GoPro Hero 11 Error F25 – Fast Fix Guide

by

What This Error Means

F25 on a GoPro Hero 11 means SD Card Write Error.
The camera is trying to record or read files, but the microSD card is corrupt, too slow, or the slot is misreading it.

Typical triggers:
  • Cheap or fake microSD card that can’t keep up with 5.3K/4K recording.
  • Card never formatted in the camera, only in a PC or another device.
  • File system damage from yanking the battery or card while recording.
  • Overheated card after long, hot 4K/5.3K shoots.

Official Fix

Do it the way GoPro support would walk you through it. No shortcuts yet.
  • 1. Power the camera down cleanly
    Hold the Mode/Power button until it shuts off. Don’t rip the battery out while it’s on.
  • 2. Pull battery and microSD card
    Open the side door. Remove the battery. Push the microSD in to release and pull it out.
  • 3. Check the card type
    Use a name-brand microSD (SanDisk, Samsung, Lexar, etc.), rated at least U3 / V30, 64GB–256GB. If it’s some random no‑name card, assume that’s your problem.
  • 4. Back up and full-format on a PC/Mac
    Copy everything off the card to a computer.
    Then do a full format (not quick) in exFAT (for 64GB+ cards) or FAT32 (for 32GB). This refreshes the file system.
  • 5. Reformat again inside the GoPro
    Put the card back in the Hero 11. Reinsert battery. Power on.
    Go to Preferences → Reset → Format SD Card. Let the camera do its own format. This is the one that really matters.
  • 6. Update the firmware
    Use GoPro Quik or the manual update method to get the latest firmware on the camera. Firmware updates often fix picky SD handling and random write errors.
  • 7. Test in a heavy mode
    Record 3–5 minutes in a demanding setting (e.g., 5.3K, 4K120). If it completes without stopping or showing F25, you’re good. If F25 comes right back, assume the card is weak.
  • 8. Swap to a known-good, fresh card
    Try another microSD that you know works fine in a different 4K/5.3K camera or another GoPro. If the second card works and the first doesn’t, the original card is bad. Replace it.
  • 9. Last resort: factory reset
    If F25 still shows even with a top-tier card, go to Preferences → Reset → Factory Reset. Set it up again and test with the good card.
If F25 survives two different quality cards and a reset, you’re probably looking at a hardware issue with the SD slot or main board.

The Technician’s Trick

Here’s how a camera tech squeezes a bit more life out of a flaky Hero 11 before calling it dead.

  • 1. Boot it with no card
    Pull the card and battery. Reinsert the battery, leave the card out, and power on.
    Let it boot fully, then power it off again. This sometimes clears a stuck card-detection glitch.
  • 2. Hot-swap to a fresh card the right way
    With the camera off, insert a quality microSD. Don’t jam it in while powered.
    Turn the camera on and immediately go to Format SD Card. Format it twice back-to-back. This forces the camera to rebuild its file structures cleanly.
  • 3. Drop the stress level for testing
    If you just need it to work for a shoot right now:
    • Turn off High Bitrate.
    • Drop resolution or frame rate (e.g., from 5.3K60 down to 4K30).
    • Turn off extra features like HyperSmooth Boost temporarily.
    Less data hitting the card = fewer write failures = F25 often stays away long enough to get your job done.
  • 4. Heat check
    If the camera and card are roasting hot, let them cool 10–15 minutes with the side door open (camera off). Some borderline cards only fail when cooked.
  • 5. Card health test on a PC
    Pop the card in a computer and run a disk check or a write/read test (tools like H2testw/Blackmagic). If it throws errors or slows to a crawl, don’t fight it. That card is trash for 4K+ work.

If two solid cards behave and one card keeps triggering F25, stop wasting time. Retire the bad card.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: F25 only shows with one card, or goes away with a new quality microSD and a clean format. You’re just buying a new card and maybe a spare battery.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Error appears randomly across cards, but the camera is out of warranty and you can work around it by using lower resolutions or shorter clips. Weigh the cost of missed footage vs. limping it along.
  • ❌ Replace: F25 hits even with multiple brand‑new, name‑brand U3/V30 cards, after firmware update and factory reset. That points to a failing SD slot or main board – repair cost can get close to the price of a newer GoPro.

Parts You Might Need

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

See also

Dealing with other F-codes on your appliances too? These breakdowns help you decode them just as fast: