro Quik is another convenient way to format the memory card. The GoPro App works with all GoPro models that support WiFi. To format the SD Card using GoPro App, follow the below steps:

  1. Insert the microSD card into the camera.
  2. Connect the camera to the GoPro app via WiFi/Bluetooth.
  3. In the GoPro app, go into Settings.
  4. Scroll down to the Delete Section.
  5. Choose Delete All Files from SD Card.

Format SD Card GoPro App

And there you go! The microSD card is successfully formatted.

 

Format GoPro SD Card On Your Computer

The third way to format your SD card is using your computer. You will need an external card reader for this step to connect the SD card to your PC. Make sure to download all the data on your card before you begin formatting.

Format GoPro Memory Card on Windows

  1. Connect the card to the computer using a card reader.
  2. Go to “My Computer” and select your SD card device.
  3. Right-click on your SD card.
  4. From the pop-up menu, choose the option “Format“.
  5. In the Format window, make sure to choose the correct format options.
  6. It should be set to FAT32 for up to 32GB SD cards and EXFAT for 64GB and above SD cards.
  7. Select the check box “Quick Format”
  8. Hit the Start button.

Format SD Card Windows

The formatting of your SD card is now complete.

How to Format GoPro Memory Card on Mac

Learn more: 3 Ways to Format SD Cards on Mac

  1. Connect the card to your Mac using a card reader.
  2. Open Disk Utility app.
  3. Select your SD card (If it hasn’t been formatted before, it might have a name like “NO NAME” or “UNTITLED”.)
  4. Choose the option “Erase” from the top menu bar.
  5. Enter a name for the SD card (optional).
  6. Choose filesystem format. If 64GB or larger, choose EXFAT. If 32GB or smaller, choose FAT32.
  7. Hit the option Erase and you are done.

Format SD Card Mac

Pro Tip: Mac OS 10.6.5 or earlier does not support exFAT format. So, you won’t be able to format 64GB and above SD cards. Thus, either upgrade your OS to 10.6.6 or later, or use an SD card that’s already formatted to MS-DOS (FAT) or FAT32.

 

Last Word Of Advice

The best method to format your GoPro SD Card depends upon what suits your needs the best. And it’s different for different people. However, it’s always a good practice to format your GoPro SD card and recharge all GoPro batteries before every session (for example, hiking day trip). It ensures that your memory card has lots of space and your camera has enough juice to store every bit of your adventures!

I usually format GoPro SD cards on my computer after transferring all media to an external drive. In this way they will be ready for the next shoot.

 

Thanks for reading!

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