Can You Use 1TB microSD Cards in GoPro Cameras?

This is a question I’ve had readers ask. And I was curious to try it out for myself.

One size that’s conspicuously absent from the official GoPro guidance is 1TB–it maxes out at 512GB.

That might be because they’re relatively new. And they’re expensive–they often cost almost as much as a new GoPro. But the SDXC spec is designed in such a way that if a device is compatible with SDXC, it should work with all cards that properly adhere to that spec. ¹ So I go into this with the assumption that it will work just fine. But I thought it was worth trying out for myself.

The specific card I’ve been using is the SanDisk Extreme 1TB (model number SDSQXA1-1T00-AN6MA). It’s rated for V30 and A2.

I bought mine at B&H Photo. You can also find them at Amazon and Adorama.

SanDisk 1TB Extreme microSDXC UHS-I Memory Card with Adapter - Up to...

• Up to 160MB/s read speeds to save time transferring high res images and 4K UHD videos; Requires...
• Up to 90MB/s write speeds for fast shooting; Requires compatible devices capable of reaching such speeds

Check Price on Amazon

But first, a note on what this is and isn’t. This is by no means a rigorous scientific test. It’s one card and normal camera use. I haven’t tested every shooting mode, and I’m not going to extra lengths to try to break things. And I’m obviously not saying that all 1TB microSD cards work in all GoPros. Some cards are too slow. I’d be skeptical, for instance, that the SanDisk Ultra 1TB card would work well in the high-bitrate recording modes (the Extreme has a faster sequential write speed). And some older GoPros aren’t compatible with the microSDXC spec–they’re microSDHC only. What I am saying is that in my experience, this SanDisk Extreme 1TB card worked for me without any noticeable adverse effects in these GoPro cameras under normal shooting conditions.

So I broke out my growing collection of GoPro cameras to put them to the test. These are the models I have tried so far. The SanDisk Extreme 1TB worked for me in these cameras:

• GoPro HERO10 Black ²
• GoPro HERO9 Black
• GoPro HERO8 Black
• GoPro MAX

I haven’t tested the older models yet but will try to do so soon and make any necessary updates. ³

In each case, I first formatted the card in the camera, which is recommended practice for all memory cards.

Related: Best SD Card for GoPro Cameras

1. For a card to be able to use the SDXC label, it has to meet the SD Association’s requirements mapped out in the spec. The larger, reputable manufacturers do that, but that may not be the case with some of the no-name brands that pop up or with counterfeit cards–there are plenty in both category out there.[↩]
2. I did run into issues with the GoPro HERO10 overheating, but from previous tests, I know that this is not due specifically to the 1TB card. I have more details here.[↩]
3. I have also used 400GB and 512GB microSDXC cards in these cameras without running into any issues.[↩]

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