What Does It Mean to Format an SD Card?
Formatting a SD card erases all data stored on the card and prepares it to store new data. When you format the card, it wipes the card completely clean and allows you to start fresh. This is different than just deleting photos or videos on the card, which does not fully erase the contents. Deleting files simply removes references to those files in the file table, but does not overwrite the actual data on the card. Formatting clears the file table and overwrites all existing data on the card so that no files can be recovered. This allows you to fully reset your SD card and ensure there is no leftover data still on it before capturing new photos and videos.
When Should You Format the SD Card?
There are a few key times when you should format your SD card for your GoPro:
- Before first use with a new camera – When using a brand new SD card with your GoPro for the first time, it’s recommended to format it to prepare the card for use with the camera. Formatting optimizes the card for capturing photos and videos with your specific GoPro model. Source
- If card is having performance issues – If you notice your SD card is having issues like slow saving times, freezing, or file corruption, formatting the card can help resolve these problems by wiping the card and restoring it to proper working order.
- To permanently delete all data off the card – Formatting completely erases all files stored on the SD card. So if you want to permanently delete everything on the card before selling, gifting or recycling it, formatting will clear all data.
Formatting the card gives it a fresh start, which can fix problems, optimize it for your camera, or wipe it before disposal.
Back Up Important Files First
Formatting an SD card erases everything stored on it, so it’s crucial to back up your files before formatting the card. There are a few ways to back up an SD card:
Copy files to your computer or external hard drive. Use a card reader or adapter to connect your SD card to your computer. Then copy the files you want to keep onto your computer’s hard drive or an external hard drive for safekeeping. This ensures you have copies of your files before formatting the SD card.
Use backup software like iTunes or Samsung Smart Switch to back up files from your smartphone to a computer. These programs can back up photos, videos, contacts, and other data from your phone which may be stored on the SD card.
Upload files to cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox. Many apps allow you to wirelessly back up photos, videos, and documents from your phone or tablet to cloud storage before formatting the SD card.
Backing up your SD card files before formatting ensures you don’t permanently lose important photos, videos, documents, or other data stored on the card. It’s a necessary precautionary step.
How to Format SD Card in a GoPro
Formatting the SD card directly on your GoPro camera is a quick and easy process. Here are the steps:
1. Power on your GoPro camera and insert the SD card if it’s not already inside. Use a compatible SD card – refer to GoPro’s website for recommended cards.
2. From the main menu, scroll down and select the ‘Preferences’ option. Then select ‘Format SD Card’.
3. You will get a prompt asking ‘Delete ALL and Format?’ – select ‘Yes’ to confirm. This will permanently delete all content on the SD card.
4. Wait for the formatting process to complete. The camera status screen will display ‘Erasing…’ during formatting. It usually takes just a few seconds.
5. Once done, you will see a ‘Complete’ message. The SD card is now wiped clean and reformatted for use in your GoPro.
Refer to GoPro’s guide for step-by-step instructions with images: https://community.gopro.com/s/article/SD-Card-Reformat-on-a-Mac-Computer?language=en_US
Format Using a Computer
The simplest way to format your SD card on a GoPro is by using your computer. Here are the steps:
- Remove the SD card from your GoPro camera and insert it into the SD card slot on your computer.
- On Windows, launch the Disk Management utility. On Mac, open the Disk Utility application.
- In the disk list, locate the SD card and select it. Make sure you select the correct disk, as formatting will erase all data.
- Right-click on the SD card and choose ‘Format’ (Windows) or ‘Erase’ (Mac).
- Choose the file system. The recommended format for GoPro is FAT32.
- Click ‘Start’ (Windows) or ‘Erase’ (Mac) to begin formatting. The process will only take a few seconds.
Once completed, you can safely remove the SD card and insert it back into your GoPro. The card will now be wiped clean and ready to start recording new videos and photos.
For step-by-step instructions, see this guide from Cisdem.
Format Using a Mobile App
There are some handy mobile apps that allow you to format the SD card in your GoPro without needing a computer. Apps like GoPro Quik have built-in formatters for GoPro SD cards.
