I’m having trouble moving photos from my GoPro to my Mac with a USB cable. My Mac doesn’t recognize the GoPro when I plug it in, and I need these photos for a project soon. Has anyone had this issue or know the best way to import photos from GoPro to Mac with a cable? Any step-by-step advice or troubleshooting tips would be appreciated.
So you’re staring at your GoPro and your Mac, wondering if it’s going to be a drama or a breeze to grab your footage. I’ve been down this rabbit hole—sometimes it’s as easy as pie, other times it’s like your devices are refusing to speak the same language.
Straightforward Method: Trusty Old USB Cable
- First things first—power up your GoPro.
- Find that USB cable (the one that shipped with your cam, not the random one in your junk drawer).
- Connect camera to Mac. Cross your fingers: your Mac should pop up a new drive (like plugging in a thumb drive).
Seriously, that’s it. Finder will show “GoPro” or “Untitled” (it never names it anything exciting). If not, try another USB port or cable.
Alternative Route: The App for the Storage Nerds
Some people like bells and whistles, or maybe they keep running into the “File too large to copy” error. That’s where MacDroid struts in.
For those not in the loop: MacDroid turns your GoPro into a fully mountable drive—super handy if you want to mess with big video files without Finder having a meltdown. Yeah, you can move files without it, but sometimes the easy way isn’t enough if you’re working with a gig or two of 4K.
How To Do It:
- Download and install MacDroid on your Mac.
- Plug in your GoPro using the real USB-C cable it came with.
- Launch MacDroid and pick the “MTP” transfer option.
- In the MacDroid interface, hunt for the GoPro, then drag and drop your footage wherever you want.
- When done, don’t just yank the cable—hit Eject first, because we’ve all lost data being impatient.
Bonus Round: Removing Size Limits & Other Annoyances
If you constantly get hit with “can’t copy due to file size,” or Finder just spins forever, MacDroid can bulldoze right past that. For power users? MTP mode’s handy, but honestly, try it out and see what makes your life simpler.
In Case You Want More Details
If you stumble or just want to see another breakdown, check out this guide on importing GoPro media to Mac via USB—because sometimes you need a second opinion, or you don’t trust strangers on the internet.
Short version: Plug in, see if it just works. If not, try MacDroid. Happy transferring, and may your battery not die in the middle of a file move.
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If your Mac’s giving you the silent treatment when you plug in your GoPro (been there, screamed at that), try yanking out the GoPro’s card instead of fighting with the cable. The whole “Finder should show GoPro” dream, like @mikeappsreviewer said, works… until it doesn’t. Apple and GoPro play nice half the time; the other half they ghost each other like exes.
Skip the cable—grab a card reader (bonus if you already have a USB-C version) and just pull the microSD out of the GoPro. Slide it in the reader, and your Mac will see it as a drive, no flaky connection drama. Drag, drop, done. Zero software fuss, no sketchy file transfer stalls, and it works even if your cable decides not to.
If you’re stuck on using the cable (hey, sometimes you gotta), I’ll agree with @mikeappsreviewer’s take on MacDroid being solid—the MTP mode works way better than the Mac’s built-in support, which honestly has mood swings. But honestly, unless you love troubleshooting, card reader all the way.
Oh, also: make sure you’re not using a charging-only cable. Those are everywhere and it’s a scam. Get an actual data cable (the GoPro one, if possible). Oh, and check that your GoPro’s set to “USB Connect” mode, because if not, might as well expect nothing.
TL;DR: Card reader > cable if your Mac is feeling stubborn. MacDroid if you love apps. Finder if the universe blesses you.
I know the cable/card reader debate is eternal but honestly, I swear they built GoPros to make us question our tech sanity. Real quick: if the Mac isn’t recognizing your GoPro at all over USB, you might be hitting a compatibility wall, especially if you’re on an older MacOS or a newer GoPro HERO. Been burned by both, trust me.
Now, I get that @mikeappsreviewer and @chasseurdetoiles are hyping the two obvious ways—Finder if the universe aligns or card reader if you want zero nonsense. Both are valid. But hear me out: if you absolutely have to use the cable (like, no card reader in sight, or you’re weirdly sentimental about that USB cord), there’s another twist no one mentioned yet: image capture apps. Literally, search “Image Capture” in your Mac’s Launchpad—sometimes, when Finder throws a tantrum, this app still sees your GoPro. No joke, had an old HERO5 that’d show up for Image Capture but was invisible elsewhere, like a true introvert.
Another trick: try rebooting your Mac with the GoPro already plugged in and on, in USB mode (double check the GoPro’s settings for “USB Connect”—sometimes the default is charging only, which is maddening). If that doesn’t work, you might have a cable that only charges (sneaky, I know—happened to me three times before I believed it could happen).
For really stubborn combos, MacDroid is legit, like @mikeappsreviewer said. It’s not snake oil—it does handle file transfers with GoPros when Finder axes itself out of the mix. Not free, though, so weigh if that’s worth it for your deadline. If you’re always swapping files from GoPro or even Android stuff, it’s worth the install.
Last thing, and I know it sounds weird: try a different user account on your Mac. Permissions get weird sometimes, especially if you’ve updated OS versions over time. Set up a guest account, log in there, then plug in the GoPro. It worked for me on a MacBook Air when everything else failed.
All-in, if you’re crunched for time—seriously, borrow or buy the cheapest card reader off Amazon, local big box, whatever. Cables and apps are a rabbit hole and you have a project to finish, not a thesis to write on shoddy GoPro/Mac relations. If you must use a cable—check all the stuff above, and maybe sacrifice a coffee to the tech gods.