Best SD Cards for GoPro HERO13, HERO12 & HERO11 Black (Tested)

Any current V30 (U3) UHS-I microSD card is fast enough for the GoPro HERO13 Black — and for the HERO12 and HERO11 Black, which have identical memory-card requirements. My picks are the SanDisk Extreme, the Lexar Professional SILVER PLUS, and the Samsung PRO Plus.

I’m not going off manufacturer speed ratings here. I speed-test these microSD cards myself, and I shoot with the HERO13 Black myself. If a card is on this list, it’s because it works in the field, not just on a spec sheet.

The HERO13, HERO12, and HERO11 Black share the same memory DNA: the same GP2 processor, the same 120 Mbps maximum video bitrate, and the same high-demand modes. A card that works well in one works in all three.

GoPro HERO13 / 12 / 11 Black	SD card requirement
Card type	microSD (microSDXC for 64GB and up)
Minimum speed	V30 / U3 — sustained 30 MB/s write; slower cards cause stopped recordings and SD ERR messages
Bus type	UHS-I; UHS-II cards work but give no benefit in these cameras
Capacity	64GB to 2TB — details on size limits
Maximum bitrate	120 Mbps (5.3K60, 4K120, 1080p240, Burst Slo-Mo)
Comes with a card?	No — sold separately (or as a bundle add-on)
First step	Format the card in the camera: Preferences > Reset > Format SD Card

Related: how to format an SD card on a GoPro · GoPro SD card size limits · waterproof depth ratings · GoPro accessories guide

Below: what to look for in a card, the detailed case for each pick, a storage calculator, and how to format the card in these cameras.

GoPro HERO13 / 12 / 11 Memory Card Requirements

A faster SD card won’t give you better video quality or help you take better pictures, but a card that’s fast enough will allow you to use all of the camera’s features without running into problems such as dropped frames, unavailable features, or even the camera locking up.

An SD card is an essential accessory for your GoPro, but as you might have already found out when you unboxed the camera, the GoPro HERO13 Black (and its predecessors) doesn’t come with an SD card as standard.

That’s pretty normal with any camera.¹

Some retailers might include a memory card as part of an accessory bundle. GoPro used to do this with purchases of their cameras from their own GoPro.com store, but they stopped doing it with the HERO12 and now offer it as an optional add-on at the time you purchase the camera, usually with a SanDisk Extreme microSDXC card at a discounted price.

So, unless you buy a bundle like that, you’ll need to pick up the SD card separately.

And you might want to upgrade your SD card to a larger-capacity one; you’ll find that a 32GB SD card is fine as a starter card, but it’ll fill up quickly if you’re shooting with these cameras’ high-bitrate video recording.

But which SD card is the best to get? That’s where this post comes in.

What to Look For

Here’s an explanation of what to look for when choosing a microSD card for your GoPro HERO13, HERO12, or HERO11 Black.

Form Factor

GoPros use a smaller variant of full-size SD cards known as microSD cards.

Those are basically thumbnail size, quite a bit smaller than the regular SD cards. microSD cards are pretty standard for action cams and smartphones. Most other cameras use the regular, larger SD cards or some other kind of memory card like CFexpress.

What Storage Capacity to Get?

microSD cards are available in a range of storage capacities, ranging from 16GB up to 1TB.

You might come across microSD cards with even lower storage capacities, but those aren’t practical options for these cameras and are rare now as the technology has improved. Those older cards tend to be slower, and they’ll fill up very quickly when you’re shooting with the high-end video modes that these cameras shoot at. Most of the newer higher-end cards start at around 64GB.

Newer GoPros — specifically the HERO11, 12, and 13 — are fully compatible with larger storage capacities, including 512GB and 1TB cards. There are some exceptions for much older GoPro models, but the HERO13 Black isn’t constrained by that limitation.

I have a calculator further down this page that shows you how much footage from the HERO13 Black you can expect to fit on a memory card of a particular size.

What Speed?

The speed of the SD card is key, and it’s the root cause of many issues that users run into with newer high-end action cams.

I learned the hard way myself years ago what can go wrong if you use the wrong microSD card in your GoPro, which is why I go to so much effort now to make sure I don’t run into the same problem and help others to avoid it too.