To use a mobile app to format your SD card, you first need to connect your GoPro to your phone’s WiFi. This allows the app to communicate directly with the camera. In the Quik app, go to the “Camera Settings” section and select “Format SD Card”. The app will prompt you to confirm, then format the card inserted in your GoPro.
Mobile formatting apps like Quik provide an easy way to format your GoPro SD card using just your phone. As long as your GoPro is WiFi connected to your phone, the app can access the camera directly and format the card.
Choosing the Right File System
When formatting your SD card for use in your GoPro, you’ll need to select the appropriate file system. The two main options compatible with GoPro are FAT32 and exFAT:
FAT32 is compatible with GoPro cameras and most other devices. It supports cards up to 32GB. FAT32 is a good option if you need broad compatibility across devices.
exFAT is recommended for SD cards 64GB or larger. exFAT removes some limitations of FAT32, allowing you to store larger files. Most newer devices, including GoPro cameras, support exFAT.
It’s important to note that GoPro cameras do not support the NTFS file system. So when formatting your SD card, you’ll want to select FAT32 or exFAT and not NTFS. To summarize:
- FAT32 for cards 32GB or smaller
- exFAT for cards 64GB or larger
- Avoid NTFS, as it is not supported on GoPro
Consult the user manual for your specific GoPro model to confirm which file systems it supports before formatting your SD card.
Sources:
[1] How To Format An SD Card On Your Computer
[2] 4 Ways for GoPro SD Card Format [2023 Updated]
How Long Does Formatting Take?
Formatting an SD card is generally a very quick process that takes under a minute for most memory card capacities. According to Quora, a quick format simply rewrites the file system, which only takes a few seconds. The larger the capacity of the SD card, the slightly longer the format will take, but even high capacity 128GB or 256GB cards should format in under a minute.
Formatting the SD card using a computer is faster than formatting in-camera on the GoPro. Connect the SD card to your computer using a card reader, then use the computer’s file manager to quickly format the card. The computer can rewrite the file system more efficiently than the GoPro camera.
Overall, formatting through either the computer or GoPro should not take more than 1-2 minutes even for high capacity cards. Just be sure to back up any important files first, as formatting will erase all data.
Recovering Deleted Files
If you accidentally delete files from your SD card, special software can potentially help you recover them. Programs like Disk Drill and Recuva can scan your SD card and restore deleted photos, videos, and other files, as long as the space they occupied has not been overwritten with new data yet.
However, formatting your SD card more fully clears the card by erasing all of the indexing information that points to your stored files. So if you format the card before trying to recover deleted files, it becomes much more difficult for data recovery software to retrieve anything usable.
For the best chance of getting deleted files back, you’ll want to use recovery software before formatting the SD card. This way, the software still has the indexing data intact to locate your deleted files on the card. Once formatting wipes that critical data, little can be done to salvage your files. The quicker you act, the better your chances.
Some helpful data recovery tools include:
– Disk Drill (https://www.cleverfiles.com/howto/recover-formatted-sd.html)
– Recuva (Freeware)
– PhotoRec (GNU General Public License)
When to Replace an SD Card
SD cards can wear out over time, especially with repeated use in devices like action cameras that rewrite data frequently. If your GoPro is having issues reading or writing to the card, it may be time for a replacement. Some signs it’s time to swap out the card:
- The card is very slow, leading to choppy footage or problems transferring files.
- You’re getting errors related to the card, and reformatting doesn’t resolve them.
- The card has become corrupted or unreadable by your GoPro.
- There are visible signs of damage on the card’s surface or connectors.
- The card is several years old and has been used extensively.
GoPros require high performance SD cards to handle high bitrate video recording. Over time, as a card wears out, it may no longer sustain fast enough read/write speeds. Replacing it with a new high speed SD card, optimized for high resolution video, can get your GoPro working smoothly again.
It’s also important to check your GoPro model’s maximum supported SD card capacity. Cards that exceed the size limit may cause issues. Refer to GoPro’s recommendations and use an appropriately sized card. When in doubt, replacing the card with a new one is the safest bet to resolve performance problems.
Sources:
https://www.quora.com/How-long-does-an-SD-card-last-What-are-some-signs-that-an-SD-card-is-going-bad