Mac Not Recognizing GoPro: Quick Solutions to Try

Quick guide:

• 1. Why is GoPro not showing up on Mac?
• 2. How to get Mac to recognize GoPro (5 Working Solutions!)
• 3. More Tips: Safeguard Your GoPro Data (Very Helpful!)

A common issue is that a user's GoPro camera won't connect to their Mac or show up on the computer. The first step in loading your GoPro onto a Mac is connecting the GoPro's SD card to the Mac. Once it's connected, you can transfer videos from the camera, edit them, and share with friends.

When your Mac doesn't recognize GoPro, it makes it all the more challenging to offload your videos and photos, which is an unfortunate snag in the process. This article delves into detailed insights on how to resolve such issues on your Mac through various methods.

Why won't my GoPro show up on my Mac?

A common issue when using the methods above to connect GoPro to Mac is that the GoPro won't connect to the Mac. Unfortunately, the GoPro camera fails to connect to the Mac, as it doesn't show up in the "My Devices" section of the GoPro app.

This affects all GoPro cameras, including the HERO+, HERO Session, HERO4 Session, HERO5, 6, 7, and 8 Black, as well as all HERO variants.

If you connect your GoPro to your Mac using an SD card adapter, it appears as a mass storage device, and other apps might not recognize it as a camera.

Another possibility is that the camera might be recognized, but if you see an error like “No Files to Import” or “Used Space,” it indicates that while there is data on the microSD card, your GoPro still isn't connecting to your Mac.

Fix SD Card Not Detected on Mac Once and For All

When you insert the SD card into your Mac, it shows nothing in Disk Utility or Finder. Damn! Your SD card is not working properly on your Mac.

How do I connect my GoPro to my Mac?

If you're wondering, "Why can't my Mac see my GoPro?", chances are your Mac isn't recognizing your GoPro. Fortunately, there are solutions to address the issue of a GoPro not showing up on a Mac.

If you're using GoPro's Mac software and your GoPro isn't showing up on your computer, try either of these two solutions to fix the issue.

1. Solution 1: Reactivate Hardware Settings
2. Solution 2: Reinstall USB Controller Drivers
3. Solution 3: Restart Mac and Reconnect
4. Solution 4: Connect the Camera to a Different USB Port
5. Solution 5: Format GoPro SD Card

Solution 1: Reactivate the hardware setup

To reactivate a different hardware setup, you need to reset the USB port. To do this, follow these steps:

Step One: Click the Apple menu and choose “Shut Down” from the list.

Step 2: Hold down the Shift, Control, Option, and Power buttons on your keyboard at the same time.

Step 3: To release all buttons at once, hold them down for about 5 seconds.

Step 4: Your Mac can now turn on.

Confirm that your GoPro is compatible with your Mac by connecting it to your Mac with a micro SD card adapter or a USB cable. Do this after resetting your Mac's USB ports. Make sure “My Devices” is set to show the GoPro on your desktop.

Solution 2: Reinstall the USB controller driver

To reinstall the USB controller drivers on your Mac, follow these steps:

Step 1: You can access Device Manager by pressing the Windows logo key + X on your keyboard.

Step 3: Right-click on your device and select “Uninstall.”

(4) In the confirmation dialog, check the box next to Uninstall the driver for this device, and then click OK.

5. Unplug the USB controller, and then restart your computer.

Step 6: Plug the controller back into your console. Windows should automatically install the controller driver.

Solution 3: Restart your Mac, then connect again

To restart your Mac and reconnect to your GoPro, follow these steps:

Step 1: From the menu bar at the top of your Mac's screen, choose Apple menu > Restart.

To prevent the app's windows from opening again when you restart your Mac, uncheck “Open windows at login.”

Note: When the screen goes black, your Mac is turned off. On some computers, you might not hear fan or drive noise, or see an activity light on the power adapter.

Step three: Plug the USB-C cable into the USB-C port on your GoPro, and then plug the other end into your Mac's USB-C port.

Step 4. Power on the GoPro.

Solution 4: Connect the camera to a different USB port

To connect the camera to a different USB port, follow these instructions:

Step 1: Plug the camera's connecting cable into any available port on your Mac.

Note: If your camera cable does not match the port you want to connect it to, you can purchase an adapter to use with your camera.

Step 2: After you connect the camera, wait ten to fifteen seconds for your Mac to recognize it.

Connect your camera to the USB port

Solution 5: Format GoPro SD Card

To format your GoPro's SD card on a Mac, follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Launch Disk Utility by clicking on the Open button.

Step 2: Tap on External storage in the left sidebar, and then select your SD card to start using it.

Step 3: Next, choose the file system you want. For SD cards 32 GB or smaller, choose FAT. If your SD card is 64 GB or larger, select ExFAT.

Step 4: Highlight the items you want to delete, then click Wipe to remove them. The formatting process will begin. Once you see a confirmation that it's been formatted, you're done.

Click on “Erase”

Additional Tip: Safeguard Your GoPro Data

Even if you might have resolved the issue, there are chances that you may still end up losing data from your GoPro when it gets recognized by the Mac. Here are a few basic reasons for data loss on Mac:

Viruses and malware: An attack launched through email or a phishing scam that tricks employees into clicking on a contaminated link typically leads to a computer being infected with a virus. The virus or malware can then use that connection to infiltrate a company's computer system, causing damage or stealing data.

HDD Failure

Hard drive failure is the most common cause of data loss, accounting for more than half of all incidents. Some 140,000 hard drives fail every week, making them the most vulnerable component in a computer.

Power failure: A major power outage can cause the software system to shut down abruptly. This can result in loss of unsaved data and corruption of existing files due to an improper shutdown.

Human error: We might accidentally delete data files or text blocks without realizing it. We might overwrite important files or erase needed data inadvertently.

Tips to Prevent Data Loss on Mac

Here are some tips that might help better ensure the safety of your GoPro footage.

1. Back up data regularly

Backing up data regularly is always important and one of the most effective ways to ensure data safety. While backing up your data daily may seem tedious, it can be much easier with the help of a powerful backup software. Among various data backup tools available in the market, we highly recommend Todo Backup for Mac, due to its excellent performance and reliability.

2. Install antivirus software and a firewall.

Firewalls and anti-virus software are essential to prevent unauthorized access to your personal information.

3. Other Preventive Measures

Laptops and other data devices should be stored in a cool, dry place to avoid the deleterious effects of overheating and humidity on electronic equipment.

4. Build reliable digital restoration tools

While you may have found a solution to fix the problem of Mac not recognizing GoPro, there is still a chance that you could lose data. It is essential to have a reliable Mac data recovery tool at hand, such as the best Mac data recovery software, to ensure the safe retrieval of lost data with a high success rate. If you've already installed ToolsData Recovery Wizard for Mac, recovering lost data from various storage devices becomes a hassle-free task.

Follow these steps to prevent data loss on your Mac:

Step 1. Select the drive to scan

In the main wizard window of Data Recovery, all drives connected to your Mac will be listed. Select the drive from which you want to recover lost/deleted files and click on the “Search for Lost Files” button.

Note: Before data recovery, it is recommended that you click “Disk Backup” from the left sidebar to back up your Mac to prevent further data loss. After the backup, the software can recover data from the Mac backup, and your computer can write new data again.

Select the location and scan for lost Mac data

Step 2: Choose the data/files you lost

“Data Recovery Wizard for Mac” will scan the disk volume you select immediately and show the scanning results on the left. If you are looking for specific files, you can sort the results to locate the files you need.

Select the lost data/files you want to recover

Step 3: Recover Lost/Deleted Data

Once you find the files you need, preview them and then click “Recover” to start restoring your deleted or lost Mac files.