The key thing to look for is a card that is fast enough for the camera. Using a card that’s too slow can cause problems when you’re trying to shoot.

You don’t necessarily need the fastest microSD card for the HERO13/12/11 Black. But you will need one that’s fast enough.

Assuming you want to use all of the camera’s features and reduce the chance of problems and interruptions in your shooting. The main issue is that the card needs to be fast enough to keep up with the camera. While it’s not hard to find cards that will work well, it’s also quite possible to get the wrong card and end up running into problems.

The main issue comes down to the high-bitrate video recording on these cameras. Since the HERO11 Black, GoPro has kept the same maximum video bitrate of 120 Mbps (the models immediately preceding that maxed out at 100 Mbps).

While that’s not the bleeding edge in terms of video bitrate — a number of larger mirrorless cameras shoot at 400 Mbps or higher — it’s still high enough to be fairly demanding of the memory card.

When using the higher-end video modes of these cameras — specifically the 5.3K and 4K modes or the new Burst Slo-Mo — the camera needs to be able to write a large amount of data to the card very quickly. If the SD card isn’t fast enough to keep up, you can run into problems like the recording stopping unexpectedly, dropping frames, or even having the camera overheating or locking up.

V30 vs V60 vs V90

Look for cards that, at minimum, carry a V30 mark on them.

V60 and V90 will also work, but somewhat counterintuitively, they won’t actually work better in any of these cameras.

That’s because V60 and V90 cards use a UHS-II interface; the HERO13, 12, and 11 all have a UHS-I memory card interface. The upshot is that UHS-II will work fine in terms of compatibility, but you won’t get the performance benefits of those cards. So you’d be paying extra for a higher spec that your camera can’t make use of.

Tip: Don’t get a microSD Express or microSDUC card. While they look very much like regular microSDXC cards. Neither of those new standard are compatible with the GoPro HERO13 Black (or earlier models). I have more details on SDUC and microSD Express separately.

GoPro HERO13 SD Card Recommendations in Detail

You’ve seen the quick recommendations above. If you’re after a more detailed explanation of why each card is on the list, this is it.

I make a point of buying and testing as many SD and microSD cards for cameras as I can — you can see those test results separately. So I’m lucky enough to have on hand many of the major current memory cards available.

The HERO13 Black (and 12/11) has a maximum video bitrate of 120 Mbps, which is available in some of the resolution/framerate options, including 5.3K60, 4K120, and 1080p240 video modes.

What Size SD Card to Get for the HERO13 Black?

This calculator gives you a general idea of how much video footage or how many photos from the HERO13 Black (or HERO12/11) that you can fit on an SD card of a particular storage capacity.

Calculator Notes:

• These are approximate. The video duration is relatively straightforward, although you’ll need to include the extra LRV files that the camera generates automatically. But the photo calculations are extremely approximate. And that’s because the image files generated by a GoPro can vary quite a lot in size. Both JPG and GPR / RAW image files are compressed, and the way that image compression works is that some scenes can be compressed more effectively than others. And that, in turn, affects file size. For example, a .GPR file from the HERO13 Black might be 13MB, or it might be 22MB. For the calculator, I’m using averages of thousands of images I’ve shot with a HERO13 Black, but ultimately the file sizes you see in practice will depend on the scenes you’re shooting.
• The estimates also assume a blank, newly formatted SD card.
• I’m using the maximum bitrate here, but not every video mode uses the maximum bitrate. Some use lower bitrates, and if you’re shooting with one of those, the corresponding file sizes are smaller, which in turn means you can fit more video on the SD card. I have posted a bitrate chart separately.
• For the RAW photo calculation, when GoPros shoot RAW photos, they also save a JPG version alongside it. In other words, it’s not possible to only save a RAW / GPR version without a corresponding .JPG version. I’ve factored that into the calculation and am treating a GPR+JPG pair as a single photo.

How to Format SD Cards in the HERO13 / 12 / 11

It’s always good practice to format the memory card in the camera rather than with a computer. And to do it regularly (once you’ve safely downloaded and backed up your photos and video, of course). That ensures the card is prepped in such a way that the camera needs it, and it reduces the risk of something getting messed up.

Formatting the SD card in the GoPro HERO13 Black isn’t complicated, but the menu item isn’t necessarily in the most intuitive place.

You can find the option under:

Preferences > Reset > Format SD Card

The Reset bit is the part that made me pause the first time because when I see that, I think of a factory reset of the camera. But in this case, it’s a subcategory title option, not actually resetting the camera (those other reset options are under the same subcategory screen).

If you’re using the GoPro mobile app, it’s still in the same place as with previous models, although, confusingly, the wording is different than it is on the camera. You find it under:

Settings > Delete > Delete All Files from SD Card

It’s worth knowing that the GoPro HERO13/12/11 performs what’s known as a quick format, which basically wipes the master index but doesn’t actually wipe the underlying data. That’s good if there’s a chance you might need to recover the data at some point, but it can be problematic if you have sensitive data on the memory card. In that case, you’ll want to perform what’s known as a full format or overwrite format. You can’t do that on the HERO13 itself, but you can do it with a computer. I have a rundown of quick format vs full format and the various options separately.

Common Questions

Does the GoPro HERO13 Black come with an SD card?

No. None of the recent GoPros include a card in the box. GoPro’s own store offers a SanDisk Extreme as an add-on at checkout; otherwise buy one separately.

What size SD card should I get for a GoPro?

128GB or 256GB is the sweet spot for most people: at the 120 Mbps maximum bitrate, 128GB holds roughly 2 hours 20 minutes of video, 256GB about 4 hours 45 minutes. The calculator above gives other sizes; 1TB and 2TB cards work in the HERO13/12/11.

Do I need a UHS-II or V60/V90 card for a GoPro?

No. The HERO13/12/11 use a UHS-I slot and top out at 120 Mbps (15 MB/s), so a V30 card has double the headroom it needs. A faster, more expensive card won’t improve video quality or unlock anything.

What happens if the card is too slow?

The camera stops recording, throws an SD ERR or “SD card too slow” message, or locks up in the high-bitrate modes. A V30 card from a major brand avoids this; a bargain card with no speed-class marking is the usual culprit.

Which card for the HERO11 Black Mini or HERO (2024)?

The same V30 microSD picks apply to any current GoPro, including the HERO11 Black Mini, HERO (2024), and MAX. The cameras differ in shape and mounting, not in what they need from a card.

Why You Can Trust These Recommendations

My aim with these GoPro HERO13 Black SD card recommendations is to make it easier to find an SD card that won’t limit the camera’s features you can use, and so that you can have confidence that you’re getting a card that works well in this specific camera.

Any of these memory cards makes for a good choice for these cameras. They all meet this camera’s minimum requirement of a “microSD card with v30 or UHS-3 rating,” which is GoPro’s official but not especially helpful guidance.

There’s no particular benefit to choosing one over another — it comes down to price, availability, and personal preference between brands. These are fast enough for the cameras’ 120 Mbps top-end video modes, and choosing a card that is faster than the camera needs doesn’t provide any benefit when using it.²

There are other brands and cards that will also work well, and if you’re interested in some of those, you can find more details further down the page.

I also have a more general guide to the card compatibility and size limits for older GoPro models if you’re using older GoPro models.

What I’m not trying to do here is provide a laundry list of every SD card that will work in these cameras. There are some other cards that also work well; I’ll update this list as I have a chance to test them or as new models come out. There are also other fast cards that simply aren’t easy to find or aren’t cost-effective when you do. I’m most interested in the ones that are readily available and reasonably priced. What I am trying to do is present some options so you can choose a card and be confident that it’s compatible.

GoPro does have an official list, and I’ve consulted that in compiling these recommendations, but it doesn’t always stay up to date with the latest versions of the memory cards. I’ll do my best to keep the recommendations above up to date with the latest versions.

Notes & References:

1. A different kind of exception is the Ricoh GR IV and the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, both of which have sizable internal memory that’s user accessible. But GoPros don’t have that feature. [↩︎]
2. I’m referring here to use in the camera. Depending on your computer and memory card reader setup, you might get faster performance from some cards over others when downloading the images to your computer with the right combination of memory card reader and computer USB. [↩︎]