Browning Trail Cameras do not have an internal memory making the use of a SD card required. There are many possible issues that may be experienced that are directly related to the SD card that is being used. Below we have provided information on the most common issues related to SD cards as well as some general tips.
Recommended SD Cards
For optimal performance of your Browning Trail Camera we recommend Browning brand, SanDisk or Kingston. For information on what size SD cards your trail camera can use see your cameras instruction manual or click the link provided below.
How do I know what size SD card to purchase?
General SD Card Information
SD cards are tiny electronic devices with the same potential for failure, directly out of the package or after a period of use, as any other electronic device. The complexity of a SD card is such that while it may look perfect on the outside, it can potentially be damaged internally.
It is always recommended to have your trail camera powered off when inserting or removing the SD card.
Formatting is very important to the process of the SD card properly communicating with your trail camera. If a SD card has been used previously in other devices or trail cameras it is possible that traces of those devices formatting are left on the SD card which can cause issues. In order to maintain the cards full speed performance, preserve its storage capacity and reduce the risk of storage errors we recommend formatting the SD card to the trail camera each time it is inserted. To format the SD card with the trail camera locate Delete All in the Setup Menu and select Yes.
For information on how to format an SD card using your computer click the link provided below.
Cameras display reads "Please Insert SD Card" or "No SD Card"
If this message is displayed and there is no SD card installed in the trail camera install an SD card that meets the recommendations for your trail camera.
If this message is displayed and a SD card is installed try another SD card to see if the issue is resolved. If another SD card is not available you may try reformatting the SD card based on the above information keeping in mind it is possible, should there be a defect with the SD card, that this will not resolve the issue and trying another SD card would still be recommended.
Cameras display reads "ERR"
If this message is displayed try another SD card to see if the issue is resolved. If another SD card is not available you may try reformatting the SD card based on the above information keeping in mind it is possible, should there be a defect with the SD card, that this will not resolve the issue and trying another SD card would still be recommended.
Cameras display reads "Card Full"
When the "Card Full" message is displayed the first thing to check is making sure the SD card is not truly full. View the SD card to see if there are images on it. If the SD card does have images on it ensure you have saved any or all that you wish to keep. Reinsert the SD card into the trail camera and perform the Delete All function in the Setup Menu. If you return to the cameras Home Screen and the message is gone the issue has been resolved and you can resume normal operation.
If the SD card does not have images on it when getting the "Card Full" message try another SD card to see if the issue is resolved. If another SD card is not available you may try reformatting the SD card based on the above information keeping in mind it is possible, should there be a defect with the SD card, that this will not resolve the issue and trying another SD card would still be recommended.
Cameras display reads "Card Locked"
SD cards have a small sliding tab on their side which is a lock. Many users are not aware this tab exists and over use it may get bumped into the locked position causing this message to be displayed. Remove the SD card from the trail camera and ensure the tab is slid fully to the unlocked position and try again. If the tab is not in the locked position and the message remains try another SD card to see if the issue is resolved. If another SD card is not available you may try reformatting the SD card based on the above information keeping in mind it is possible, should there be a defect with the SD card, that this will not resolve the issue and trying another SD card would still be recommended.