GoPro Hero 12 GPS: No, and What to Use Instead

No. GoPro removed GPS from the Hero 12 Black. It is not a setting. The chip is not in the camera. If you filmed a race weekend on a 12 and went looking for the telemetry, that is why it is missing.

Here is the part people miss: the hole in the spec sheet says nothing about the footage. Your 12 still shoots great video. And you have options for lap times that do not involve selling the camera.

Why did GoPro drop GPS from the Hero 12?

Battery life. The GPS receiver was one of the hungrier components on the Hero 11, so GoPro pulled it when the 12 launched in 2023. Reviews at the time noted the extra runtime. Racers noticed something else: no more position, speed or altitude data in the file.

GoPro's own spec page lists GPS under the Hero 12's sensor specs but not as a logging feature. Compare that with the 13, where GoPro puts GPS back on the feature list as a headline.

Which GoPros Have GPS?

Five generations, one gap. GoPro shipped GPS in the 9, 10, 11 and 13. Only the 12 skips it.

See the full supported cameras list · Read the Hero 13 GPS guide

What this means for lap timing

A 12 records video only. Lap timing software needs the GPS track inside the file, and there is none. No firmware update changes this. No setting reveals it. Some apps fake it by reading the video timestamp against a phone GPS, and the results are rough at best.

If you already own a 12, you do not need to throw it away. Run it as the action cam and add telemetry another way.

Your options with a Hero 12

1. Use a Hero 11 or 13 alongside it. The obvious fix. Mount the 11 or 13 for the data, keep the 12 for the best picture. Both upload to Race Ninja and give you lap times, sectors and coaching.

2. DJI Action camera with the GPS remote. DJI's remote controller logs GPS and syncs it into the footage. A DJI Action 4 or 5 with that remote gives Race Ninja the track it needs. Worth it if you were already tempted by DJI's battery life.

3. An external logger. An Alfano or similar dash logs RPM and position on its own. Upload the logger data with your Hero 12 footage and Race Ninja fuses the two, so you keep the GoPro image quality and get real engine data too.

Get lap times from your footage or start free and see what your next session looks like analysed.

The upgrade question

Should you sell the 12 and buy a 13? If you race often and want the simplest single-camera setup, yes. The 13's GPS is the same class of receiver as the 11, at about ten fixes a second, and it rides in the video file. One camera, one upload, full analysis.

If money is tight, keep the 12 and borrow or buy a used Hero 11. Same telemetry for less.

Frequently Asked Questions