Troubleshooting a VIRB 360 that Will Not Power On

In the event your camera will not power on, there are a few tests that can be done to determine the root cause. For steps on how to troubleshoot this problem, see below.

microSD Memory Card

To test the VIRB 360™'s current data card, remove the card from the camera, and press the Power/Left button to attempt to power the camera on.

If the camera powers on normally when the card is removed, then a replacement microSD card may be needed. See the FAQ  microSD Memory Card Compatibility for VIRB 360 for information on replacement data cards.

Before replacing the VIRB's microSD card, take the card from the VIRB and insert it into a card reader on your computer, if possible. If the card is recognized by your computer, it may be beneficial to copy the data from the card to your computer, as a backup, then format the data card using the steps in the FAQ VIRB 360 - Formatting Your Memory Card.

If the camera does not power on after taking these steps, proceed to the next section.

Battery

To test the battery:

1. Connect the VIRB 360 to an external power source
2. Check the top LED indicator on the VIRB
   • If the LED is solid red, then the camera is receiving power. Allow the VIRB to charge on this power source for at least 10 minutes.
   • If the LED does not light up, try a different power source.
3. Press the Power/Left button to attempt to power the camera on

If the VIRB powers on normally while connected to power, but will not power on when removed from external power, then the problem is likely with the battery. 

If the VIRB still will not power on, proceed to the next section.

Force Software Update

A software update can resolve this issue. If the VIRB will not power on or connect to the computer, a software update can be loaded to the VIRB's 
microSD data card and a sequence can be performed to force the software update onto the device.

To load a software update to the microSD card:

1. Insert the VIRB's microSD card into a card reader on your computer
2. Run the WebUpdater program on your computer and follow the prompts to load a software update to the card, or to reload the latest software version
   • WebUpdater will treat the microSD card as the VIRB camera itself. This allows the update file to be loaded without the camera being connected to the computer at all.

Once the WebUpdater program has finished loading the update to the card, the update can be forced onto the VIRB.

Before following the steps below, you will need a VIRB power cable or USB cable. Connect the cable to external power or to the computer, but do not yet plug the other end of the cable into the VIRB. Insert the microSD card (with the software update on it) into the camera, and ensure the camera is powered off completely.

To send the update to the VIRB:

1. Press and hold the OK/Camera and Power/Left buttons on the VIRB
2. When the LED turns yellow, release both buttons
3. After the LED turns green, press and hold the OK/Camera button
4. When the LED turns off, release the OK/Camera button
   
   • The LED indicator light should change to blinking yellow for 10 seconds
5. While the LED blinks yellow, connect the VIRB power cable/USB cable (with external power) to the VIRB

The VIRB should now begin to update itself using the software update which was loaded to the microSD card.

If these steps are ineffective, proceed to the next section.

Master Reset

A Master Reset or "Factory Reset" will clear all user data from the device and data card, and restore the device to factory settings. It may be helpful to back up the existing data on the microSD card before completing a reset.

For steps on how to perform a Master Reset, see Master Reset a VIRB 360.