If you’ve been using GoPros for a while, this is going to seem really obvious. This post isn’t for you. (But I hope you find plenty of other posts on this site with information your find useful.)
But if you’re picking up a GoPro for the first time, taking it out of the box, and itching to get out shooting with it, it might not be obvious where the memory card goes.
It’s not hidden, as such, but it’s small and tucked away and not necessarily intuitive.
So this post is for first-time GoPro users. Because I know you’d rather get shooting than being frustrated trying to figure out where the memory card goes or wondering whether you have it in the right way.
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Where to find the memory card slot on the GoPro HERO12 Black
There’s only one door on a GoPro HERO12 Black. That compartment conceals both the battery and the microSD card slot.
There’s only one compartment on the HERO12 Black, and it contains the battery, the SD card, and the USB-C port.
You can find the microSD card slot right next to the battery. It’s small. I have some close-up photos a little further down this page.
Which way around does the memory card go?
And the microSD card only goes in correct one way.
The end of the microSD card with the contact goes in first. And the contacts should be facing the front of the camera.
If the card won’t go in straight and seems to hit at an angle, you’ve got it back to front.
Using your thumbnail, push the card in against the spring until it locks into place. You should have to force it (and will cause problems if you do). But when it’s locked into place, the top of the memory card should be flush with the surrounding area and the top of the battery.
What to do after you’ve inserted your memory card
After you’ve inserted your memory card, it’s a good idea to format it.
This will not only wipe the card to create space for new data. It will also set the memory card up with the files and folders and filesystem that the camera needs to run smoothly. It’s also a very good way to keep the SD card in good working order.
There are two ways to format the SD card in a GoPro HERO12 Black. Both get the same end result, and there’s no particular advantage to using one method over another–it’s just a matter of personal preference.
Method 1: Use the camera’s menu system
You can find this under:
Preferences > Reset > Format SD Card
Method 2: Use the GoPro Quik app
The GoPro Quik app uses slightly different terminology. Because I guess it would be too logical to have them consistent?
In the app, go to the Camera Preferences section and look for:
Delete All Files from SD Card
What type of memory card does the HERO12 Black take?
I have a much more detailed post on SD card recommendations for the GoPro HERO12 Black, but the gist is this:
- There’s one memory card slot.
- It takes microSD cards.
- A card rated at V30 or faster will allow you to take full advantage of the camera’s features.
- The HERO12 Black has a UHS-I slot, but it will accept UHS-II cards (but you won’t get the added speed benefits).
- High-bitrate video takes up a lot of storage space, so cards that are 128GB or larger make more sense.
