How to Find the Serial Number of a GoPro HERO11 Black

From time to time, you might need to find the serial number of your GoPro HERO11 Black. Here’s a guide to four methods for finding it.

GoPro HERO11 Black
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Filed Under: GoPro Tips & Tricks

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From time to time, you might need to find the serial number of your GoPro HERO11 Black.

It’s not something that comes up often, but you might need it if you’re manually updating your camera’s firmware or reaching out for help from GoPro support. You’ll also need it to add a device to your GoPro Subscription account.

Screenshot of the Add a Device screen when adding a GoPro HERO11 Black to a GoPro Subscription

There are at least four methods you can choose from to find the serial number of a HERO11 Black. Here’s a quick guide.

On the HERO11’s Menu System

If your HERO11 can power on, this is probably the quickest and easiest method.

The camera’s serial number is included in the menu system on the back screen. You can find it under:

Preferences > About > Camera Info > Serial Number
GoPro HERO11 Black Serial Number

Hard-Printed On the Camera Body

If your camera won’t power on and you’re reaching out to technical support , the HERO11 serial number is also printed on the camera body itself. But it’s not in an obvious place or even easy to read. The text is tiny and sometimes hard to tell the difference between numerals such as 6 and 8.

Open the HERO11 Black’s side door and remove the battery.

Inside the battery compartment, there are two printed labels–one on each of the two largest compartment walls. The one you want is on the back wall (i.e., opposite side from the SD card).

You’ll need to get some light in there. You might need a flashlight or the light from your phone.

The serial number is just above the QR code. It starts with a C and is followed by 13 digits.

It looks like this:

GoPro HERO11 Black Serial Number

On the SD Card

This method is useful if you want to copy and paste the serial number or if the number printed on the camera is too hard to read clearly.

The camera’s serial number is also saved in a file on the SD card.

When the HERO11 formats the SD card to make it ready for use, it creates a couple of folders and a few files. One of those files records the camera’s key information, including the serial number.

In the top-level MISC folder, look for a file called version.txt. (There’s another MISC folder under the DCIM folder–not that one.)

It’s a plain text file and will open in a wide variety of apps. Double-clicking on it should automatically open it in an appropriate app.

The last field is camera serial number.

GoPro HERO11 Black Serial Number in TXT Files on SD Card Screenshot Example

In Image EXIF Information

The camera’s serial number is also embedded in the EXIF metadata of photos taken with the HERO11. Look for an EXIF field called BodySerialNumber or CameraSerialNumber–I’ve seen it rendered as both with the same HERO11 image.

To access that, you’ll need software that can read image EXIF metadata. Some examples are:

There are plenty of other options for viewing EXIF metadata, including many imaging apps (some free, like XNViewMP, XNView, or GIMP), browser plugins, and free online services that can read and display the EXIF metadata of an image you upload. Not all of them will display the camera serial number field, but if one doesn’t work, there are plenty of other alternatives to try.

GoPro HERO11 Black Serial Number in EXIF Information Screenshot from Preview App
This screenshot is taken from the Preview app on Mac.

Tip: If you’re shooting with the HERO11’s RAW image option enabled, it’s best to use the JPG version of the image with these EXIF readers. The RAW (.gpr) files are much less widely compatible.

  1. Select the photo in Lightroom’s Library panel. Then make sure that the EXIF fields are chosen in the drop-down at the top of the Metadata panel on the right side of the screen. The serial number won’t show up in just the regular Default display of metadata fields.[]
  2. in XNViewMP, use the ExifTools tab of image properties. The serial number field doesn’t show up in the regular EXIF tab.[]
David Coleman / Photographer

David Coleman

I'm a freelance travel photographer based in Washington DC. Seven continents, up mountains, underwater, and a bunch of places in between. My images have appeared in numerous publications, and you can check out some of my travel photography here. I've been shooting with GoPros for years, starting with the HD HERO, and have owned and used every model since. More »

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