The Short Answer
The SJCAM A10 needs a microSD card up to 64GB, rated Class 10 / U1 or faster. Format the card inside the camera before your first recording, and use a name-brand card. A slow or fake card is the number one reason an A10 stops recording or throws an error.
Most "my body cam is not working" panics come down to the memory card, not the camera. Get this one thing right and the rest is easy. If you just picked up an SJCAM A10 body camera, here is exactly what to buy and how to set it up on day one.
The exact card to buy
- Type: microSD (TF) card.
- Capacity: up to 64GB, which is the A10's supported maximum. Bigger cards may not read.
- Speed: Class 10 or U1 minimum. This is not optional, the A10 writes continuous HD video and a slow card cannot keep up, causing dropped frames or a stop-recording error.
- Brand: stick to genuine SanDisk, Samsung, Kingston, or similar. The market is full of fake high-capacity cards that fail within weeks. If a 64GB card costs suspiciously little, it is probably fake.
The card is not included in the box, so grab one at the same time you buy the camera.
First-day setup in 5 minutes
- 1. Charge fully. Plug in the Type-C cable and top up the 2650mAh battery before first use.
- 2. Insert the microSD card with the camera powered off. Push until it clicks.
- 3. Power on and format the card in the camera. Go into the settings menu and run Format. This is the step people skip, and it prevents most errors. Always format in the A10 itself, not on your PC.
- 4. Set the date and time. The A10 stamps a timestamp on every clip, useless as proof if the clock is wrong. Set it correctly now.
- 5. Set your device ID if you run more than one unit, so each clip is traceable to a specific camera.
- 6. Do a 30-second test recording, then play it back to confirm video and audio are landing on the card.
Battery and recording tips
The A10 runs about 6 hours with the screen off. Two habits stretch that: keep WiFi off when you are not pulling files, and let the screen sleep. The battery is detachable, so for long shifts carry a charged spare and swap in seconds instead of waiting on a cable. When the 64GB card fills, the A10 can loop-record over the oldest footage, or you can offload clips first over Type-C or the SJCAM Zone app via WiFi.
Quick troubleshooting
- Camera will not record or shows a card error: reformat the card in the camera. If it repeats, the card is likely slow or fake, swap it for a genuine Class 10.
- Recordings cut off early: almost always a slow card. Upgrade to U1 or better.
- Footage looks hazy at night: wipe the lens, smudges scatter the infrared light.
- Wrong timestamp on clips: reset the date and time in settings.
That's the whole setup
Buy a genuine 64GB Class 10 card, format it in the camera, set the clock, and you are done, the A10 is ready for the field. Nail the card and the first-day steps, and you will avoid nearly every problem people run into. Need the camera or a matching card and spare battery? We stock all three, so you can walk out ready to record.
