I Accidentally Deleted Footage from My GoPro, How to Fix?

Theo Lucia updated Jul 07, 26

5 min(s)

TL;DR:

To recover accidentally deleted GoPro footage, immediately stop using the camera to prevent overwriting the data, remove the microSD card, and run video recovery software like Recoverit Data Recovery on a computer to restore the MP4 files to a separate drive.
    ● Never format the microSD card, record new clips, or save recovered videos back to the original card, as new data will permanently overwrite the deleted media.
    ● If recovered clips are complete but will not play, use a video repair tool alongside healthy sample footage from the exact same GoPro model to rebuild the corrupted file structure.
    ● A recovery scan can still retrieve unfinished video data or files from a quick-formatted card, provided no new recordings have occupied those specific storage sectors.

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Deleted GoPro footage can often be recovered if the microSD card has not been used much after deletion. The safest fix is to stop recording immediately, remove the card, check whether the footage is still hidden or missing from the file system, and then run GoPro video recovery on the card from a computer.

Follow these steps to maximize the chance of recovering deleted GoPro clips without overwriting them.

Step 1
Stop using the GoPro and remove the microSD card. New recordings can overwrite deleted clips and make recovery impossible.
Step 2
Check for visible but inaccessible files. Insert the card into a computer with a card reader. Open the DCIM and GoPro-related folders. Look for missing file names, zero-byte files, or clips that do not play.
Step 3
Scan the microSD card with video recovery software. Use a recovery tool that supports MP4 and GoPro storage cards to recover deleted GoPro footage. Save recovered files to a different drive, not back to the same card.
Step 4
Try a repair step for damaged recovered clips. If recovered videos exist but do not open, first try another recovered version with a different size or timestamp. If the recovered clip is complete but still corrupted, a video repair tool may rebuild the file structure if sample footage from the same GoPro model is available.
Step 5
Back up recovered files and reformat the card in-camera only after recovery is complete. Reformatting before recovery reduces the chance to recover videos from GoPro storage.

Common Issues and Fixes

Issue	Likely cause	Fix
Deleted footage does not appear in the card folders	The file system entry was removed	Run a deep scan with GoPro video recovery software.
Recovered clips will not play	File header, index, or video data is damaged	Recover another version of the clip first, then use video repair if the recovered file still cannot play.
The card asks to be formatted	File system corruption is blocking access	Do not format first; scan the card with recovery software from a computer.
Only short or partial videos are recovered	New footage overwrote old sectors, or the recording was split into fragments	Recover all found fragments, then sort by date, size, and file type.
The computer does not detect the card	Reader, adapter, USB port, or card connection failed	Try another card reader, USB port, or adapter before assuming full card failure.

Quick Tips

These tips can improve recovery results and help you avoid common mistakes.

GoPro footage is usually stored as MP4 files, but split chapters and low-resolution proxy files may also exist. Recover both when possible.
Quick format does not always erase footage immediately. A formatted card may still allow recovery if no new data was written.
Cloud sync or app preview does not guarantee full local file recovery. Original high-resolution clips are usually needed from the card itself.
If the GoPro shut down during recording, the file may be missing rather than deleted. A recovery scan can still find unfinished video data.

💡Protip:

Before scanning the GoPro microSD card, do not format it, record new clips, or save recovered videos back to the same card. New footage can overwrite deleted MP4 data that may still be recoverable.