Ad Space — Top Banner

No GPS Signal

GoPro Action Camera

Severity: Minor

Source: OnlyErrorCodes.com — Every error code. One place.

GoPro No GPS Signal — GPS Lock Fix Guide

What Does This Error Mean?

'No GPS Signal' means your GoPro can't get a GPS lock — your videos won't have location, speed, or elevation data embedded.
The camera works for video and photo regardless.
Move to clear sky view, wait 1-2 minutes for GPS acquisition.
If you can't get GPS in open conditions, check that GPS is enabled in settings — it's off by default on some firmware.

Affected Models

  • GoPro HERO 10/11/12 Black
  • GoPro HERO 9
  • GoPro HERO 8 Black
  • GoPro MAX

Common Causes

  • GPS turned off in camera settings (default off on some firmware)
  • Camera under cover (helmet, jacket) blocking sky view
  • Cold start — GPS needs time to download almanac
  • Weak signal area (urban canyons, dense forest)
  • GPS chip failed (rare)

How to Fix It

  1. Confirm GPS is enabled.

    Swipe down from the top of the GoPro screen → Preferences → GPS.
    Make sure it's set to On.
    GPS is off by default on some HERO models to save battery.
    If you've never enabled it, that's likely your 'no signal' cause.

  2. Move to clear sky view.

    Take the camera out from under any cover — helmet, jacket, dashboard.
    Hold it where the top of the camera has a clear view of the sky.
    Wait 1-2 minutes for GPS to acquire.
    The first acquisition after long unused periods can take several minutes (cold start).

  3. Wait for cold start to complete.

    If your GoPro has been off for weeks, the GPS receiver needs to download fresh almanac data from satellites.
    This 'cold start' takes 5-10 minutes in clear sky.
    Subsequent power-ups acquire in seconds.
    Be patient on the first GPS acquisition of the season.

  4. Restart the camera.

    If GPS still won't acquire after 5-10 minutes in clear sky, restart the camera.
    Power off, wait 30 seconds, power on.
    This forces a fresh GPS init.
    Sometimes resolves stuck GPS states from firmware glitches.

  5. Check GPS chip with the GoPro app.

    Connect to the GoPro app.
    Check the camera info — some models report GPS status.
    If the app shows GPS as disabled or faulty even with the camera in clear sky, the GPS chip may have failed.
    Contact GoPro support for warranty service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will videos still record without GPS?

Yes — video and photo work normally without GPS.
What you lose: GPS overlay (speed, elevation, distance for adventure sports), location metadata in your video files, and HiLight tags with GPS data.
For action sports videos, GPS overlay is a popular feature — fix to restore it.

Why does GPS drain my battery?

GPS receiver runs continuously when enabled.
Battery drain with GPS on is about 10-20% faster than with it off.
If you don't use GPS overlay or location data, leave it off to save battery.
Turn it on only for trips where you want the location data.