GoPro Hero 11 F36 Error Code Fix Guide

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What This Error Means

F36 on a GoPro Hero 11 means an SD card read/write fault between the camera and the microSD card.

The camera can’t reliably talk to the card, so it blocks recording, crashes, or stops saving clips to avoid corrupt files.

  • Shows F36 when you try to record or on startup.
  • May freeze, restart, or stop recording by itself.
  • Most often triggered by a slow, damaged, fake, or corrupted microSD card – sometimes by buggy firmware.

Official Fix

Do it the factory-approved way first. Go through these steps in order:

  • 1. Power cycle the camera cleanly
    • Turn the Hero 11 off.
    • Pull the battery and SD card out for 30 seconds.
    • Reinstall the battery only and power it back on.
  • 2. Check the microSD card spec
    • Hero 11 needs a U3 / V30 card at minimum; 64–256GB is the sweet spot.
    • If the card is cheap, unbranded, or very old, treat it as suspect.
  • 3. Backup and in-camera format
    • Copy all footage to a computer first.
    • Put the card back in the GoPro.
    • On the camera: Preferences → Reset → Format SD Card.
    • Do not quick-format on a PC and call it done – GoPro wants its own format.
  • 4. Update firmware the normal way
    • Install the GoPro Quik app on your phone if you haven’t already.
    • Connect the Hero 11 and let Quik push the latest firmware.
    • Keep the camera powered and don’t touch it until the update finishes.
  • 5. Full settings reset
    • On the camera: Preferences → Reset → Reset Defaults.
    • Reboot the camera.
  • 6. Try a known-good, recommended card
    • Beg/borrow a fast U3 / V30 card from someone, preferably a big-brand one used successfully in another GoPro.
    • Format it in the Hero 11 and test recording a few minutes of high-res video.
  • 7. Still getting F36?
    • At this point GoPro’s official line is: contact GoPro Support or the place you bought it.
    • If it’s under warranty, push for a replacement – internal card interface faults are not user-fixable.

The Technician’s Trick

When the official dance doesn’t clear F36, this is how a bench tech squeezes a bit more truth out of the camera.

  • 1. Hard discharge and clean boot
    • Remove battery and SD card.
    • Hold the power/mode button for 15–20 seconds to drain any stuck state.
    • Reinstall just the battery, power it on once, then power it off again.
    • Now insert the SD card and power on. This sometimes clears a stubborn card error flag.
  • 2. Manual firmware reload from SD
    • On a computer, grab the latest Hero 11 firmware from GoPro’s site and use their “manual update” package.
    • Unzip it straight onto a freshly formatted microSD card (root folder).
    • Put the card in the powered-off Hero 11, then power it on and let it sit until it finishes the update and restarts.
    • This can fix weird low-level bugs that normal app updates sometimes miss.
  • 3. Clean and reseat the card properly
    • Wipe the gold contacts on the microSD card with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol and a lint‑free cloth, let it dry.
    • Blow out the slot gently (no high-pressure air, you don’t want to blow moisture into it).
    • Insert the card firmly until it clicks; close the door fully so the card doesn’t lift.
  • 4. Drop the load if the card is borderline
    • Set the camera to 4K instead of 5.3K, and turn off high bitrate / 10‑bit color / HyperSmooth Boost.
    • If F36 disappears at lower settings, your card is just barely too slow – replace it before it starts corrupting clips.
  • 5. Rule out power issues
    • Test with a different genuine GoPro battery if you can.
    • Try running on USB power with the battery removed; a sagging battery can cause fake “card” errors under load.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: F36 only happens with one card, goes away with a new U3 / V30 card or after a clean format/firmware reload.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Error sticks around across multiple good cards and batteries, but the camera is out of warranty and still mostly works at lower resolutions.
  • ❌ Replace: F36 shows on every card, even brand‑new and verified fast ones, and the camera is out of warranty – mainboard or card slot fault, usually not worth board‑level repair versus a newer GoPro.

Parts You Might Need

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See also

Dealing with error codes on other gear too? These breakdowns might help: